The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-01-23

poria. should be donated and secured to the
State in fee simple.
To meet these conditions. the citizens of
Emporia promptly donated to the State the
tract of valuable land upon which the Normal
School buildings were afterwards erected; and
in addition to this, from time to time contrib
ute literally of their means to add to the sue
cess of this institution. But independent of
these facts which il seems to me should have
some weight in determining this question, a
and we'll conducted nor
NAL school is absolutely necessary to insure
the greatest success to our common school sys-
tenn of education. The success of the COM
mon schools is measured by the qualifications
of the teachers. Therefore tits important that
those desiring to teach should be provided by
the State with the opportunity of attaining
the highest grade Of qualification. Hence the
necessity of . well-conducted institution Of
this class.
l therefore recommend that an appropria-
ton be made to rebuild and restore TO our ed
ucational system the Normal school at En-
poria.
STATE UNIVERSITY.
This institution, As shown by the reports. is
in hOurishing condition; and. to insure its
continued success. its interests should be care
fully guarded, and such aid and encouragement
extended to it as will insure the maximum of
efficiency in all its departments.
The total receipts of the University, from
January l, 1877, to June 30. 1878. as exhibited
in the report, amount to :i6S5l.64; while the
expenditures during the same period
amount to si60CA.61; leaving balance
on hand, June 30, 1878. of s7S7y03. The esti-
mated amount required for the fiscal yeai
closing June 80 1880. il S4S.55O. and for the
fiscal yesr closing June 30 1881, S27. 200.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
Having received no report from the Agricul-
tural college. / can only say that information
derived from a recent visit to this institution
leads me to believe that it is making satisfac-
tory progress in its various departments, and is
a credit to the State.
STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE
This department continues to do wonder
full work for Kansas. Its reports, 50 full OF
valuable and reliable information relating u
our State. are not only highly esteemed by
our own citizens, but are eagerly sought
after by citizens of other State:
and countries desiring to obtain correct
about Kansas. This department
should he literally sustained by the State. and
every necessary provision should be made Il
increase its efficiency and usefulness. 1t is to
the work of this department that We are in.
debted for the statistics showing that Kansas
has sprung from twenty-fourth in rank among
the States in the production of wheat, in 1866
to first in rank in 1878, producing, as she did
over 32,OO0,OOO of bushels; while in the produc-
ton of corn. Kansas rises from twenty fifth in
rank in 1865, to fourth in rank in 1878.
The rooms occupied by this department are
wholly Inadequate for the purposes for which
they are used, and respectfully suggest that
measures be adopted to provide such additional
room as the importance and necessities of the
department seem to demand.
ISsTrRAyrE IMPAIRMENT
The report of the Superintendent of lnsur-
ance gives very satisfactory exhibit of the
of that department. Several sug-
gestions and recommendations arc made by
the Superintendent. to which your attention is
The total receipts of this department
during the year 1877. as shown by the report
we're .l3,246.42, which was discussed rs fol-
lows: To the school fund.- $500; and to the
insurance fund, s9.i4G.i2.
COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES.
The report of the Commissioner of Fisheries
to which l request your attention, shows
among other things, a total expenditure of
S:,30.j5; the accidental loss or destruction of
enc hundred Thousand salmon eggs; the de-
post. without the authority Of
the Commissioner. of one hundred
thousand young shad in the kaw river. at
Topeka; and recommends the appropriation OF
$1,000 to enable him to successfully prosecute
PUBLIC LANDS.
l am of the opinion that the interests of the
State would be best subseryed by concentrating
the management and sale of all the school
lands in the State, including the lands of the
Agricultural college, Normal school and State
under one general head, to be
known as the State land department, by which
all contracts for the sale of land should be
either made or appreved, and that all payments
Of principal or interest on land contracts
should be made to the head of such depart
ment, and covered into the State treasury, to be
placed to the credit of the particular fund "a
which it belongs, and by the treasurer dis.
bursed according to law. Such a system for
the disposition of our public lands would
he less expensive. insure greater safety
To the purchaser a. well rs the
State and would be less compli-
Gated than our present system. There
should also be a provision made for an apprais-
ment Of all of said lands by commission duly
created for that purpose. which should person.
ally inspect every tract of such lands, and in
their report give full and complete descrip-
ton of each subdivision of forty acres. embrac-
ing quality of soil. stone. water timber, loca-
ton, value, etc. Such an appraisement. being
entirely freed from local influences. (which
make our present system Objectionable would
be uniform and reliable, and more likely tn do
equal justice To all concerned.
The commission who selected the 265 900
acres of land recently secured Ia the
State from the United States government,
having in their report given such description
from a personal inspection of each tract de-
scribed, the value of such land might be fixed
without revisiting the land. Such an ap-
praisement of all the public lands. once COM
pleted. would never have to he repeated. a. n
board of revision could from time TO time in
crease or lessen the valuation. as circumstances
might indicate to be for the best interests of
the State.
The policy of the State should be to dispose
IF its lands a. rapidly rs it can be done advan-
and thus not only place the pur-
,hase money on interest. bat bring the land
'old in for taxes: and to this end ! suggest the
rate of interest on deferred payments of pur-
base money be reduced to not exceeding seven
per cent per annum. PAYABLE annually. and
hat the principal he made payable at the OPP
ion Of the purchaser any time within twenty
rears, with strict provision for forfeiture
ipon failure Ia pay interest within reason
'ble time after its maturity.
In pursuance of the provisions of section I.
,hapter 176 of the laws of Kansas IF 1877, au-
horizing the Governor to appoint an agent for
he State. whose duty it should be- among other
hings. to prosecute Ia final decision the claims
# the State for school land. due the State from
he United States on account Of Indian reser-
'ations. my predecessor appointed such
gent Hon. Samuel J. Crawford. who after be-
ng duly qualified, entered upon the perform
Ince of his duties, which have resulted in Sc
uring to the State about $500 acres of choice
ands. in addition To the large body of school
ands already owned by the State. No appropria-
ion having been made to defray the necessary
expenses connected with the selection of the
n. Of . k.