The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-01-27

property is taken for public use
Ii then, railroads are public highways the public
are entitled TO the fullest benefits to be derived
therefrom, after allowing the stockholders reason
able dividend their capital invested and TO secure
both parties in the full enjoyment of their lust
rights, the most adequate protection should be given
do not regard the railway management of this
state as less air liberal than that of other states
trains are run with regularity and safety and the
travelling public has been well accommodated 40 far
az thelI physical comfort and safety is concerned
nevertheless there are mplants of unjust dis
cImlnaton in particular localities for which it is
CLAIMED there IS no redress, and that rates of
transportation generally are unnecessarily birh
pass no Judgment upon these complaints M
nave no such personal knowledge to enable me
10 90 so but tins Interest has become important
and is so vital la the prosperity of the whole state
mat recommend the organization of board of
millio 'm commissioners with power TO inquire
INTO all complaints aud abuses, and to cxercise a
general supervision over the operating of the
eral railroads within the state, and to recommend
Suth leglslalation as may seem to them expcdient
and report annually to the Governor
Fortunately our constitution gives to the Leg
islatnre absolute control over this whole question
and hope that there will be no hesitation in ap-
plying AN adequate remedy to every Just cause of
complaint
The practice of giving bonuses in aid of the con-
struCt1on of railways, il not to be condemned
where the communities Coniine themselves within
reasonable limits, and the bonus is not dispro-
portioned to the benefits to be derived but there
has been degree of reckessness in this regard
that has brought great distress on many oraliJes
After the explosion of the farm mortgage system
which brought hundreds Of farmers to bankruptcy
ana rum, the next device was to induce the towns
counties and cities to loan their credit i'll aid of
various railroads. Towns that were the most prom.
sing OF any in the state, in evil hour per
sladed to loan their credit far beyond ier fair abjl
y TO aid in the construction of railways in the expec-
aion that the benefits would add so largely to their
business and prosperity, that they could easily pay
the debt created for that object In almost every
Instance disappointment has been the result and in-
stead of the great advantages predicted they find
themselves buried beneath almost hopeless debt.
INN
WIN the many examples of this kind which the
state atfords-rst, in the ruined farm mortgagora
and, next In the embarrassed and trostrate towns
1T was reasonable to expect that the people would
be more cautious about involving themselves in
debt beyond their reasonable ability to pay But
such appears not to be the fact, and as near as
can learn there has been as much reckessnessas
ever during the pas year i'll voting such bounties.
The disposition to create debts for future genera
tons TO pay, appears universal.
While There may be great objection to any
community taxing itself each year to limited
amount III aid of such public improvements as the
| majority may deem necessary for the public wei
fare-to saddle Eosterity with heavy debts for
doubtful benefits only result in repndiation and
disgrace. AS temporary measure of safety, i
recommend the passage Of n law prohibiting any
town, county or city from creating any debt IN aid
of any railroad or public improvement. in exec
of i've per cent of the assessed value of the prop
city of such town, county or city, and that an
amendment TO the constitution to the same effect,
be submit ted to The people at the earliest possible
moment.
The renewal 90 the st. Croix and Lake Superior
Land Grant is greatly desired by the people the
| northwest part of the state. Having made their
settlements i'll the expectation that this road would
be built and purchased their lands at double gov
erument price, it Is but just that the grant should
be renewed to the state and to secure that end, it
is recommended that you ask Congress to take such
| action is due to the state and the people most
directly interested The care of the lands within
the limits of this grant was intrusted by the Secre
tary OF the Interior and my predecessor to General
Samuel Hartman who authorized to act both
for the state and general government. His report
shows that there in the State Treasury on the
first day of October 1871 to the credit of the ST.
| Croix and Lake Superior Railroad Land Tres pass
Fund, balance of SIS, CPS, and that SUITE are now
pending against responsible parties to recover about
f75,G0O more.
AGRICULTURE
The reports OF the county and state agriculture
societies afford evidences Of growth aud progressl
III agriculture that are quite satisfactory.
Ibe exhlbltIous at our late state and county fairs
were the best ever bad IN the state, and it gen.
orally observed that the farmers deyotng more
attention to the growth and breeding of stock and
iess to the growth of grain, to be transported an
expense Of more than half its value. to distant
market for cons,ImpiOn and greatly to the jInnoy-
erishmcnl of the soil.
That they viii hl.d their advantage in a more di
velsihed industry there can be no doubt. As agr-
culture is, and must continue to be for long time
IT not always the leading interest of the state will
no doubt receive your fostering care.
MANUFACTURIHs.
While the interests of agriculture have been the
featuring have been progressive, but not all that
could he desired, There is no state in the Union
that can prGsentas great natural advantages for
manufacturing state, az Wisconsin.
Her raw materials OF IRON, copper and lead arc
i"and distributed over the state in exhaustless
quantities from the shores of Lake Superior Ia our
eouthcrn border. OF building stone, we have every
variety of granite and of limestone, and the beau
itul and never ending fire-proof brown freestonc
OF Lake Superior
Kaolin, or the finest quality of porcelain clay
exists In immense beds ut Grand Rapids, on the
Wisconsin river.
Our forests of pine. hemlocl and all kinds of
hard wood, are exceeded by those of no other
state
For the growth of wool, our state has proved to
he among the foremost, aud the cotton of Teunes-
see, Mississippi and Arkansas. he laid down in
Wisconsin for much less cost for transportation
than in New England. Bounded on the north and
east by two of the greatest inland eeas of the world
and on the west BY tbs Father OF Waters connected
by water communication stretching over one half
OF oHr vast country, with water powers running to
waste cqual to moving every water-wbecl in the
United States, the state is far behind
many of her sister states, which
have no sUch natural advantages. An
othes year VIII see completed the government inn
nrovement of the Mississippi at Rock Island and
Des MONIES rapids This nav be regarded as the
most valuable work undertaken Ivy the gov
orHmcut, When completed, steamers ct 500 tons
burden VIII b. able to navigate the Mlsalssippi a;
all seasons when not obstructed by ice and when
supplemented 10y the Fox and Wisconsin improve
mCHt, Cauuot fail to exercise wholesome influence
over the question of transportation. Then the raw
cotton may DE brought 10 Us for less than one-hat
OF what It costs to transport it 10 Lowell Man
chester, FAN River ~ Lewiston and when manu-.
featured, the whole lake basin, and valley of the
Mississippi offer unrvalcd advantages FOR markets
reached by cheap transportation.
With the best iron i'll the world, why should
nine-teuhs of all the iron consumed il Tho state be
brought from distant state or from Europe?
Why send our wool to New England to be worked
into cloth, and then buy 1t back greatly enhanced III
value? Why go to New England for manufac-
lures of cotton. when it is so apparent that can
fabricate them with SO much advantage at home?
1t is apparent that for many years large portion
Of The revenues to support the government must
be raised from tariff duties. Common would
seem to indicate that in raising revenue, duties
should be so levied as to best promote those
branches of industry that can be prosecuted here
well any other country, but for the dearer
capital and labor here and hope that your legis-
lation will he so directed as to encourage the
growth of those branches of manufacturing indus
try, to which the state is SO well adapted.
The existing tariff doubt requires revision
The duties many articles unnecessarily high.
Raw materials should be admitted either free at
very low rate of duty.
INDIANS.
The northwestern part of the state has been long
infested with rowing bands of Indians. mostly of the
Winnehago tribe. They have reservations i'll Kan
Nehras ka, to which they should long since
have been removed.
their wanderings and depredations are not CON
fined to any particular locality. but mostly felt in
the counties of Clark Jackson, Trempealeau, Mon
and La Crosse. The people are justly dissais-
fed Chat they have not been removed, and have
practiCed great forbcarance up to this time. our
State Prison now contains one or more inmates
from this tribe. Two years ago an appropriation
made for their removal, but for some reason
the law never executed.
! recommend that Congress be memorialiGed upon
the subject
NATION.
Having thus hurriedy adverca TO the satisfactory
condition of our State, hope that it may not be re-
garded improper to notice in brief manner the |
condition of the nation.
At no time has more general prosperity and con- !