Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-01-19

be made TOR continued supervisory control
over these corporations, similar in general
terms 70 those which have been found setiss
Factory In Massachusetts, and Minnesota: that
annual reports be required from officers an
pointed by the state under official sanction.
containing full information Of all matters at
| fectlng the public interests, so that if at any
time III the future further and more strin-
gent exercise OF this reserved power should
be necessary to prevent wrongs on the part of
those corporations all facts necessary to a full
understanding OF the subject will be accessible
to the legislature and the people. IS.
IN uetermlnlng now the agency shall be con-
stituted through which the state shall exercise
it's control over railroads. as IN all other mat
ters, economy is al object that should be-
kept steadily in view and 1t ia worthy of your
consideration how this may be efficiently and
vigorously performed, with the least expense
to The people Of the state
rs f1u1f THE CENTENNIAL.
You Will recognize the Importance Of pro.
vldlng for the adequate representation Of Wis
cOnsin at the Centennial Exposition which ia
to take place at Philadelphia during the pres
ent year, both as matter of state pride, and.
for more substantial considerations. The oc-
caslou Will afford an excellent opportunity to
display the resources and products of the
state and to attract hither capital and immi-
grafton. Nearly all o. the states have appropri-
sin should be creditably represented, or not at
all. submit to your generosity and patriot
ism to appropriate such all amount as shall
seem to you to be sufficient, to be placed in the
hands OF the State Board of Centennial Man
ayers leaving it to them to determine how it
shall be expended. sas
sr s4 SALARIES. txa
would call your attention to the present
PROVISIONS OF Jaw, under which it is possible
for many officers and employees of the state to
receive their salary in advance, and. in view
or the fact that Immediately after so receiv-
ing, designations and removals have occurred,
l would recommend the passage of law
making all salaries payable at the end of each
month or quarter.
THE PROTECTION OF STATE LANDS.
It has become serious matter to provide
for the protection against trespassers of the
school and university lands, and the tract
known as the st. Croix grant. A system
seems to have prevailed by which large dep
relations were committed, and the state was
left to secure redress by the collection of
stumpage from trespassers This system is
wrong in principle, and ruinous in practice
In the nature OF things, the sums collected in
the settlements with the trespassers must be
vastly less than the value of the timber
taken. II am correctly advised, it has come
to be regarded as profitable business to strip
state lands OF their timber, and then effect a
settlement. Whatever power rests in the
Governor to reform this practice will be vigor-
ously exercised, and if it shall appear that fur.
<her legislation is necessary to secure that re-
suit, cannot urge too strongly upon YOU the
duty Of providing it.. The only true policy in
dealing with this subject is to prevent dep
relations, and in this work / urgently solicit
| your cooperation.
| a5rf FISH PROPAGATION.
| The artificial propagation of fish is becom-
nj Io OF
try. The legislature Of 1874 authorized the
governor to appoint three commissioners to
superintend the Matching and distribution OF
the fry OF spawn donated by the United States
| to the state The commissioners were ap-
pointed and entered upon the discharge Of
| their trust. The gum of $4,000 was appro
priated to the commissioners to be expended
as therein provided. Herewith transmit their
| second annual report, giving detailed state
ment OF their operations for the past year
Measures designed to increase the food re-
sources of the people are entitled to your care
full consideration. The appropriation of last
/ year was inadequate to the wants of the COM
missioners in the matter of state Matching
| house. With the facilities of such an estab-
| lishment, the money expended will go much
further and yield more satisfactory results. !
| therefore recommend that you give the sub.
| jecta careful examination and such aid as IN
your judgment the interest of the state re-
quires. ea 4tW
HASTY LEGISLATION. ~.
| There are two evils which, in my opinion,
you should seek equally to avoid One of
| these is unduly prolonging the session, every
day OF which visits u considerable burden up
on the treasury. The other ia undue haste in
the dispatch of business in the closing days of
the session. which leads to the passage OF
crude laws, and makes it impossible for the
| Governor to exercise proper care in the ex-
| aeY,of inn nh Ia hot p{nl
| approval The remedy for both evils is it
seems to me, that you should apply yourselves
promptly to the labors before you, and mature
the more important projects Of legislation at
the earliest possible dav.
| ECONOMY.
[ cannot impress upon YOU too STRONGLY that
| in all respects you will best meet the wishes
OF the people by strict regard for economy.
| In p, issuance of this policy, there is no saving
so tri1ing but that it is our duty to realize it
| if We can. The business of the state ought to
| be transacted with the smallest number OF
! agents that can transact it efficiently, and
| possibilities for retreE chment ought to be
sought diligently in all departments of the
government, and wherever they may be found,
! they ought to be improved to the utmost. It
| has been remarked, with what Justice cannot
assume to say. that the expenses incident to
the sessions of the legislature are greater
than warranted by actual necessity. II such
shall appear to be the fact, if it shall be found
that there is single officer or attendant that
can be dispensed with, Or any other source OF
expenditure that can be closed, earnestly
recommeni that you apply the remedy. In
all departments of the government, the same
course should be pursued, and in your efforts
to this end, pledge you my hearty cooperar
ton. The conditions that now surround the
| people Of this country, call for private and
| public economy, and for the reform Of any
habits of wasteful or needless expenditure into
| which we may have fallen under more pros
| porous circumstances.
| STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES AND REFORM.
The State Board of Charities and Reform have
prepared very full report of their work for the
year. and in submitting 1t to you would call your
attention specially to the passages on appropria-
tons and prison reform. The members of the
board have ally examined the reports and
diton Of the state instt utions under their super
vision, and their recommendations are entitled to
great weight. The of criminals Is an import
ant part Of every scheme of good government, but
however much the penal statutes of the state need
systematiZing, radical and fundamental changes of
the law should not be made except upon the most
| mature elaboration.
| CONCLUSION.
It is not partof wisdom to disguise the fact
that the pr ope of this state, in common with those
| Of all sections Of the Union, have suffer ed some
abatement OF the prosperity that they have enjoyed
in the past At the time it is lnanifesty true