Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-01-04

ment, ana the ei1Orts OF the executive departme
have been steadily directed towards fastening it,
If it be your pleasure to discontinue this office
| respectfully suggest that the Secretary Of State
appears to be the proper officer to be invested
| with authority to conduct its business That Off
Ger is required by the constitution to perform any
duty that may be imposed on him by law aud 70
| may therefore be required to perform that duty.
| If the other business OF the land agency could
now be brought to n close, the custody of the
| records would devolve by right on the Secretary
as the constituted guardian Of the records of the
| Stale. 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 Jew years hence. If YOU should adopt
| this suggeston and merge tac land agency in the
Office ot tue Secretary Of state, al additional
| clerk would be required by that office for the
| present year at least.
| II has been an important part of the business of
| the Land Office for many years to attend to the
| obligations imposed upon tue State by the treaty
| of Washington, 10 regard to settlers on the dis.
puted territory. The Legislature of last year re-
| iered the question Of the duty OF the state
| towards settlers whose claims have not been
| quoted, 10 the Attorney General. for inyestiga-
ton, with direction to report to the present Legs-
lature.
| SAVINGS BANks.
1t appears by the report of the Bank Examiner
that the number of savings banks 10 the State
| mains the same as last year. OF the sixty -four
| banks III existence at the beginning of the year,
and are now in the hands of receivers; three 9th
| ers that had been reported insolvent have since
been reinstated by the court. But one bank has
been discovered TO be Lsovent the past year, and
| that to comparatively slight extent, So that 1t
will undoubtedly be authorized to reduce It's cred
| its to depostors to a sufficient amount to balance
the shrlnkage in value of its investments, and
| continue business.
The deposits Of the sixty banks in operation on
| the fifth day of November last announced to S25,-
| O92, 90. The total decrease of their deposits
the past year was 81 633, ,29S 01, and was caused
| to large extent by the withdrawal of deposits OF
| over S2,O00.0O, upon which the payment of diyi-
| dends is prohibited by the new law. Other depos-
| ors OF large sums were no doubt induced. by the
limitation OF dividends to two and half per cent.
scml-annually. to withdraw their deposits and seek
/ more profitable investments elsewhere. These
facts should not be lett out of sight in accounting
| for the decrease. The law has virtually COM
| PEELED and induced the withdrawal OF a class OF
| deposits which has no claim to the protection of
| the savings banx.
| The year has been so unlavorable to the deposi-
| tors OF small amounts, the surplus earnings OF
| their labor, that far from adding to their de-
| Poss they have been obliged by the hardshps of
| the time, TO consume the accumulations of former
years The decrease OF deposits in periods
Of stagnation in business and inactivity in those
pursuits upon which labor is dependent indicates
clearly that savings banks are confined to their
/ legitimate objects, and as the Examiner Justly
| remarks, illustrates their benefcent Office more
ylvidly than the increment in prosperous days.
The sound condition of the banks manifested
| by their detailed statements. the Increasing care
| exercised by them in the choice of investments
| and the immunity from "runs" they have enjoy ed
at time OF popular dlstIust of these Institutions
| throughout the country demou strate that they
| have been ably and faithfully managed, and are
| eminenily worthy Of the confidence reposed in
! them. Even the reverscs they have sustained
| have turned to profitable account in stimulating
| to heightened vigilance and caution, and thus
tnpI Lana tha,.
| ness and stability.
The act of last year revising and consolidating
| the laws relating 10 Savings Banks and lnstitu-
| lions for Savings, meets with general approval.
Although the act was carefully drawn ana consid-
cred it is not to be wondered at if experience has
disclosed the propriety of amending it in some
| particulars. | concur in the recommendations Of
| the Examiner, In respect to amendments, with the
exception OF those proposing that the required re-
| serve 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 proposed
| alteration of these important features OF this law
that were not in existence and did not receive due
| consideration when the law was made.
also recommend that section 30, of the act Ie-
| laiing to Savings Banks, approved February 9th.
1917, be SO amended Ms to superadd to the powers
thereby conferred on the Justices oi the supreme ju
dcial count. authority 10 dissolve attachments nd
| TO fix limit Of time for the presentation OF claims
to the receivers 1t is clear that such autho ty
| is included IN the general powers with which the
justices are invested by the section referred to.
| The SCHOOLS.
One of the first and most conclusive tests that
| are applied to State to determine its general
quality and the degree of progress it has arrived
ats the inquiry into the measures it adopts to
promote and dltfuse education, and the amount of
| The public contribution towards the support OF
| schools. The wise and liberal policy pursued by
our own State may well cause the test to be iuvt-
| ed rather than avoided.
Leaving the management and control of the
| SCHOOLS TO their respective communities the State
yet exercises Strengthening and heslthful in
| nuence upon them IN many ways. Even by the
| simple and just requirement of vouchers for the
| lawful use OF the aid it supplies it incidentally
produces an important and beneficial effect in that
| 1t compels care, method and accountability in the
conduct of the affairs relating to schools. 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 hindIance to the
| improvement of the common schools. The State
has attempted to meet the want by the institution
OF two normal schools for taiping teachers; but
| their inadequacy is evident when their capacity
| compared with the army of teachers required.
| The superintendent of Common Schools adyo-
| Gates, as an expedient for ensuring the employ
ment OF u better class of teachers the establish
| ment by law of boards of examination in each
| county, whose certificate shall be indi> pensable to
| every lcaChtl. lie proposes tnal the members oil
the several boards shall be appointed by the Gov
| ernor and Council, and shall not be entitled TO
| compensation from the State, bat shall be author
| zed to exact in return ior their seryces the pay
nent of small fee by each person examined as
| to his qualifications for a teacher. We-qualiied
| teachers would gladly hail the opportunity 10 pro-
| cure credentials from such body, and municipal
| officers would welcome a &c ice that woui lessen
| the risk of employing incompetent instructors
The Superintendent also recommends the hold
| ing of Normal Institutes at convenient places to
| continue not less than four weeks each. The
Teachers Institutes of former wears held sessions
| of such brief duration that they could do little
| more than inspire their attendant, with the desire
to fit themselves more thoroughly for the profess
sion of teaching Normal Institutes, conducted
| according to the plan suggested, would not only
| awaken the desire for Improvement, but supply the
means Of gratifying it. Their estimated annual
| cost is two thousand dollars Both the County
| Boards of Examination and the Normal Institutes
seem eminently worthy of adoption as instrumen-
alities for remedyDg evil that seriously affects
| the character of our schools.
| The present plan of distributing the MONEYS
| contributed by the State towards the support of
schools according TO the number of scholars in
each city, town or plantation-is just in principle,
| but has no other recommendation. The Superu-
tendent has made calculations to test the question
in all its bearings. and has reached the conclusion