The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-10-09

Nv
regarded with alsiasos It's unpoI
undoubtedly grows out Of tho add sal
expense which il involves. The cfi, a Of
the law has been 10 RAISE the standard Of
qualifications, aud. AS result, fewer teach
err OF the required standard have l~ch
obtainablc, and these at largely increased
wages While poor teacher at any price
IN undoubtedly poor economy, still the
greater increased pay which teachers de-
mand under the new Law makes burden
which falls too heavily upon the small dis
tricts in our agricultural communities.
tax Of 70 20 100 per cent Of the grand list
for the support Of schools in addition to
other taxation will not be obecriully borne
by any community, should very much
regret, however, to have these sugges-
tons construed as advocating return
10 the old system. Our present school
law is, without question, step in
the right direction. While economy
should be our watcbword in most branches
of our state administration, we should not
forget that reasonable llberality is the
only true economy Ia matters Of such vital
Importance as that Of education, Oar
schools are not better than they ought TO
be but such an adjustment Of the burden
of their support should be made AS will
enable the poor to enjoy their blessings
without being taxed beyond their ability 10
bear. The law MS II now stauds should be
SO amended as to still further equalize the
burdens of taxation for the support of
schools in towns where the district system
is still adhered To- The report Of the state
superintendent of education Is full Of waltz
able suggestions on this subject. fou will
also have for your guidance the reports of
the several county supervisors, aud your
legislative committees will get from con-
sultation with the state superintendent and
the county supervisors much valuable in
formation touching this matter In this
connection earnestly urge the enactment
OF statute which shall provide for the
furnishing Of free text books, ! know Of
no single item Of expenditure which, IN my
Judgment, wonld yield a greater measure
of good for the limited outlay required,
Yonr attention is invited TO the biennial
report of the quartermaster-g general and the
adjutant and nspector-generl. They
give the necessary details to enable you to
Judge as TO the expenditures required to
maintain the militia There can be no
question that the condition Of the National
Guard Of Vermont has been materially inn
proved during the past ten years, and now
compares favorably with the favorite regi-
ments in the larger states The people Of
Vermont have reason to be proud Of the
organization, but Just how far they are
willing to 20 in its support is for You to
decide. make no recommendations. The
question is rather one of state pride than
of state necessity. The expense Of the
militia for each biennial period during the
past ten wears has been as follows 1872,
$24,69i 1881, S37,457; 1856,
S36,44s; 1873, S4s,7l3; lss9-9O,
SAVINGS BANKS.
You will have before you the report Of
the inspector of finance, giving full de-
tailed statement Of the condition of each Of
the institutions under his charge, together
with valuable facts touching the workings
of our savings bank laws The informa-
ton which he gives us, " That the tendency
to send money west and south has reached
its climax" will, ! am sure, DO exceedingly
gratifying TO you; and vet we are confront
ed with the unpleasant fact that the invest
ments in mortgages out Of the state have
increased from one and quarter millions
in 1879 to seven and a half millions in 1890.
The inspectors suggestions that :" invest
ments in foreign real estate certainly ought
not to go beyond the limit now fixed by
law" meets my hearty approval, and am
of the opinion that the interests of the state,
as well as the interests Of the depositor,
would be better subserved If the amount
which any savings bank could invest in
western mortgages was limited to 40 per
cent of the entire assets OF the bank, and
statute making this limit.
endorse all he says with reference 10 school
savings, and hope some action may be taken
TO encourage thrift among the children Of
Vermont.
would call Your special attention to his
concerning the Inspector Of
western land companies. ! believe the
law of 1885, making the examination Of
these companies duty Of the inspector,
has not resulted benefeially TO our state.
| have no doubt that the inspector has
been as faithful in his examination of these
institutions rs the limited time at his dis
posal would permit, but, from the very
nature Of the case the value OF these brief
examinations must depend largely upon
the integrity Of the officers Of the institn-
tons examined. Expert book keepers on
the part Of Inscriptions officials make it
possible for all loan companies, both good
A Il -
a certificate of good character from the
Inspector, and we have only to examine
the columns OF the state press 10 see how
quick these institutions are TO avail them
selves of this advantage. One western
company adyertlses itself as "a banking
under the jurisdiction Of the
Inspector Of finances Of Vermont, and ex-
amined by him yearly" and il is well
known that the agents Of these corpora
tons quite generally claim this for their
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