Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-01-12
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
toontfnueo from Page one.

State lands PROMPTLY as the interest OF
the STATE may require.
As 10 well known, all OF the ngri'
cultural lands OF the stale that are
susceptible to irrigation from the
present sources OF water supply, are
taken up. BY the construction OF
expensive reservoirs, large tracts Of
lands may be brought under cnitiva-
ton, The State has grant OF hve
hundred thousand acres Of land for the
establishment OF permanent water res
ervoire for irrigation purposes. The
lands included in this grant mby be
sold anu the proceeds thereof used In
the construction OF reservoirs at tuch
points AZ to benefit tue lanJs seleri ed
Tor the State. To realize on this fund
in the usual course Of selection and
eale OF the grant would require great
many years. l recon- mend that this
iund be anticipated by the sale OF
bonds in such sum as you may deem
test, to he known as reservoir bonds,
to be secured by the proceeds OF all
land selected uudeT this grant; the
proceeds Of the sale of such bonds to
be used in the construction ofreservOire
to supply water to State lands, thereby
increasing their value manyioli ana
bringing them Immediately into mar
ket. This plan, believe, VIII give
the State an Opportunity OF realizing on
q part OF its lasds within brief
period, anu will thereby reduce taxa
ton. Under the grant OF lsuds to this
State the board of land commissioners
was, and ie OF the opinion that the
grant includes mineral lands, and
made application TO have the same set
apart to the Slate under Its grant. The
application wss rejected by the
register Of the land office, but as the
board did Ii wish to see great public
interests sacrificed for light and
transient reasons, an appeal was taken
to the commissioner OF tho general
land office. The com IN lssioner OF the
general land office held that the stats
might select lands chiefly valuable for
stone, but denied Its right to select
lands containing precious minerals or
coal. This decision was recently rem
dered and the board 10 now taxing au
appeal TO the secretary OF the interior.
The Territory OF Utah was not adj
mitted into the Union until after neat
ly all Of its available agricultural
lands were taken up by settlers. While
tnb kthuNb VI iAhh ~ tht t9Nhhu " NhN
parent government seem generous, by
reason OF the nDove fact they will not
prove 40 valuable as was generally
supposed. The only unsettled ngrl-
cultural lands within the State having
present water supply are contained
In the Uintah Indian reservations.
recommend that you memorslizs Con
gress to permit the Btale to have
sixty days preference right to select
agricultural lands within that reserva-
ton when the same Ia thrown open,
before permitting settlers to make eu-
tries. The report OF the State board OF
land commissioners, giving details OF
its work,i will be- submitted in due
course.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The education Of the children OF the
State is sui ect TINT Invariably and
properly occupies a large share OF the
attention OF each Legislature. No
subject Is OF more vital importance iu
determining the future OF the Slate,
the Influence and character OF lite
people, anu the position 1t shall occupy
in the nation and before tue woriu.
II should be the aim TO Increase con-
staDtIy the efficiency OF the schools,
yet there should ever be manifest a
wholesome regard for the rights OF the
cit zen, to see that the burdens OF taxa.
siun are not greater than he can bear,
ana to spend his money with such dis.
elimination that the beat possible
results may be attained. The State
has been generous to the common
ichools In the recent psst md believe
they are steadily becoming more ell.
cient, but L ask you to Investigate
carefully the Bystem at present In
effect, TO ascertain IL some improve
ment may not be hau, without In.
creasing the cost OF maintenance.
The superintendent OF public instruc-
ton, IN his report for the year, which
10 feplete with interest and contains
many valuable suggestions, to wnich |
invite your attention, points out some
apparent defects, both In the present
system and In the administration OF
educational afaire, and recommends
radical changes. The most important
Of these 10 his recommendation that
the present school district organization
OF county schools / o consolidated into
n single district in each county, to be
controlled by the county board OF edu.
cation. Ii 1t shall be found, upon Ia
NeohbatiOHt tuut tub GDhuBe II mlu D
would increase the efficiency OF the
district schools anu at the same time
diminish the aggregate expense, II
should be adopted.
STATE OFFICERS.
Having come 10 uirect and almost
daily contact with all Of the State OIL
GERS during the year, l am familiar
with the manner In which they have
discharged their responsible duties,
and desire 10 commend them for their
efficiency, their courtesy ana untirlng
devotion to the interests OF the
State. In many cases their duties
have necessltated extra nUurs ana
overwork through lack OF sufii-
Gent clerical help. suggest that
these cases be Investigated, that 10y
atty may be- properly recognized and
justice done.
REPORT OF OFFICERS.
The law prescribes ,tbat tho Cover.
nor must, prior to the meeting OF the
Legislature, deliver to the secretary
OF stale for publication all repUrta OF
officers ana boards. Many OF the oil h..
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