The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-01-15
ANNUAL MESSAGE
GOV. JOHN s. S, pILLsBuRY,
Delivered to the Minnesota Legislature
Jan. 9th, 1879.

Ge,alemen Of the Senate and House Of Repre-
SentaHCeS:
The annual recurrence of public events convenes
you this year for the deliberations of the twenty-rst
regular session of the State legislature.
For something less than twenty-one years, Minne-
sofa has enjoyed political existence member of
this union of States. They have been years not of
uninterrupted prosperity, but of varying fortune and
vicisstude yet from the first struggling experiment
of sovereignty to the assured position of to-day,
has been marked by constant and unsurpassed
growth in all that should constitutes stable and pros
porous commonwealth. Without here indulging in
the pleasing retrospection which the facts to
INVITE is not too much to that few years of the
past have afforded upon the whole more substantial
cause for encouragement than that which has just
terminated. No wasting pestilence restitution
has afflicted our people, Their fields have been ex-
empt from insect ryaSes and their labors rewarded
with general abundance. The various industrial in
terests Of the State have been fairly advanced Our
education and charitable institutions have prospered.
There has been a continuance of the progress
noticed in my last message respecting railroad
structon, growth of population and the absorption
and cultivation of our unoccuped lands and the sole
hinderance to the uniform advancement Of the
general prosperity results from that unwise pursuit
of agriculture which restricts its operations too
largely to the production of single cereal. Chiefly
In consequence of this WRONGLY course, the profits
Of agriculture the past year were suddenly swept
away throughout the oldest and wealthiest portions
of the State, by few days of unpropitious weather
which, at critical moment blighted the promise of
superintendent yield of great staple, while
sparing other products in unimpared abundance.
While the effect has been to partial relapse
into the business depression from which our COM
munities recovering, if it shall also prove to
have checked the prevalent tendency toward the
contraction OF needless debt the total result cannot
be deemed an unmxed calamity.
If extend the review to the country at large the
year will long be remembered for the unpar~ He'd
abundance of its agricultural products: for increased
revival of industry for renewed stimulus to the pro-
Rress of invention: for that proud growth of the
national credit which trumphantly anticipated the
redemption of the national pedges and for the rapid
elimination and exposure of tn It strange popular
deusion which assumes that wealth may be created
by arbitrary enactment rather than by actual pro-
duction, and which would substitute the semblance
for the substance of prosperity The will more
over, be held in both sad and honored remembrance
for the prolonged and deadly pestence which Geci-
mated portions of the country, and for the magnani
conduct of great people who silenced the
voice Of civil strife by extending the succor of kim
dred to perishirg kindred with unsparing hands.
These varied evidences of an interposing and
fsrring Providence, call for that prompt and CRATE
full recognition 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
embraced IN the figures following: