Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-01-18
S5,1GG,973.36

Total. .. S5,1GG, 973.36
The balance remaining unexpended in the
governors contingent fund ut L. CLOCK on
January 4 was $S55.79.
The greater portion of the states income
for general expenditures is derived from the
railways. For the fiscal year ending Decen-
Der 80. 1896 the receipts from the per
cent tax upon the gross earnings of the rail
ways: which is laid in lieu Of other taxation
amounted to $1,172,742. II. The total OF eX-
same period was 50. III .370.51. The unfaY-
orable financial and business conditions
which have existed since 1893 have seriously
reduced the earnings OF the railway com
panies operating within the state, and III
consequence thereof the revenues OF the
state have fallen off. With return of nor
NAL conditions the revenue of the state from
the railways will be restored, and the COM
pletion of the new lines and extensions al
ready begun give promise OF an Increased
revenue to the state, as well as the open
ing up of territory heretofore not accessible
to settlers.
Railroads.
The railroads of the state are closely
identified with the development of our agri-
other interests. Farmers, merchants, manu-
facturers, miners and all classes or our peo-
pie come daily into business relations with
them, and it is a cause for cOngratulation
that the relations existing between the
twenty or more railroad companies doing
business within our borders and the people
of the state are so generally harmonious.
Educational.
Tie character of its common schools is
the standard by which any commonwealth
is best judged. The school system OF Wis
ton to her citizens. The foundation of the
system was laid in the constitution, and its
present perfection is due to many years of
intelligent legislation. to the earnest inter
est of the people and to the able and patri-
otto efforts of those who give their lives TO
the great work of popular education. 1t is
by Gar the most important interest for
which the Legislature is called upon to make
provision Something of the claims of the
schools upon your attention from the purely
monetary side of the question will be UNI
derstood when it is stated that the total
disbursements for the common schools dur
ing the year ending June 30, 1896, were
$5,31S, 1G6.16; that the total number OF per-
sons of school age reported for the year
ending June 30 1896 was 6S4.S90; that the
total number Of scholars for the same year
was 412.6S7; that the number of teachers
employed in the state during the same time
was 1884, and that there are 1872 free
high schools in the state, which employ 612
principals and assistant teachers. at an an
nual compensation of S314, 209.91.
No educational factor has been more po-
tent in making the school life attractive to
the children and charging the scope OF
their intellectual training than the excellent
books to which access is furnished through
the medium of the township library. the
state superintendent is invested with the
administration of the township library law
latiOn to increase the efficiency of the IL
brary and to accomplish the observance OF
the law in every town in the state are
entitled to careful considerable
/ recommend that the Legislature take the
preliminary steps toward amending the con-
stitutiOn so that provision may be made
by statute for paying the state superin-
tendent of public instruction salary com
mensurate with the dignity and Importance
of his office. An amendment of this char
acter was voted upon at the last general
election and defeated. The merit of the
proposition is so obvious and the present
situation unsatisfactory us to warrant
the belief that the defeat of the amendment
was due to the absorption of popular
thought by the momentous issues of the
campaign. Under the constitution the SUI
perintendent is receiving the meager salary
of $500. l cannot believe the people of
this state desire continuance of the pres
ent situation.
In his report, which will be laid before
You, the state superintendent of public in
Structi0n has made q number Of important
recommendations and suggestions with Il
view to promoting the efficiency of the
schools. These recommendations should be
carefully considered.
The State University.
1t is a cause for congratulation that our
State university stands today III the front
rank of the higher educational institutions
of the country. and that each year it has
been enabled, through the liberal prOyis-
ions made by the Legislature, to keep pace