The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-12-30

board has effected very thorough sant-
tary organization throughout the state, ana
through Its efficient executive officer, Dr. T. N.
Hewitt, keeps IL watchtul eve upon every t0wh-
| snip. Through the agency of the I.ooo ioca
boards, prompt information Is received or the
| presence of any epidemic of Infectious disease
| In any quarter among men or animals, ahu
| equally prompt measures are applied Tor llS $50
| latlon and suppression The value and import
! ance OF such IN organization has been repeatedly
demonstratcd M the successful management DE
| tho board through It's agency OF several OUT
| breaks OF smallpox and diphthera In widely
separated districts, and of particularly ag&ra-
| waited outbreak of glandcrs in horses i'll 1889
| The board has adopted elaborate prccautlon-
| aFS measures TO protect the herds OF lic sta,e
AGAINST pleuro- pneumonia, which has recently
developed to IN alarming extent among cattle III
states to the south and east of us me dahSti
Of u spread Of The infection to Minnesota Is re-
gaTded as remote but i'll the event of It's appear
| ance here most energetic measures for Its quar-
| anime and eXtirpation have been prepared
| Doubtless the most valuable service performed
by our boards of health is i'll tie line OK prevent
i've work. They seek, by the adoption or Il
| thorough system of sanitation in our cities and
| towns, careful scrutiny of sources OF water
supply and their protection from pollution, the
| the imposition of proper regulations and re-
| straints upon offensive trades and employments,
and kindred measures. to preserve the putiic
| health by the prevention of disease. Inc value
or tins character OF work cannot be measured by
results. but its beniits are being unconsclously
reallEeQ Nv every lnnaDltaut or the state
A caraful collation. of the vital statistics OF the
state would prove Of great value TO our boards OF
health as we'll as TO the general public. AS now
collected they ale practically worthless for any
purpose, as they bear no pretense OF accuracy
whatever. would therefore renew my recon-
incubation, made to your predecessors, that the
collection of such statistics be placed by law Ill
charge of the state board Of health.
As the danger of the appearance Of cholera IN
this country as not wholly passed, recon-
mend renewal of the contingent appropriation
such an emergency.
The recommendation of the state board Of
health respecting amendments to the statutes
will doubtless receive your early examination
and approval.
PUBLIC EXAMINER.
] especially commend to Your attention the
report OF the public examiner His lucid eXposi-
ton of he defects il cur system of administer
tering the public revenues should command
thoughtful $ udv. with view of thorough re
vision OF the methods now in use His sugges-
lions and recommendations are too volumiuous
for recapitulation here. desire, however, to
call your attention especially, as have that of
Your predecessors, to the loose Inconsistent and
insecure methods which prevail respecting the
the receipt and disbursement of the public
funds by county officials. The receipts for the
county treasures of the state for the year cad
ill.,. February, 1856, were in excess OF $1,000,
600. The present system provides no checks
whatever upon county treasurcrs for veritca
tion of their transactions covering this vast
sum. All vouchers and entries pertaining to
the receipt of these millions of the peoples
money practically within the control of
the treasurer alone. One would suppose that a
stat ment OF this character would startie the
taxpayers of the state, but it has been re-
peated in this form and by the public examiner
from year to year, and received no heed. This
of things is account able for the occasional
detalcations of county treasurers reported from
time to time, and is a standing temptation to
their frequent recurrence. The evident remedy
is suggested by the examiner, that all receipts
for money should originate in the auditors
office. thus providing an accurate and effective
check upon all transactions Of the treasurer. l
venture to express the hope that this session
Will not close without legislation necessary to
effect this reform.
The recent rapid development of the state, and
the corresponding increase in the number OF
moneyed corporations over which the examiner
exercises supervision under the law, has greatly
added to the duties of his office. The work he
must perform in connection with the
counts Of county officers has increased threefold
since the office WAS established in 1873. 0ui
continued growth mast constantly add to the
labor imposed upon him. He already finds it
physical impossb:lity 10 comply with the re-
quirements OF the law regulating his duties, and
asks for an increase in his clerical assistance.
1t would be difficult to eXaggerate the import
of this service to the public interests, and
1t would be most mistaken economy to limit
the expenses of its maintenance IN q manner to
impair its efficiency.
THE MILITIA.
The Minnesota national guard as now consti-
tuted, consists of two regiments of infantry one
battery of artillery and troop of cavalry, repre-
senting total strength of 1893 officers and
men. There have also been organized at differ
ent points in the state reserve companies of in
fantry to the number of seven. to which the
state has furnished arms and equipments The
national guard is fairly well equipped and has
attained satisfactory degree of proficiency il
knowledge of the military art. Great credit is
due the officers and men for the time and atten-
tion they have given to their duties as citizen
soldiers. They have shown all appreciation OF
the recognition given them by the state, and
fully earned the encouragement and cordial sup
1ifi in int ~ hnI
organization. Some further recognition and adj
ditjonal aid in this behalf will be asked OF this
legislature, which 1 think is warranted by the
past service and promise of future usefulness OF
the guard. The adjutant generals report makes
some suggestions and recommendations in this
regard which commend to your favor.
An interesting feature OF the adjutant gen.
erals report is an exhibit of the work of that
department in the prosecution of soldiers
claims for pension During the past five years
secured the allowance of $40. representing a
monthly pension of $7,11343 and arrears of
pension OF $43O, 969.47, without the cost Of a
dollar to the claimants. As agency through
which disabled veterans may secure with
out cost recognition OF their rights from the
general government, the adjutant generals office
renders invaluable service.
ATTORNEY GENERAL.
The attorney general makes several important
recommendations respecting amendments to eX-
listing statutes would particularly call your
attention to his reference to section Is title
of chapter 81 of the General Statutes, and to a
recent decision of the supreme court constituting
the same. This section relates to the mode and
manner by which a railroad company may
quire its right of way through lands belonging
to the state In the case of The Northern Pa
cific Railway Company VS.. The University of
Minnesota, it was held by the court that
town lots belonging to or held in trust for the
state university, but not set apart occupied
for public purposes, might be acquired by con-
domination proceedings as in the of lands of
private persons corporations. In this con-
necsion the attorney general remarks: "Iu view
of the fact that the property Of the university is
the property OF the state, and consequently
could not be taken without express legislative
authority, and in view Of the fact that in the
clause found in section Is supra, there is moth
ing limiting the right to take the class of prop
erty referred to, to property not devoted to
public use. this decision would seem to place all
the lands of the state however occupied, at the
mercy of any railroad enterprise passing near
the same. This statement of the attorney gem
eral will be sufficient to indicate to you the i'm
portance Of SO amending the statute that it may,
by explicit language, be limited to the lands
granted by congress to the state to endow the
university, for the benefit of schools, for pur-
poses OF internal improvement and lands of that
character
With the object of forcing the old land grant
railroad companies whose roads have been sold
but which kept up their organizons for the sole
purpose of holding their lands exempt from tax
alton, to dispose OF such lands and thus place
them IN the tax lists, the attorney general COM
menced proceedings against five of these COM
panles in the supreme court to forfeit their
charters In two of these cases such convey
ance of the lands was made by agreement as de-
stroyed their immunity from taxation. One
was decided adversely to the state. but the
others have very recently been adjudged in it's
favor This action will result in large additions
to the tax lists of several OF the counties of the
state and in a more equitable distribution OF the
burdens of taxation. The attorney general has
successfully prosecuted a claim for an increase
OF taxes due from the Northern Pacific Railway
company, which under the Judgment of court
will add $40, I54.59 to he revenues of the state
for the current year. In all these proceedings
the attorney general hos manifested that indus