The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-01-09

of the Great West,
Boise, Ida. Jan. 5. Especial. Il Cover
nor McConnelrs message was read by
mis- excellency to both houses of the
legislature this evening at the Colum-S
bian theatre. The building was pack
ed with citizens Of all shades OF po.
litical complexion. The message was
very lengthy. A synopsis is given be
low:
The Governors Message.
In opening. Governor 19IcConnel says:
Few states. in the Union present more
varied interests and industries than
ours. hence the task before you is one
which viii require wisdom and conces-'
sion that the mining Industry, the farm
industry, the stock industry and all
other. industries, may receive equally
that fostering care which each may
reasonably expect, 1t will be your duty
TO examine the various departments of
the state, and to inquire as to the wis
dom of the methods under which they
are administered, and to provide such
changes as you may deem wise and pro-
per"
The most rigid economy in the con-
duct of county affairs has become an
absolute necessity, the good name of the
state being involved. The entire bonded
indebtedness of the state is $96S,000. He
recommends that the state levy be re-
duced from So cents to so cents on the
800; thinks the expense of city and
county governments is too great; that
liquor men should receive fair treat
ment; that the state institutions-t
penitentidry, the insane asylum, the
soldiers home. the state university. the
capitol building and grounds, the nor
NAL schools and the reform school
should receive due consideration at the
hands of the legislators, and shows in
several cases the need of additional
buildings.
The number of patients received at
the insane asylum during the year has
been an excess of those discharged and
an increase in the capacity of the build
several changes in the present law re-
gard7ng the care ofsthe insane.
The governor recommends that the
legislature dea! generously with the
Soldiers Home, but suggests the drop
ping off of a few officers.
He is pleased with the unparalleled
success of the state university, and
calls attention 70 the fact that the time
has arrived when location must be
selected for the agricultural college,
either in connection with the university
or elsewhere.
Irrigation.
Coming to the question of irrigation,
the governor says:
t'Nn fcJ1oStiOy7
self for your consideration is as far
reaching in its results as the question
OF che proper distribution of water up
on our arid lands. When you conten-
plate the Importance of agriculture
as providing permanent employment
and a means of livelihood for the hui
man family, when you consider the
Vastness of the domain within our Dor
ders and bring your minds to realize
mat where now reigns the stiffness of
the desert the chimes of bells and
chlldren's laughter may, in the near
future, take the place of nothingness:
you must be touched with awe by the
magnitude of the good you may ac-
complish, the Importance of what is
expected from your hands, for l say 20
you that the settlers under the large
dicheS owned by corporations expect
that you will give them relief from ex-
ceSstve charges. Your legislation
should be in the direction of making
the water and land a. part of each 9TH
| er, and fnseparable. The plan of PRO-
viding for the dividing of counties into
! irrigation districts and allowing each
district to regulate it's own water
rates, and, if needs be, construct its
own bitches and reservoirs. seems to be
the most promising"
State Wagon Ronds.
In the governors opinion, no more
money should be expended on whit
! ore termed state wagon roads, other
than to furnish the road now begun
up the lower Salmon river" and he re-
CARDS the attempt to open up the i'll
terror by a regular system of wagon
roads as futile, and calls attention to
alleged discrepancies.
Election Laws.
'The first session of the Idaho leg
islature enacted an act entitled, AN
act to define the qualifications of cleo
tors, ETC. The second, or last session,
amended section 40 of this act so far as
relates to what is termed the election
OATH I think that the section so
amended should have stricken out
| those clauses which relate to bigalny
|
| enacted was aimed at what is known
as the Church of the Latter-day
Saints, but experience and a better &C
quaintance with the members of that
society has demonstrated that they
are among our most law-abiding citi-
zens. An analysis OF our prison record
Will prove this to be the case. The pro-
vision is a useless incumbrance to cur
election law and should be stricken out.
There are other amendments which
might safely be made, but the gem
eral system has met with almost uni
Versal approval"
Inducing Immigration.
Governor Mcconnell Believes that the
history of the state will reveal the fact
that less attention has been paid by
our people, and less money. expended
with view of divcrting Immigration
here than has been by any other OF
| the western states. He suggests tina
immediate provision should be made
for the establishment of this bureau
and its full equipment. We can pre-
sent evidences sufficient to convince
the most ekeptical that Idaho today
has greater resources, both mineral
and agricultural, undeveloped, unoccu-
pied and open for investment, than any
other state in the Union. We have
coal, iron, copper, gold, silver, lead
and many other minerals within ou1
borders. We have vast forests, of valu-
able timber, splendid ranges for cattle
horses and sheep.
| "a few Thousand dollars judiciously
| spent in making known ito the citizens
of other states the advantages that we
! enjoy, would go far TO make this state