Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-01-20

l invite particular attention to the
items of flax and tobacco. These
crops have been cultivated for suffic-
lent number Of years to satisfy even
the most skeptical that the soil Of
Wisconsin Is peculiarly adapted to
their successful growth. The yield of
flax is sufficient, it would seem, to JUS
tlty the erection of mills for its manu-
facture, particularly as it is quite obyi-
Gus that an assured market for the
straw would materially increase the
acreage devoted to that crop. Those
who have investigated the subject as
sure me that all the conditions necessa-
ry to the successful manufacture of
liner of all descriptions are found in
Wisconsin, and I am persuaded that
flax culture and manufacturing offer
very promising fields for the invest
ment Of capital Tobacco culture has
hitherto been confined to small por-
ton of the state, but it has already as
sumed large proportions as a CONNER
cial factor. The value of the crop har-
vested in 1880, will reach nearly or
quite million and half of dollars,
and the time is not far distant when it
will be expedient to provide proper
legal forms for assuring the markets of
the world of the grade and quality of
Wisconsin grown tobacco.
| also invite your attention to the fact.
not appearing in these statistics, that
considerable quantities Of the improved
varieties of sugar cane are being raised
in Wisconsin, and that the results of
recent experiments tend to show that
excellent syrup and sugar can be OBJ
tanned therefrom. Efficient and prac-
ticable methods for manufacturing the
syrup and crystalizing the sugar, so
that the product may have a uniform
commercial standing and value, remain
to be discovered, and if you can aid in
accomplishing this, the resulting bene-
fits will be Of great public utility.
commend to your most careful con
sideration the paragraph in the report
Of the Secretary of State concerning
statistics. Much has been done under
the present law to evolve order and ap-
proXimate certainty out of chaos and
utter unreliability, but the neglect of
few officers makes the returns more or
less incomplete. 1t seems necessary,
therefore, to modify the law by provid-
ing that no officer, whose duty it is to
collect and make returns of statistics,
shall receive pay for any services until
he shall produce and file proper written
evidence that he has complied with all
the provisions of law I approve, also,
the recommendation of the Secretary
of State, that the scope of the law
should be enlarged 50 as to embrace
the statistics of mining, numbering and
manufacturing, and suggest, in addition,
that lumber inspectors should be re-
quired to forward their reports to the
Secretary of State to be tabulated, con-
sOlidated and published, in connection
with other statistics.
And WithaI the state should not be
content simply to gather and publish
statistics. 1t should aid in every par
ticular way in developing and utilizing
the great resources which we possess.
1t can do this, III part, most economi-
cally and efficiently by continuing reas-
enable appropriations to the state and
northern agricultural societies, the hOr-
tlcultural society and the dairymen's
association; and there may properly
be added to the list, such other sOcie-
ties as shall devote themselves to de-
yeloping and perfecting new forms of
industry.
GOVERNORS RESIDENCE.
1t has been my opinion for some
time that the state should provide an
official residence for its governor, and
require him TO occupy it during his
term of office; and as there is now an
opportunity to purchase, upon very
reasonable terms, a furnished house
and grounds, in every way suited for
the purpose, I recommend an early
consideration of the subject by the leg
islature.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
Amendments to section 1, of article
III, and sections 4, 5, II and 81, of
article ~, Ofthe constitution were pro-
posed in the last legislature and agreed
to by a majority of the members elect
ed to each of the two houses. The
constitutional requirements necessary
to enable this legislature to consider
these amendments have been complied
with, and, if they shall be agreed to by
you, it will be your duty to provide for
their submission to the people in such
manner and at such time as you may
prescribe.
FEDERAL CENSUS AND APPORTIONNIENT.
Inasmuch as the constitution re-
quires that the legislature shall, at their
first session, after an enumeration of
the inhabitants of the state, made by
the authority of the United States, APP
portion and district anew the members
of the senate and assembly, according
to the number Of inhabitants, | have
requested the superintendent Of the
census to furnish me an official state
ment of the population of Wisconsin,
by towns, villages and wards, as shown
by the recent census, and have written
assurance from him that such state
ment will be supplied on or before the
first day of February probximo. It may
be expected, I think, that this state
ment, when received, will afford all the
information necessary to enable you
to proceed with the redistricting of the
state into senate and assembly districts,
and, if congress shall agree upon an
apportionment for representatives in
congress, into congressional districts
also.
AT