Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-01-10
Vol. XIV. Whole No. l249. No. 2


contents readily accessible. These plans
have great historical value and interest,
aud are of permanent practical use In de-
terminng questions of title and preventing
litigation IL is matter for congratulation
that they have been rescued from destruc-
ton and oblivion. and put in order for pre-
servation and reference. The Land Agent
has employed no clerical aid the past year.
BY direction of the Governor and Council
he engaged = gentleman. skilled in this
speciality, to assist him in mounting and
preparing the plans and field notes for
binding, and he had the services OF the
messenger of the Governor and Council
from time TO time. The duties devoIvny
upon the Land Agent are still many, null
tifarious and difficult, and will undoubtedly
nain so for some years. 1t is probable,
4.u Tever, that they would continue to be
well discharged and that a saving of ex-
pense to the State would be secured In pro-
cess of time. il not Immediately, If the office
should be abolished as a separate depart
ment and its duties imposed on some con-
sttutonal officer of the State. 1t has been
| the object of the legislature for some years
| 10 effect this consummation at the earliest
| practicable moment. and the efforts of the
executive department have been steadily
directed towards Fastening it. If IL be your
pleasure to discontinue this office, | re-
! specttully ESuggest that the secretary OF
State appears 10 be the proper officer to be
invested with authority to conduct its bus
mess. That officer Is required by the con.
stitution to perform any duty that may be
| imposed on him by law. and he may there
fore be required to perform that duty. Ii
the other business of the land agency could
now besbrought to a close, the custody OF
the records would devolve by right on the
Secretary as the constituted guardian of
the records of the State. His appointment
at the present time would therefore be In
part but the anticipation of Il result which
would be reached in the ordinary course
few years hence. II you should adopt this
suggestion and merge the land agency in
the office Of the Secretary OF State, an ad-
dltional clerk would be required BY that
Office tor the present year at least.
IL has been an important part of the bus
iness OF the Land Office for many years to
attend to the obligations imposed upon the
State by the treaty of Washington, In re-
gard to >nttIo'o Vn the disputed territory.
rue Legislature OF last year referred the
question Of the duty Of the State towards
settlers whose claims have not been quiet
ed to the Attorney General, for inyestiga-
ton, with direction to report to the present
Legislature.
SAVINGS BANKS.
IL appears by the report of the Bank Fx-
amlnor that the number Of savings banks
ln the state remains the lao. ye@--
OF the sixty tour banks in existence at the
beginning OF the year, four were then in
the process OF closing their affairs, and are
now IN the hands of receivers three others
that had been reported in iinHsoilyyegnlt iyglt. h8ys
on bank has heen discovered to be insol-
vent the past year. and To Il comparatively
slight extent. SO that il will undoubtedly be
authorized to reduce its credits To deposl-
tors To 4. sufficient amount to balance the
>hIuka|c la value OF its investments, and
continue business.
The deposits ot the sixty banks in opera
tiuu ON the huh dav rf November las.
amounted 70 So 093 So GJ. The total de-
crrt>" OF their deposits the past year was
81 Gi3 2JS.U7, and was caused to large
extent hy fh" withdrawal of deposits OF
Olhrr d.p">iTorS OF large sums were no
doubt Induced, by the limitation of diyi
dend> to TWO and half per cent. semi-an-
nnaliy, 10 Withdraw their deposits and seek
more probable Investments elsewhere.
Thr,e facts should not.be left out OF sight
in accounting TOR the decrease. The law
ha. vi, tual}y compelled and Induced the
Withdrawal OF a class OF deposits which
has no claim ito the protection OF the saw
ings bank.
The year has been so unfavorable to the
dtposItors OF small amounts, the surplus
earnings OF their labor, that so far from
adding to their deposits they have been
Obliged, by the hardshps of the time, to
consume the> accumulatons of former
years. The decrease OF deposits in periods
OF stagnatiOn In business. and inactivity In
those pursuits upon which labor Is depend
ent. indicates {clearly that savings banks
are :contined to their legitimate objects,
and, as the Examiner justly remarks, Illus
trates their benefcent office more vividly
than the increment in prosperous days.
The sound condition of the bank. mani
tested by their detailed statements, the in
creaslng care exercised by them in the
choice OF Investments and the immunity
from ''runs' they have enjoyed fat time
OF popular distrust OF these institutions
throughout the country, demonstrate that
they have been ably and faithfully man
ag,d, and are emineutly worthy of the con-
Iidcnce reposed In them. Even the reverses
they have sustained have turned to pro-
litable account in stimulating to height
ened vigilance and caution and thus afford
an additional guaranty of their trustworth-
iness and stability.
The act of last year revising and consOl-
idating the laws relating to Savings Banks
aud Institutions for Savings, meets with
general lapproval. Although the act was
carefully drawn and considered it is not to
be wondered at if experience has disclosed
the proprety OF amending it in some par
ticulars | concur in the recommendation
OF the Examiner, In respect to the amend
ments, with the exception of those propos-
ing that the required reserve be increased
to ten per cent, and that the State tax on
deposits be reduced. | am not aware of
any reasons that can be urged for the pro-
posed alteration OF these important features
OF this law, that we're not in existence and
did not receive due consideration when the
law was made.
| also recommend that section 35, of the
act relating to Savings Banks, approved
February 9th, 1877, be so amended as to
supcradl to the powers thereby conferred
on the justices of supreme judicial court,
authority. to dissolve attachments and TO
fix limit OF time for the presentation of
claims TO the receivers. 1t is not clear
that such authority is included n the gen.
eral powers with which the justices are
invested by the section referred to.
THE SCHOOLS.
One of the first and most conslusive tests
that are applied to a state to determine its
gene raj quality and the degree OF progress
it has arrived ats the inquiry into the
measures ii adopts to promote and dffiise
education, and the amount OF the public
contribution towards the support OF
schools. The wise ana liberal poicy pur-
sued by our own state may well cause the
test to be invited rather than avoided.
Leaving the management and control Of
the OILS to their respective communi-
mites the State yet exercises sire, 9Th
eniny and heathful influence upon them
III many ways. Even by the simple and
| Just requirement OF vouchers for the law
lul use Of the aid it supplies, it incidentally
produces an important and beneficial effect
/ That 1t compels care, method and account
| ability in the conduct of the affairs relating
to schools. A wide and legitimate field Of
usefulness is before it in providing for
better quality of instruction. The fact has
long been apparent to all conversant with
the subject, that the difficulty of procuring
competent teachers is the chief hindrance
| TO the improvement of the common schools.
The State has attempted to bleet the want
:. ~ IL. in n .ati0 Of aaoEaaal schoolS