Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1893-01-26
GOVERNOR NELSON.
FIRST ANNUAL MESSAGE TO THE
MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE.

FIRST ANNUAL MESSAGE TO THE
MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE.
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of
Representatives:
In obedience to law and conformable to
custom, submit to you this message
touching the ondition of our state and
its public affairs.
The financial affairs of our state gov
eminent are in sound and prosperous
condition. With population of |, 400,
coo and an assessed valuation Of $500. 600, :
600, there is an outstanding indebtedness
Of only 50, $4,000 subject to an annual in
tsrest charge Of but $77,a9o, and on the
last day of November, 1892, there was q
balance in the state treasury to the credit
of the different funds of S1,6SS, GAG. 81.
Such showing as this clearly indicates
that the government has been conducted
prudently and on csreful business princi-
Piles.
State Institutions.
The correctional and charitable institu-
tions of the state ere fulfilling their mis-
sion and purpose to an extent that keeps
us abreast of tho times and up to the de-
mands of modern civilization.
It is highly gratifying to observe, that,
Notwithstanding our rapid growth, no In
| crease has taken place il our prison popu
lation during the last three years. AS a
matter of fact there was o smalleH num-
Der of state convicts on the 3lst day OF
October, 1892, than on the 3lst day of Oc'
tober, 1889. This fact indicates the pros.
| porous, Industrious, and law abiding
character of our population, and demon.
strates that the problem of American
civilization Is here finding its best solu.
ton.
St. Cloud Rcformatory.
The &c lor.natory at ST. Cloud is success
fully accomplishing the benign purpose
| for which it was intended, but its success
fulness is likely to be embarrassed and
handicapped by existing recent legisla
ton. Const ,nt employment is absolutely
necessary for the physical and moral we'll
| being and the permanent reformation OF
| the convicts. When the reformatory was
| located upon a vast granite quarry. it was
hoped and expected that the problem OF
keeping the convicts employed was
| solved, and that ample work for many
| years to come would be found in the quar-
| ries. But under the provisions of chapter
| 112 Of the general laws Of 1891, only 80 pc,
cent Of the convicts can be employed in
quarryina and preparing granite for sale
The balance of the corvicts, if engaged
| in granite work ut all, can only be en-
| ployed in quarrying and cutting stone fol-
public buildings of the state, and fol
| walls and improvements on the grounds
of the reformatory. With this law ir
| force, it is evident that the state, m order
to provide employment for two-thirds Of
the convicts, must either utilize the gran.
lite for public buildings, or inaugural e
some new Industrial enterprise within the
limits of the reformatory. Under these
Eeonditions, inasmuch as additional build
ings are urgently needed at the institu
ton, it would seem to be the part of wis
dom, at as early day as practicable, tt
make use Of the granite and the labor Of
the convicts, as far as possible, in the con
struction OF such buildings.
| Manufacture IF Irvine.
The manufacture of Irvine has been
successfully established in the state
prison, and meets with much favor
among our agricultural population. This
| enterprise should be greatly enlarged and
extended, not only for the reason that il
affords permanent field for convict
labor, as little in conflict with other labo,
| in the state as can we'll be obtained. but
more especially for the reason that our
state prison Irvine, if furnished to The
consumer at near its actual cost, will
always to some extent afford our farmers
protection against unjus. combinations
and abnormal prices on the part Of the
| Irvine manufacturers.
| Insane Asylums.
1t is encouraging to note, that, though
Tor time insanity seemed to increase al
an undue pace. yet, shat within tho last
! two years tho increase has not been al
great as was anticipated, nor out of pro
portion to the increase of oul
population. The growth of our state
which in tho future will be less rapid and
| more from within, than in the past, will
no doubt tend to further decrease the pro
portion Of the insane. This promising
outlook will obviate the necessity for any
unusual haste in constructing additional
buildings, and will also save us from any
material increase in appropriations fol
the current e. penses o. the hospitals fo1
the insane. An appropriation of $3S, 5O(
is urgently needed to finish and equiv
the southwest wing of the third hospita
at Fergus Fails. This wing, when com
pleted, will furnish accommodations fo]
! two hundred additional patients, ani
| will thus meet our immediate want fo]
room for some time to come. Larc,
appropriations are asked, for build
ings at the hospitals at Rochester ant
| Fergus Falls, and at the school for feeble
/ minded. When you come to conside,
these requests in detail, you will no doub
take such action, as the necessity fo
further calls for, and a.
the burdens of taxation will warrant.
The Soldiers Home.
The soldiers home at Minnehala Fall
is successfully performing it's great mis-
sion of affOrding cheerful and pleasan
retreat for the needy and homeless vet
Grams OF our wars. The institution is ,
monument OF the gratitude and patriot
ism OF q great people. Subsidiary ant
supplemental thereto and existing und e.
the same law, is q scheme of furnishing
assistance at their residence to such need!
veterans az have families or homes o
] their own, and to the widows and de
pendent minor children, and dependen
1 parents OF soldiers. This mode of relic
Is especially intended for those who cal
not we'll enter the home, but who ar,
nevertheless as much entitled to publ,
aid as tho inmates Of that institution
Under the prudent and rigid rule
adopted by the board of trustees, non,
but those absolutely in need can get re
lief, and this aid is not given in money
but in the absolute necessaries Of life
and only to limited extent. From per
sonal observation in many cases, ali
convinced that this method Of assistanc,
fis-as salntary and as much needed as the
home itself, and is much more mex
pensiye.
i Whore the Money Comes From.
The money from which this relic
lief is granted is known as the soldiers
relief fund, and is derived from tax o