Litchfield enquirer., 1880-01-15
The Governors Message.

We print the Governors message entire on our first page. It is short, able, we'll writ ten document, vastly superior to ordinary state papers of the kind, as well in brevity as in clearness of statement and keenness of comment
 the citizens of the State on the manifest revi- val of business. The State finances, relieved of the cost of building, furnishing, and grad ing the grounds of the new capitol, are in a f1ourishing condition. An accurate survey of the State is strenuously urged. The removal of some some of the restrictions on savings bank investment is recommended. A mani- fest improvement is claimed in State Prison management.
 The condition of the insane poor is by no means satisfactory. They constantly crowd the palace at Middletown, and applicants are kept for months waiting for vacancies. The Governor recommends the erection of cheaper accommodations, to meet the wants of this most unfortunate class of citizens.
 Gov. Andrews renews his recommendation of municipal suffrage for women, making shrewd turn of the arguments that have been 80 strongly urged for annual elections, in favor of woman's enfranchisement. Inrecommend- ing change of the present mode of assessing married women's separate property, the gov ernor cannot refrain from the following sharp reference to the stupid conservatism of the Connecticut Senate as constituted of late years:
 You ought to provide that all such property be set in list against the married woman herself. An act making this provision has once or twice passed in one branch of the Assembly and has failed to become law mainly on the claim that it would add to the labors of assessors. There can be no doubt that assessors are very useful class of public servants, but can hardly believe it to be wise that an illogical, cumbersome and lnequitable statute shall remain in force simply to accom- mOdate them.
 In reference to the work done, and left undone, by our Board of Agriculture, the criticisms of the governor will meet with ready assent from our people. There is so much of humbug about the so-called science of agriculture, that most of our farmers have come to class all attempts at improved meth- ods under the general head of fancy farm- ing" They readily concede that man who enjoys handsome income from other proper. ty can succeed" in scientific agriculture, but they do unquestionably fail to see ''how poor man, on rocky farm, with big mort gage, gets very much good of it."
 The keen thrust at the somewhat doubtful utility of our official department of agriculture is naturally followed by some very fine pas sages, original and and quoted, in favor of popular education. The meaning of the Governors comments On these two subjects, taken together, seems to be that the Connecti- cut farmer needs to be keen of wit as we'll as hard working and economical to succeed in the competition now thrust upon him with the marvelousy fertile, and easily titled farms of the West. There are yet open to him, however, some few fields of profitable labor-perhaps many more that have never been thoroughly explored or perhaps never discovered. In the prosecution of these spec ial forms of production only, can the New England farmer pursue profitable career; and he, of all men, needs to be specially intell- gent, as we'll as specially industrious, to suc- ceed in that sharp contest, growing every day sharper, which is to result Tn the final ''survi- val of tue fttest."