The record-union., 1891-03-27

intended to conserve the greed of locali-
ties and passion for fat official stations
will never cease.
On the other hand the Legislature has
| concluded its session with smaller ex-
pense account by some $4,000 than was
charged up to its predecessor. 1t has
brought the tax rate considerably below
so cents, and it has passed bills of merit
that have become laws. A careful re-
view of all bills approved up to this writ
ing disclose many good enactments and
but few of doubtful policy or clearly un-
wise and extravagant
Thus the Worlds Fair scheme has been
literally aided, as asked for by the State
Board of Trade. The office of State
Printer has been made elective. The re-
form ballot system has been placed upon
the statute books. Electricity has been
put among the recognizable motive
powers on public highways. A whole
some check has been placed upon the
printing of voluminous and useless re-
ports by commissions and officials.
Women have been declared competent to
fill the clerical positions of Notaries. The
preservation of that historic object, SUIT
ter's Fort, has been assured. There has
been fair conservation of asylums and
public institutions of relief. At the same
time bills yet to undergo the scrutiny of
the Executive have passed that unneces-
sarily provide for extensions and en-
largements at several institutions at un-
pardonably heavy cost.
The State school-book system has been
preserved from the most hostile attack
that has yet been made upon it. Sub
mission to the people of the question of
the mode of electing United States SEN
ators has been ordered. Greater strin-
gency has been required in divorce pro-
ceedings, and the method of letting con-
tracts for public works has been bettered
New guards have been thrown about
youths in the matter of exposure to
vicious influences. The wages of en-
ployes in the State Printing Office are no
longer to be arbitrary, but to be regu-
lated by market values. Fees have been
forbidden to officers under salary. Linz
itation has been narrowed for the crea-
ton of municipal Indebtedness. The
game laws have been very much i'm
proved, as also the laws relating to the
organized militia.
The vagrancy law has been so recon-
structed that it is now possible to take it
out of the dead-letter class. Irrigation
interests have had all legislation neces-
sary to their promotion; the general
school law has been materially bettered.
and the establishment of high schools in
rural sections permitted if the people bv
vote express desire for them. In Grim
inal trials the rule of evidence as to the
testimony of parties to crime has been
very greatly broadened and bettered.
There are other measures not yet ap-
proved that are worthy, as the Acts MAX
ing train-wrecking a capital offense; es-
tablishing department in one of the in
sane asylums for treatment of inebriacy;
requiring all school districts to use the
State textbooks; protecting the deer
family from destruction; establishing a
standard of weights and measures; pro-
viding for the receipt of money from the
Federal Government; providing for pay
ment to Japan Of an honest debt; for the
acquisition Of lands on which stand State
fish hatcheries; in promotion of horti-
cultural interests that infected trees may
be prevented from breeding and spread
ing fruit pests, and making it an offense
to advertise to procure divorces.