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

board has now effected very thorough SAM
tary organization throughout the state and
| through its efficient executive officer, Dr. y. N
| Hewitt. keeps watchful eve upon every GOWN
ship Through the agency OF the l.o6o local
| boards, prompt information is received OF the
| presence OF any epidemic of infectious disease
| IN any quarter among men or animals, ana
equally prompt measures are applied for its $50
| lation and suppression. The value and import
ance OF such an organization has been repeatedly
demonstrated in the successful management Dy
| the board through its agency OF several out
| breaks OF smallpox and diphtheria In widely
separated districts and of a particularly agra
| waited outbreak of glanders in horses III 1883.
| The board has adopted elaborate precautlon-
| ary measures to protect the herds OF the state
against pleuro pneumonia, which has recently
| developed to an alarming extent among cattle In
| states to the south and east OF us. The danger
| OF spread Of the infection to Minnesota Is re-
garded as remote. but in the event OF its appear
ance here most energetic measures for It's quar-
| antine and extirpation have been prepared
| doubtless the most valuable service performed
by our boards of health Is in tie limo of prevent
| i've work. They SEEK by the adoption or
| 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 ana re-
straints upon offensive trades and employments,
| and Kindred measures. to preserve the pubic
| health by the prevention of disease The value
of this character of work cannot be measured by
results. but its benfits arc being unconsclously
realized by every inhabitant Of the state.
/
state would prove Of great value TO our boards OF
| health as well as to the general public AS now
collected they ale practically worthless Tor any
purpose, as they bear pretense of accuracy
whatever. / would therefore renew my recon-
incubation. made to your predecessors. that the
collection OF such statistics be placed by law IN
charge of the state board Of health
AS the danger OF the appearance OF cholera In
| this country RS not wholly passed, recon-
mend a renewal of the contingent appropriation
made in 1885, to meet expenses arising from
| such 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 EXPOSE
ton of he defects in our system Of administer
tering the public revenues should command
| thoughtful study. with view of thorough re-
vision of the methods now in use. His sugges-
lions and recommendations are too voluminous
for recapituation here l 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 end
| inc February, 1885, were in excess of S., O00.-
600. The present system provides no checks
whatever upon county treasurers for veriflca-
tiOn of their transactions covering this vast
sum. All vouchers and entries pertaining to
the receipt of these millions of the peoples
| money are practically within the control of
the treasurer alone. One would suppose that a
statement of this character would startle 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
state OF things is accountable for the occasional
defalcations of county treasurers reported from
time to time, and is 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. I
venture to express the hope that this session
will not close without legislation necessary to
The recent rapid development of the state, and
the corresponding increase in the number of
exercises supervision under the law, has greatly
added to the duties of his Office. The work he
must now perform in connection with the &C
counts Of county officers has increased threefold
since the Office was established in 1873. Oui
continued growth must constantly add to the
labor imposed upon him. He already finds it a
physical impOssibility to 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
ance Of this service to the public interests, and
it would be most mistaken economy to limit
the expenses Of its maintenance in a 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 a total strength of 1,2S9 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 we'll equipped and has
attained satisfactory degree Of proficiency in
knowledge Of the military art. Great credit is
due the officers and men for the time and atten-
ton 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
port of our citizens in the maintenance OF their
organization. Some further recognition and ad-
ditjonal aid in this behalf will be asked Of this
legislature, which l 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 I 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
it has prosecuted 1,572 claims of this character.
secured the allowance Of s49; representing q
pension Of $3.50, 1894 without the cost Of
dollar to the claimants. As an agency through
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
|
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
ciic Railway Company vs.. The University Of
Minnesota it was held by the court that
town lots belonging to or held in trust for the
for public purposes, might be acquired by con-
domination proceedings as in the case Of lands of
private persons or corporations. In this con-
neclion the attorney general remarks "Iu view
| of the fact nniVnr9itv q
the property of the state, and consequently
| could not be taken without express legislative
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 a
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 gen.
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
but which kept up their Organizions 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
panies in the supreme court to forfeit their
charters. In two Of these cases such a convey
ance of the lands was made by agreement as de-
stroyed their immunity from taxation. One
case was decided adversely to the state but the
others have very recently been adjudged in its
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 VI the
burdens of taxation. The attorney general has
successfully prosecuted q claim for an increase
of taxes due from the Northern Pacific Railway
company, which under the Judgment Of court
for the current year. In all these proceedings
the attorney general hos manifested that indus