The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-01-21

lion cannot be so harmouized and simplifed as
10 render public labor and expenditure in this
efficient. We have at prreent schools Of every
grade common 10 the several States. Bat they
neither go Supplied and distributed as to meet
the wants Of all sections OF the State, do
they possess that completeness OF organization,
rnutua dependence Of relationship and
unity Of parposs - ese1,isl to ne sssney Of
schools shodld be organized into system Of
successive grades, wherein q certificate Of compile
lion of the course IN the school of grade should
be passport OF admission to the next higher. and
in all schools supported by the public money of
Wisconsin courses OF Instruction should have
reference. in whole or in part. TO courses Of in
within our own State.
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS
Apparently the greatest need OF our State at
this time In the higher department of education
il g better supply Of schools of intermediate
grade. between the lowest and the highest. SINH
lar TO the plan of some of the Eastern States: so
that not only in the larger cities but also in
every county, If not in every town, Their shall be
a series of free schools leading youth through
the university. For fuller discussion of this
important subject, az also of the need of legfs-
latiye measures looking 10 q greater uniformity
Of text books, refer you TO the able report Of
our State Superintendent
II has been suggested Dy prominent friends Of
education that the erection of cculral normal
school IN connection with the university would
strongly tend to harmonic all interests and TO
give measurable unity and efficiency TO our edu-
estional plan The reasonaoleness OF this sug-
| gestion IL obvious. AS it's name implies, the
| university is intended to supplement all classes
Of instruction taught in the State by public eu-
| thor.ty. and the adoption of this Suggestion
while il would not necessarily impose any addi-
tionsl burden upon the people, would AT least in
additional efficiency and unity to this special
apartment of instruction.
| IMPROVEMENT OF NATIONAL WATER COURSES.
| i regret my inability to congratulate you upon
a more liberal improvement Of our national water
courses during the past season. While have
| no official knowledge of precise results, il is a
matter of notoriety that the appropriations made
! by Congress for this purpose the past year were
| insignificant in proportion TO the magnitude of
the interest committed TO it charge and de-
| pendent upon its bounty. The improvement
of our lake ports has been continued to mod
| crate extent, but not on scale commensurate
| with the importance Of commerce
4 or the revenue derived from our people
by the Federal Government. Work at the Fox
| and Wisconsin Rivers was not actively resumed
| until July. and the better portion of the season
was needlessly lost to the prosecution of that
enterprise | am unohdeislly informed that de
taehed sections o. the Wisconsin River, for a
| considerable portion of the distance from Port
age City to Prairie du Chen. are deemed complete
for nayigable purposes; that dredging out the
connecting canal between the Fox and the Wis
consn Rivers il being prosecuted under contract,
and that the efficient continuance of the work the
| ensuing season requires further and more lib
! eral action by the present Congress.
| Probably quarter of a million Of our people
| reside on the immediate shores Of deep waters,
| nayigated by steam and sail These waters are
| grand highways which nature has kindly and
| abundantly bestowed upon our people. They
| were destined by the Creator TO bear
| upon their bosoms precious burdens from
our farms and workshops in exchange for
| rich products of foreign industry and skill.
Over all this broad expanse of navigable waters
| the Federal Government holds complete and in
| disputable sway In the solution of the grand
problem of cheap exchanges of products we
| ask of that Government 10 return to Us but a
I frar infln fhafi bich nav ~
| enlarging the natural channels Of trade. by pro-
viding sufficient shelter for our shipping, and by
| protecting the lives of our gallant and hardy
sailors from the rage of November storms. We
ask this NOT merely ON the ground Of justice, and
| much less on the ground of unrequIted bounty.
The wisest statesmen of our time are confirmed
bv every intelligent engineer of the Federal
service in estimating an ultimate profit to the
| Treasury upon every dollar judiciously dis
4ee II IN 4 Truth 0f 5s4e are S the RS gns
adequate to complete expression of the
past or the future advantages, either to the Gov
eminent or TO the people OF the easy and safe
igation of our lakes and rivers The conceded OBJ
legations of the Government in this department
| have been the foundation of our growth and the
life of our industry. But while il is fortunate for
our own people that the duty OF the Govern -nent
is neither doubtful nor obscure, il is unfortunate
that the extent of that duty is net better defined
| and that Its faithful discharge cannot be more
| promptly enforced.
| As to the special claims OF the Fox ana wIscon-
| sin Rivers Improvement, | need not indulge in a
| repefltl0n OF facts l nave already stated
fret annual message and on other occasions. Inow
call your attention simply to the conceded truth
that not less than one-third of the States are
more less directly interested in this i'm
proyement; and TO the testimony OF Senator
| Window and other high authority that its com
| pletion would connect the commerce of nearly
quite 1900 boats on the Mississippi River ana
| tributaries; would save ten cents per bushel''
on the cost of wheat shipments which would
| naturally be contributed from Minnesota, Wis
consin, Nebraska. Iowa and Missouri, amounting
| TO yearly aggregate to these States OF not less
than sl06o,oo0; would save other mill
ions upon the cost of transporting iron,
copper, salt and lumber from Northern
Wisconsin and Michigan, and Eastern mer-
with the completion of the Huron Canal, its nat
ural extension, distance would be sufficiently
| abbreviated 70 encourage large additional pro-
duction and ship ment, even promising to the
l'toling producer of the West a profit on his sur
plus oats and corn. hundred Thousand West
ern producers are now praying Congress for
! more prompt and liberal action for the attain
| ment of these advantages, and ask you to unite
| with me in memorial of similar character in
behalf of this and such other improvements OF
this class as clearly demand the continued and
more vigorous support of Federal authority.
THE RAILWAY COMMISSION.
In pursuance of an act of the last Legislature.
entitled An act relating to railroads, express
and telegraph companies il became my duty in
May last to appoint Board of Railroad Commits
| sioners. Conscious of the responsible duties as
| signed 10 the commission under the law il was
| as TO avoid any just suspicion of political par
tality or of desire 10 prejudge the interests of
believe every one familiar with the facts
| wall concur with me in bearing cheer
full testimony to the impartiality and ability with
which the work Of the commission has thus lar
been perform ed. In addition to the ordinary dll-
ties of similar commissions, the act clearly i'm
piled the nece ssily of protracted investigation,
| impossible OF satisfactory completion within the
few months intervening between the organization
Of the Board and the meeting of the Legislature
Sufficient progress has been made. however to
assure us that the Commissioners have laid broad
and strong the foundations of future progress and
more intelligent legislation.
THE RAILWAY CONTROVERSY.
Immediately previous to the organization of the
| Board OF Commissioners formal communications
| were forwarded to me by the Presidents of the
| Chicago Milwaukee & ST. Paul Railway Com
pany and of the Chicago & Northwestern Rail
! way Company, notifying me. the in words
and the other in effect, that the requirements of
| the law in important particulars would be disre-
| garded by these corporations and assigning rea-
sons for this determination.
Under these circumstances alternative was
presented me. The Constitution declares that
The Governor . shall exI edite all such measures
| as may be resolved upon by the Legislature. and
| shall take care that the laws be faithfully ex-
ecuted." This Constitution had soemnly sworn
| to support. | possessed no opportunity and no
| power TO determine the merits of the law. 1t is
not within the scope Of my official authority to
revise the action of the legislative branch of the
| Government or to consider objections to the
| performance Of duties it had required. Nor
Is it permissible that corporations, because
| vested with extraordinary responsibility
and influence can rightfully await the progress of
protracted judicial investigation as a condition of
| obedience to public authority. Such an assufnp-
ton is subversiye of all law In this respect the
obligations of powerful corporation are no
greater and no less than those of the humbles cit
| izen within the jurisdiction of the State. And L
should have been false you and false to the peo
! pie we mutually represent had l failed in this
emery ency TO exert all the authority vested IN the
Executive Department of the Government for the
enforcement of the law
| Copies of documents embodying the results of
! the proceedings which ensued will be submitted
| to you in due time and FORM They amply con
firm thus far the construction of or Constitution
previously placed upon II by the Legislative and
| Executive Departments of the Government. This
| construction is emphasized by the concurrent
opinions OF all the Judges of the Supreme Court
| and the Judge Of one circuit of our own State
| ana also Of three Judges of Federal iuris-
| dctlon. including distinguished member
| OF the United States Supreme Court In accord
ance with these judicial results and especially in
pursuance of writs of injunction issued from the
| Supreme Court of Wisconsin. the law has been in
practical force throughout The State since the first
day OF October last, except as to the carriage of
passengers and freight from points within the
State TO points without it, and from points with
out the State to points within ii. inyoIy-
ing the question of interstate commerce.
alton at the final adjudication of the
controversy by the Supreme Court of the United
States. Rates for freight and passengers pass
Ing entirely through the State are not affected
by the law: and all roads in = Glass c. are sub-
ject only TO the provision thar they shall not
charge higher rates for freight than they were re-
ceiying under their own tariffs June l. 1879
Hence it may be tina: the amount OF business
actually affected by the law is hight compared
With the whole
The power of the State over the franchises of
corporations, as thus far judicsly determined
Is absolute. | most firmly believe that the reser
TO ed