Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-01-19

their true mission. that of preparing CON-
the normal schools for the present biennial
period as estimated by the regents is al
ready provided for by fund incomes, from
appropriations and tax levies. The board
ask Tor a special appropriation OF SI5.No0
for necessary building and repairs, which
request should receive your earnest atten-
ton.
The regents OF the university report an
Increase in the enrolment OF students for
the present year of about 200 over any pre-
YIouS year. This is but one indication OF
the increasing usefulness of this great in
stitGtsoa- Inc university at present stands
well up to the front among the great uni
Versltles OF this country, and the citizens
generally, as well as the regents, have a
pride III maintaining its present high stand
ard. In their biennial report, which will
be placed before you, the regents ask for
a special appropriation of $780, 900 for addi-
rions TO the dairy department OF the agri-
cultural college, and 100000 for the cree
ton OF suitable building for the college
OF engineering. The current expenses OF
the institution are already provided for by
tax leyies, permanent appropriations and
otherwise, and these amounts asked are ex-
cluSvely for the purposes named. l am sure
that these requests Will receive your careful
consideration.
You will be asked to make special appro-
priation sufficient TO complete the construc-
Jlon and furnishing of the building of the
State Historical society. The cost of this
building greatly exceeds what was at first
contemplated or asked for. In the future /
beileye that when appropriations are asked
for the erection of public buildings the legiS-
lature should require a definite estimate as
to the cost of the buildings and limit its
appropriations to the amount of the eStI-
mates. The new building of the State His
toflcaI society is TO be one of the best library
structures in the country when completed,
and Will be an honor to the state as we'll as
TO the society. To fail to provide for its
completion and proper equipment at this
time would be to deprive the public of the
advantages which should accrue from the
amount already expended thereon. recon-
mend, therefore. that the needs OF this build
| ing be given your careful consideration
Cordial praise is bestowed upon the free
| library commission. The commission asks
| for an appropriation of $500 to carry on
| its work during the next two years, and, in
| view of the excellent work being accom-
| plished by the commission, the governor rec
ommends that such appropriation be made.
Two years ago the legislature passed q
| law providing for tax commission, to be
made up of the governor and the secretary
| of state as ex oticio members, and three
| members to be appointed by the governor.
| The work of the commission as laid out by
| the law creating it was collect and collate
material relating to the assessment and levy
| OF taxes, and to make such recommendations
| for legislation on the subject as the condi-
| tions would seem to require. No provision
| was made for payment of the expenses of
| the commission, but Notwithstanding this
| the work has been very successfully
| carried on up to this time. No one
| can read the report without being i'm
| pressed with the vast amount of work which
! the commissioners have accomplished in the
| face of many obstacles. | believe it is of the
| greatest Importance to the people of Wis
| conS1n that this work, so well begun, should
| be carried forward to completion. The ex-
! penses of the commission have been raised
| by private subscription. 1t is not creditable
to the state should it be necessary, that
commission of such Importance should be
| compelled to themselves solicit the money
necessary for the expenses incurred In their
| work l urgently recommend, therefore, that
a law be passed providing for the continual
| ton of the work by the appointment of a
commission OF three or five members. with
| ample powers and facilities for carrying on
| their work, and that an appropriation of not
| less than $4,000 be made for expenses
for the two years 1t seems reasonable to
! expect that, if the work is properly done and
! supplemented by wise legislation, millions
| of dollars worth of taxable property which
now escapes can be brought into the assess
ment rolls, and many thousands-possbIy
| millions-of dollars eventually saved to the
| taxpayers of the state.
| The governor recommends that provision
| be made for the reorganization of the state
| militia upon the same basis as the regulars.
| Ii this be done and the number of regiments
| limited to three and an additional battalion,
| the expense will not be greater than it has
| been in the past. The information is i'm
parted that year and a half ago the board
of control adopted resolutions which have
| practically placed the whole responsibility
| for the employment of help in the hands of
| the respective superintendent. the latter be-
| ing held to most strict account for the
character OF the work done. This has tended
| greatly to enhance the efficiency of the en-
| ployes. new classification of state house
| employees is urged well Il stable and
| correct system of bookkeeping In the state,
| treasury and other departments, the aboi-
| tiOn of the land office, the work to be done
| by a clerk or two in the treasury. that the
| treasurer should be the custodian of all state
| securities, that it might be wise to again
| bring the bank question before the people.
| that the duties Of bank examiner be dele
| gated to the state treasurer. where the ex-
| listing banking code seems to place it. and
that that official be empowered to appoint
| a competent deputy for the purpose of aiding
| him in examining the banks, who shall re-
| port directly to him, and that more factory
| inspectors be appointed, especially to protect
child labor Attention is called to the good
| work of the dairy and food department, to
| the fact that, through the board of immigra-
| ton, during the past two years 5,141 set
! tiers have taken up land in 26 of the north
| ern counties, of whom a. per cent came from
| per cent. are merely transferred from the
older settled portions of Wisconsin The
state board of arbitration is commended.
The governor thinks that the usefulness
| of the present caucus law may be greatly
| enhanced by making its provisions appli-
cable to every voting precinct. l recommend
! tIlat this be done, he says, and further, that
| the law be amended fixing the date upon
! which caucuses are to be held, and that the
| caucuses of all parties be held on the same
| date. If the law is TO be so amended it
| would be well to consider whether it might
| not be better to make the test of the voters
| eligibility to depend upon his expressed in
| tentl0nS, rather than upon his past affilia-
| tions. / am inclined to the belief that what
| is known as the preliminary" meeting might
| be done away with without detriment to the
essential features of the law.
| The governor opposes ii pardon board,
| but has no objection to an advisory pardon
| board. Commentator is bestowed upon the
! natural history survey and on the forestry
! commission. while he declares that the laws
| for the protection of fish and game have
| been wisely enforced in all parts of the
state during the past two years. The prison
! labor commission report, he believes. to be
! very useful to the legislature III determining
what action. ii any il should take upon the
question of the employment Of criminals.
The governor shows how the state was
drawn in to bid in the Milwaukee fair
grounds which have now cost the common
are worth, he says. The state now holds
the property in fee. and it rests with the
legislature to determine what disposition
shall be made of it.
The governor thinks it clear that over
100000 of the claim of the state
against the nation, being for interest paid
by the state funds borrowed and interest
lost by the sale of Understanding securities
TO raise money with which to equip troops
and enable Wisconsin TO do her part in the
preservation of the union, should be- as a
matter of justice, repaid to the state. And
that it soon will be, he has no doubt.
Early in my last administration, says the
governor, a bill was introduced at my in
stance in both houses of congress, to pro-
vide for the adjustment of the differences
btween the state and the United States over
the swamp land grant of 1850. The senate
bill was referred, as is the custom, to the
department of the interior, for examination
OF difference have been adjusted and that
the department will recommend the massage