The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-01-19
g15S2 Il 1929 81
Total amount ex.

o4StilClS- ,it1 tB Etui8 co.
| Total amount ex-
pendeG 81; ,245 81 sS,aS5.6l8 20
affecting not only the present but the future vel
/ fare OF the individual and the State-and this
whether regard be had to questions of finance or
! questions OF good citizenship When we CON
slider that the whole number OF persons enrolled
| I'D the state betH cen the ages OF our aud twenty
/ years June %u, lSSS, was 567 7U2. and that
/ OF this number only 265 l77 were reported as at
| tending the public schools, the state may well IN
/ 4uIre as TO the reason OF so much abSeuteeism
/ ana apply the proper remedy.
| confeSs to much 2olicitude for the con. mon
| schooi ami especially for the district scho1l in
| rural communities. II is To the little country
/ sehooi that We must look in a great measure for
/ the lncucstlon OF the true principles OF Ameri-
/ can citizenship Il - here That the great body
| OF our people acquire all the education they viii
| receive during their lives. I have a profound
| respect for the high school, he academy, the
| college and the university. These however, are
| but the fruit OF a lOwlier blossom, and they
have many and most earnest advocates.
/ II IS unnecessary that should press
/ their claims upon you. But the com
| mon district school, The peoples col
| lege. is 20 much every bOdys business that i'll
/ many respects il suffers from negle lect The child
that J., the citizen that is 10 be, has d right to
! demand OF the state that IL be provided. ss
| against all contingencies, with a reasonable
amount OF instruction IN common English
| branches Especially has il a right to demand
that u be provided with the ability 10 read and
write the language of this country. In this con
nectiOn would recommend such legislation as
would make il the duty of county and city su-
| periujenceuts 10 Inspect a.! schools tor the pur
| pose and with the authority only, to require
/ that reading and writing in English be daily
/ taught therein.
RAILROADS
| The RAILROADS OF Wisconsin are to be counted as
among the foremost factors which have brought
| the state 10 lis present high development. For
| tunateiy Tor the best interests of al concerned
there has existed for years riendly spirit OF
| operation between tie people and the roads,
| evolved from economic consideration of their
mutual and eorrelatiye dependence. Our terri
tory is trayersed oy not less than Neve import
ant lines which connect the East and the great
Northwest Besides this, we enjoy the great ad-
vantage of water navigation on three sides of the
| state for neary the whole year. Lying thus in
| the commercial pathway Of the continent inter-
state as well as domestic commerce Is Dependent
| upon the wisdom OF the law which may be en-
| acted tor the control OF these great Interests
| The memorable struggle which took place in
1874 settled forever he right OF the people to con
| troll corporations.
| time, therefore, are not so much for supremacy
AS for the right adjustment of the relations be-
| tween the people and their servants. All laws
should be tempered largely with the desire 70 do
that which is iOr the best for the future of Wis
| consin as A whole
u has been quite too common in recent years
10 represent the agricultural element in our pop
ulatlon as entertaining hostile and agrarlan sen
! timenrs towards railroads and other corpora
| hons, ana demagOeues have sought TO commend
! themselves 10 this element by advocating legis
| latlon OF a most radical and destructive charac
| ter That they have hitherto failed In Wisconsin
/ Is due TO the weii-inf0rmed conservatism of the
| farmers. I feel myself authorized 10 say
/ in their behalf that they have no sy m
| pathy, I have none, with any effort
| at legislation, on any question, which spring
[ fpn pTeluoice- Iresent laws may not De per
| tect. but proposed amendments should be Scru-
| buiZed with care, and matured well with
reference to future conditions as to present exi-
| gencies. Commercial problems-and railroad
/ transportation is one of them-have always been
the most difficult to inclOse in legal definition,
and 30 st the best large proportion Of the diff
| cultles which confront US, whether real OF i'm
! aglnaTy, must find their solution in the great
unwrltteu law OF common sense and mutual in
! terest.
/ As nearly "a can be ascertained the entire
mileage OF the state is >, lis miles; an increase IN
| two years of 400 miles. OF this $40 miles were
| built in 1857 ana 90 miles in lSSS. The entire
cost OF the railroads of Wisconsin as reported on
the Spth day of June ISSs was SOS S67 .6d6 Il.
| The amount of capital STOCK al same date was
! Sytoss. SO The amount OF DEBT ttunded or
| bOrdvd) and uuiuuded was S1I7, ,547, 1885,, or
total - capital stock and debt Of STA g4I i15 p.
| There was earned on Wisconsin railroads
/ for the year ending June 80, 1SsS, S24.-
| S9l,6i9N6, OF which 80 266, 81 Tor
| the transportation OF passengers, and Sl7. l65,
| a592i for transportation OF freight. and SL459,
| 4up.4I for the transportation of mails, express,
| etc The number OF passengers carried IN same
year, b1I3, -, at expense ofa little less than
2-52 cents per u lie The number of tons freight
carried during same year, II ,6g7 AZ, and the rate
/ per ton per mile 964-l090 of cent per mile
| There has been decrease il she cost of freight
| TAI earnings per mile of road estimate OF
DPS miles OF operated tTackage, was "a, -.
OF this -, 1886 per mile for passengers; So
25NS1 per mile for freight, and S174.H5 Tor mails
/ express and miscellaneous matter
In the past the Wisconsin railroad commissioner
has been the medium of adjusting matters of diff
! terence between aggrleved parties complaining
against ths railroad companies and the COM
pauies themselves. In most or ali the cases sat
isfactOry adjustment has been had. II in any re-
speGt the interests Of the people need more pro
| lection by clearer definition of his powers or
rights II should receive your deliberate thought
and unbiased action.
THE NATIONAL GUARD.
The reports OF the adjutaut and quartermaster
| seuerais VIII put you in possession of all the
| Iacts concerning this Indispensable adjunct OF
| the state government. may say in brief that
the organization consists of three regiments, Ons
! battalion OF infantry, one troop of cavalry and
! one light battery, aggregating % officers and
! enlisted men, The expenses tor lSs7 were Sol,
ygNl and for ISSS, S56. .927.37 II is with pro-
found qualification that I am able to report that
there has been no occasion to call upon any por-
/ non OF The guard tor active service
| during the last biennial period. This
due believe, to tie good sense OF
/ ,ur people; but 1t should not be forgotten
/ hat { he Wisconsin National Guard has been an
effective educator in this direction and that too,
for other states and nations as We'll as tor our
selves. This body of disciplined citizen soldiers
I Is the people pUissant rig arm 1t gives Is
confidence in the present and security tor the
/ tuture. The cOmmoneSt dictates. whether Of
4 gratitude or prudence OF economy, demand that
appropriations 70 meet necessary expenditures.
/ aud by ConsdeTate attention to all propositions
! looking to improved methods Of organization and
} discipline.
INSURANCE.
! The magnitude Of the insurance Interests Of
I Wisconsin is q stronger commeudaton OF The
/ commissioner report 10 your consideration than
/ any can make. The statistics embraced in the
repoTtOl the commissioner are worthy OF the most
I serious study. This officer occupies q most i'm
pOrtant aud responsible position IL ls his duty
I q
business in Wisconsin are solvent and
worthy Of confidence To ascertain the
\ faets as 70 their standing II i some
/ times necessary 20 make personal examinations
which involve travelling expenses, for the pay
meut Of which there is now no provision /
Z would recommend that thlS defect be remel ed
( would also recommend that the law be amend
{ ed 50 as 10 require the appointment OF the com
missioner by outside companies as an agent upon
{ whom service OF process can De made
/ further defect in the law, TO which the COM
missioner calls attention. relates 70 the sO-calied
{ frateTIIal life associations. Not only are they
not sub eCt to supervision, out they are not re-
guIred TO render any reports u seems aitogeth-
I er reasonable that such associations should at
+ least be required to make annual sworn s'ate-
menjs as ~ their business and condition, and
( that the statements should be published.
MEETING OF ELECTORS.
Section g. Of the Revised Statutes provides
that the electors Of president and viCe-presl dent
shal meet at the capitol and give their votes on
Z the hrst Wednesday IN December next following
/ the general eiecaca a. which t7eE are chosen.
By act Of the Congress Of the JnIfed states, ap-
{ proved February s ISS7, the day for the meeting
{ OF sUcn electors is nxed for the second Monday
II anuary next after their election. At 7 Ocl0ck
noon While Il is very clear that the set Of Con
Z greSs determines the day on which the electors
shall convene and give their ballots recon-
mend that our statutes BE 50 amended ss 70 bar
! monte with the United states law.
cry CHARITIES.
The la=l Legislature wisely provided for A CON-
mission TO frame general bfIi or tre incorpo-
ration q, cities an informed that his commits
I son VIII Be prepared 10 submit a report at a
( very early fEv. and commend this matter TO
/ v1Gr attention a. one OF the most important sub
/ lsCts that can claim legislative consideration
The evils Of the present system are not OnIy too
| many, but they are also too well known, 20 jug