River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-01-17

TGNOTTs % AL
similar commissions as great aids 70 judeious
legislation, and do not doubt that this report
WlllreeeiFe proper consideration.
REVISION OF STATUTES.
The completed labors of the learned gen
tlemen appointed to revise our statutes will
be presented TO yen at an early day. The emil
nent ability OF these gentlemen, and the zeal
and thoroughness with which they have de-
voted themselves to the work, render it quite
certain that the revision, as it comes from
their hands, will be as nearly perfect as it is
possible Tor such to be. Therefore trust that
all propositions TO modify and change it viii
be carefully scrutinized and adopted only af.
ter the most mature consideration.
STATE sHIsToRfcAL SOCIETY.
1t is with great pleasure that / comply with
a request of the. State Historical Society, and
lay before YOU summary OF its operations for
the past year. The additions TO its library
number 1878 volumes, and 5000 pamphlets
AID documents, aAing the total present
number of volumes, 81 951; of pamphlets and
documents, 40, 107 OF this number 1904 are
bound newspapers files. The receipts into the
general fund were $5,044.25, and the expendi-
lures S4,991.S1. The additions to the binding
fund We're S795.10, making the total of that
fund $5,59551, besides go acres of land in
Texas, the Gift of the late Hon. John Catlin
INSURANCE SUPERVISION.
The Secretary of State calls attention to the
extent and variety of the duties required of
that officer, and it is quite manifest that the
time has arrived when the public good requires
that he shall be in some manner relieved.
Various methods have been suggested for
effeeting this result; among them constitu-
tional amendment creating the Office of Audi
tor OF Public Accounts. i am constrained to
doubt the eXpediency of thus changing the
constitution. in my judgment, changes in our
fundamental law should be made only in cases
| Of extreme necessity, and a multiplication of
Offices should be studiously avoided as long as
| possible. /, therefore, recommend that the
duties of Commissioner of Insurance be trans
| fcrred from the Secretary Of etatc 10 the Rail
| road Commissioner / see no reason why the
| last named officer may not have ample time to
| attend to them without in the least neglecting
! the duties now deyolving upon him. and that,
! too, without any considerable extra expense
| for clerk hire or Office outfit.
RAILROADS.
The report of the Railroad Commissioner is
not yet published, and l am, therefore, with
out information as to the details of the work
Of that officer for the past year. 1t has not
come to my knowledge that any serious com
paints have been made against any of the
| railway companies doing business in this state
1t is now conclusiycly settled that the state
| has the right to regulate railroads and the
! managers OF these great arteries of trade and
commerce seem to be using their best endeav-
ors to give the least possible occasion for the
state to exercise this right
MILITIA.
| There has been expended during the past
| fiscal year for military purposes, the sum of
$S,267, and OF this amount So, 400 was paid to
the state militia for rent of armories, being at
the rate of $500 to each company. / consider
n well regulated and properly disciplined
militia as very essential for the protection of
| life and property / therefore believe that the
| formation of military companies, and their
organization into regiments and brigades
| should be sedulously encouraged; that when
| thus organized they should be furnished with
! the best OF modern arms, and required to meet
for drill and inspection.
! | sincerely hope the day may never come
| when the civil authoritiesin Wisconsin will be
| obliged to cali for military assistance, but
should that day arrive most deplorable conse-
| quences might result, if there were not a well
disciplined and properly armed militia to re-
spond to such call. / therefore bespeak your
earnest cooperation in this matter
| SUPREME COURT.
| The adoption of the constitutional amend
ment increasing the number Of Associate
Justices of the Supreme Court will impose
upon you the duty of providing for their cleo
| ton and classification. 1t has been suggested
| to me, also, that with this increase in the
number of Justices, the present accommoda-
] tons for this court will be quite too limited
| If upon proper inquiry you find such to be the
case trust you will not neglect to provide
| the Unnecessary additional room.
STURGEON BAY AND LAKE MICHIGAN CANAL.
The work of connecting the waters of Green
| Bay and Lake Michigan by a ship canal, and
| thereby very materially decreasing the dis
| lance between the principal ports on Green
| Bay and the ports on Lake Michigan, as well
as creating much needed and most available
! harbor of refuge, has been carried forward
| with energy during the past year. Already
more than one-half of the entire work is
completed, and the engineer in charge assures
hat +ho airtif1
within two years.
FEEBLE MINDED AND IMBECILE.
The last legislature directed the State Board
Of Charities and Reform to make certain in
vestigations in regard to the necessity and
practicability of providing for the education
/ of the feeble minded The result Of their la
bors win be laid before you. The state has
undertaken to provide for the blind, the deaf,
the incorrigible and the insane, and no good
reason appears for neglecting the feeble
minded and the imbecie Other states are
meeting with very gratifying success in their
endeayors to educate this class of unfortu-
mates, and their experience should encourage
us to take up this work as soon as possible
The necessity for immediate action in this di-
rection is not so urgent in my judgment as
in the case of the chronic insane, but at no
distant day suitable provision should be made
in their behalf.
/ PRODUCTIVE INDUSTRIES
The facts and figuresn herewith submit
ted may well impress upon our minds en-
| larged conceptions of the grave responsible
ties to which we have been called by the
sufirages of our fellow citizens. We have
| been accustomed to regard Wisconsin
as growing state. 1t is more
than that-it is a great state. Its inan-
! cial, educational, penal and charitable affairs
| involve the annual collection and disburse-
ment of millions of dollars of money; the
support and care of thousands of schools; the
/ Il o,,1 nfo ,Nf
criminals and the furnishing of food, shelter,
| clothing, instruction and medical attendance
for the destitute, the unfortunate and the af-
fcted
/ These are indeed noble themes upon which
| to dwell, calculated to arouse and maintain
well founded state PRIDE and indicative of
healthy, vigorous and self-perpetuating civil
cation. Contemplating them, we should not
| forget, however, that it is to the productive
| industries, to the agrculturalist, the manu-
facturer and the miner, their allies and assist
ants, that we are most largely indebted for
what we are, and that our principal reliance
under God is upon them for continued pros
| perity and development as q state. Whatev-
| er tends, therefore, to the enlargement of
| these industries and to the protection of the
! persons engaged in them should receive your
encouragement and support.
| As contributing to the promotion of these
ends, | recommend that suitable provision
! be made for the collection and publication of
| Iull ana accurate STATISTICS IN RELATION 10 all
the great interests of the state, especially
those connected with agriculture, which is,
and for many years must continue to be, the
most important industry of the state, not on
| ly as furnishing employment to the greatest
number Of individuals utilizing in the ag-
gregate the largest amount Of capital, but up
on its success depends very largely the sue
cess of all other Industries. Whatever, there
FORE the state can do in disseminating infor-
nation in regard to the results of improved
this industry, it is not only proper but i'm
portant that it should do. The State Agricul-
tural Society was organized to assist in the
accomplishment of these purposes, and has
rendered most efficient service in this direc-
ton. To enable it to continue its work in the
future, / recommend that the usual appro-
priation be continued and made permanent.