Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-10
ANNUAL MESSAGE
GOV. JOHN s. PlLLsBURY,
Delivered to the Minnesota Legislature
JAM 9th, 1879.
Gentlemen Of tho Senate and House Of Repre-

Gentlemen Of tho senate and House Of Repre-
SentItiDeS:
The annual recurrence Of public events convenes
you this year for the deliberations OF the twenty
regular session Of the State legislature.
For something less than twenty-one years, Mime
sofa has entoyed political existence as member of
this union of States. They have been years not of
uninterrupted prosperity, but of varying fortune and
vclssitude; yet from the first struggling experiment
OF sovereignty to the assured position Of to-day our
career has been marked by constant and
growth IN all that should CONSTITUTED stable and pros
porous commonwealth. Without here indulging in
the pleasing retrospection which the facts seem to
invite, is too much say that few years of the
past have afforded upon the whole more substantial
cause for encouragement than that which has lust
terminated No wasting pestilence nor restitution
mas afflicted our people, Their fields have been ex-
empt from insect favages, and their abors rewarded
with general abundance The various industrial in
teests of the State have been fairly advanced Our
education and charitable institutions have pro spered
Ihere mas been continuance of the progress
nonced IN my last message respecting railroad con-
struchon, growth of population and the ABSORPTION
ana cultivation OF our unoccupied lands and the sole
hlnderance to the uniform advancement of the
general prosperity results from that unwse pursuit
OF agriculture which restricts its operations too
largely to the production of single cereal. Chiefly
III consequence OF this wrongful COURSE the profits
OF agriculture the past year were suddenly swept
away throughout The Oldest and weathiest portions
o! tne state, ny Few days OF unpFopitOus weather
which, at critical moment blighted the promise of
superabundant yield Of great staple, while
sparing other products in unimpaired abundance.
While the effect has been to cause partial relapse
into the business depression from which our COM
munlties were recovering if it shall also prove to
have checked the prevalent tendency toward the
contraction of needless debt, the total result cannot
De deemed en- unnnixed calamity.
II we extend the review to the country at large the
year will long be remembered for the unpara lied
abundance of its agricultural products for increased
revival OF industry; for renewed stimulus to the pro-
gress OF invention; for that proud growth of the
national credit which triumphaDtly anticipated the
redemption of the national pledges and for the rapid
elimination and exposure of that strange popular
delusion which assumes that wealth may be created
by arbitrary enactment rather than by actual pro-
ductlon and which would substitute the semblance
for the substance of prosperity. The year will more
over, be held in both sad and honored remembrance
for the prolonged and deadly pestllence which dec-
mated portions of the country and for the magnani-
nous conduct Of great people who silenced the
voice of civil strife by extending the of
dred to perishing kindred with unsparing hands.
These varied evidences of an interposing and con-
ferring Providence, call for that prompt and CRATE
ful re- ognition of supreme guidance which becomes
an enlightened people.
The condition of public affairs will be amply shown
you by the reports of the several departments and
State institutions. The financial exhibit is clearly
detailed by the State auditor summary of which Is
embracedi in the figures following: