Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-01-21

OF deYOtlng the building hereafter either 10 the
support Of retOrmatory school for girls similar
to that now maintained at Waukesha for boys
or to the care of the incurable insane now OCcu-
pylng valuable room in our State hospitals or
enduring hives OF lingering and unptied suffering
| IN our county jails and poor-houses. The
progress already made in the construction of the
Northern Hospital for the Insane deserves the
nlSneSI commentator. The work has been
economically and substantially performed. upon
the most approved and meritorious plan of the
times, and recommend your special attention to
the Importance OF its immediate completion.
LOCAL INSTITUTIONS OF CHARITY.
Among the appropriations of the past year was
the sum OF S4,COJ contributed by the State toward
the support OF benevolent institutions in or near
the city of Milwaukee. Too much cannot be said
IN praise OF the many noble charities literally be
slowed through the active instrumentality of
these ana kindred organizations elsewhere.
Located in portions of the State which contrib
ute very largely and always punctualy to the
support OF the State Government, and which
nave never been awarded any of the benefits in
cident to the location of any State institu-
ton OF education benevoence. they min
lister generously to the relief of the sick, the
frlendless and the poor, and thus serve in an i'm
portant degree to tighten the burdens of the pub
nc know OF no reason why any organized
EFFORT OF this kind, so manifestly consistent with
the better feelings OF the human heart, should be
denied, on merely technical grounds the bare
plttance hitherto granted by way of encourage
ment and support. With due care to avoid
hglous or local partlality sincerely trust that
policy so clearly dictated by the two-fold cons i'd
eratlons of profit and humanity will not be has
uly rejected.
THE STATE PRISON.
The first annual report of the Directors of the
State Prison deserves and will undoubtedly COM
mand more than ordinary attention. 1t appears
from TINS report that the internal affairs of the
prison the past year have been administered with
intelligence and fidelity, and that important i'm
proVements have been made for the purpose of
ecOnomizng labor and decreasing Expenditure
The recommendations of the Directors with
reference to further reduction of the
annual cost of the prison commend them
selves to your approval. | suggest the
prOpriety of further inquiry, in conjunction
with the Board of Directors and the Warden, as
to the possibility of more effectively utilizing the
labor of the prison by partial total change in
the character of the work to which the prisoners
are assigned. Evidently the great amount of raw
material required in the class of work engaged
III at the prison materially diminishes the reve-
nue. which ought to be derived from the convict
labor OF the State Under the circumstances, 1t
seems to me apparent that the most profitable prod
uct of prison labor would be that the value of
which mostly consists of the labor performed in its
production rather than in the cost of transporta-
ton and the material used
RELIGIOUS PRIVILEGES.
Complaints made that a portion of the in
mates of the Industrial School at Waukesha are
denied the RELIGIOUS freedOmi accorded in other
institutions Of this and other States. If such be
the fact the present statutes should be promptly
amended in such manner to enforce in all
our public institutions full and undoubted com
pliance with the letter and spirit of those wise
provisions OF our Constitution which assert that
the right to worship God according to the dictates
of conscience shall never be infringed. This
privilege is as dear to the inmates of our penal
institutions as to any other class of people, and
IS entitled to special guardianship in the of
children OF tender age, deprived of the whole
some influences Of intelligent home intercourse
and parental protection.
THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.
The State of Wisconsin has never failed to
recognize agriculture the foundation of all our
industries and the prime source of material
prosperity. Without reasonable doubt, all the
interests OF labor have been wisely promoted
through the agency of the State and county agri-
cultural societies, partially organized and sus-
tanned by means of legislative aid. Our me-
chanlcal and manufacturing interests largely
participate in the benefits so conferred, and a
wholesome spirit of competition and enterprise
is promoted at trltling cost in comparison with
the advantages derived from the expenditure.
The annual report of the Secretary Of the State
Agricultural Society furnishes abundant proof
of the continued efficiency and utility of this
benefcent organization, and l cordially recon-
mend the usual appropriation for the encourage
ment OF this and the county associations the
suing year.
The State Historical Society is steadily advanc-
ing in its work of collecting the materials of
Northwestern history and forming a great histor-
zeal and general library. 1t has published several
volumes of history, and now numbers over $4,000
bound and unbound volumes in its library: being
thus early the third in importance among the
historical societies of the United States.
The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and
Letters, also provided with rooms in the Capitol,
has, during the year, published second volume
OF valuable scientific papers; and, embracing in
its membership many of the most learned men
OF the State and country, it has already gained an
honorable rank among philosophical societies
and fairly entered upon career of great useful
ness.
Both of these institutions well deserve a con-
tlnuance OF the fostering care of the State.
PRINTING AND PUBLISHING.
The total amount paid from the general fund
for printing and publishing during the fiscal
year ending Sept. 80, 1873, was S95,516.61. The
total amount paid for the same imposes for the
fiscal year ending Sept 30. 1874, was $85,20908.
Of this sum the amount Of $55,327 OF was paid for
printing under a contract which expired on the
LIST Of January inst, and So 6213 80 for legislative
printing and the advertisement of laws in the
newspapers of the State. Under the legislation
of last winter a new contract has been made for
printing after the 1st inst and a material reduc-
ton is anticipated 1t is believed that this reduc
ton for the ensuing year, under the terms Of the
new contracts for printing and paper, will amount
to at least $50, 600.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The faithful administration of the Department
of Public Instruction the past year furnishes a
sufficient assurance of due progress in our com
mon schools. Important facts and suggestions
embodied in the annual report of the Super
intendent. An impression prevails that a con-
siderable number of our children of school age
are destitute of the benefits of education. Hap
PLY this assumption Is not fully justified by any
statement of facts reliably ascertained. The
school census of each year shows the attendance
for the year only of all children between the ages
OF four and twenty years. | suggest to you such
an amendment TO the existing law as TO dispense
with all speculation as to the actual number Of
children growing up III ignorance by requiring at
each school census hereafter enumeration of
the number of children of school age who have
never attended school or otherwise acquired
knowledge of the rudmentary studies taught in
the public schools. Statistics thus cheaply OBJ
tanned would prove valuable data for future
sideratiOn.
THE STATE UNIVERSITY.
The trainers of our Constitution wisely enacted
that . provision should be made by law for the
establishment of State university, at near the
seat of the State Government, and for connect
ing with the same, from time to time, such col
leges in the different parts of the State as the in
terests OF education may require And our Con-
stitutiOn furthermore provided that the pro-
ceeds of all lands that have been may hereafter
be granted by the United States to this State Tor
the support of university shall be and remain
a permanent fund, x + the interest of which
shall be appropriated to the support of the State
University
1t is just source of regret that the trust thus
imposed upon the State by Congress and the
trainers of our State Government has not been
more generously and faithfully executed. The
original endowment munificent and sufficient
for the noble objects sought to be accomplished.
While the State has been growing great in pOpu-
ulatiOn and material wealth. the rightful proper
ty of the university has been lavishly and impru-
IDENTIFY disposed OF, its appropriate revenues de-
pleted and our children measuraby denied their
inherited right to the blessings Of free education
in the highest departments of knowledge.
Fortunately for the best interests of our people
no moral obligation of the State is impaired by