Gilpin observer., 1899-01-12
GOVERNOR THOMAS MESSAGE.

|
the state is wholly indefensible and
unwarranted, and l earnestly recon-
mend its abolition.
The Court, of Appeals was created
by act of the General Assembly, ap-
proved April 6, 1891. Its establishment
was deemed necessary to relieve the
docket of the Supreme Court from con-
| gestion and promote the rapid DISPOSE
tion of cases on review. At that time
the docket of the Supreme Court was
far in arrears, and the expedient of n
commission had proved ineffective
During the eight years of it's existence
| its judges had transacted large
amount of business and are burdened
with an accumulation of cases which
may be said to demonstrate the neces-
sity for its establishment. While this
may be measurably true. / neverthe-
less entertain the conviction that it has
not well served the purposes of its
creation, is not promotive either of
dispatch or economy in the disposition
| of appellate business, and the act es-
tablishing it should be repealed by ap-
Ipropriate legislative action.
| The moral and material worth and
| excellence of an American common
wealth is justly measured by its edu-
| cational system, the percentage of its
illiteracy and the general standard of
its intelligence. If its school system
be well established and literally sup
| ported, its benefits are incalculable,
not only in the Improvement it imparts
to our youth. but in the repute it gives
and the influence it extends through
out the land. The general government
displayed its liberality to us in its ap-
preparation of public land for educa-
of hn
| condition of the revenues. past general
| assemblies may be said to have devoted
| such means rs We're mt their disposal
| for the use of the university and other
| state educational institutions. But the
| painful fact must be told, that the
State University. which stands at the
| head and is an essential component of
| our general public school system. has
been crippled and its efficiency seri-
ously impaired on account of its mea-
ger support. and that unless it can re-
ceive the assistance it deserves. ii
must either be discontinued or exist as
the shadowy and emasculated sem
blance of an establishment designed
by its founders as Il great institution
for the higher education of our youth
What is true of the university is
true. in degree. of two other educa-
whose standing is second to no other
school of the kind in the Union-suf-
fers from cramped quarters. INSULT
cient equipment and overworked
teachers. Its endowment is wholly out
of proportion to its constantly increas-
ing needs. Students from all points
of the compass are availing themselves
of its advantages. Its high standard
of excellence must be impaired, its
widening sphere of usefulness aban-
doned, unless it obtains the support it
Graves. To permit it to retrograde or
to lose the place it justly occupies in
the estimate of the educational and
scientific world. would be blunder so
objectionable as to rise to the dignity
of q transgression.
The State Normal School, established
eight years ago. has managed to exist,
but cannot attain full stature upon its
usual allotment of one-siXth of a mill;
1,6OO students have been numbered up
on its rolls since its establishment;
go have graduated, DO of whom are
teaching in our schools. Its present
scholars number 800. 300 of whom are
in the normal and 200 in the model de-
partment. These must be provided for
as to room. equipment and teaching
force. Heretofore one-siXth of mill
on the dollar of assessed valuation,
without extra allowance. has been ap-
propriated for its maintenance. 1t is
not sufficient for the purpose.
Over S3,5OO,OOO is annually paid to
fire, life and otherassurance associations
foreign to our state. This tribute TO for
eign insurance companies. less than
one-half of which is returned in the
payment of losses, can have no other
~ .t,Il tntl
medium of circulation. Therefore, l
would suggest that our insurance laws
be so amended as to encourage the for
nation and support of local joint stock
and mutual companies. thereby keeping
within our borders proportion at least
of this vast sum paid by our people for
indemnity. Our law requiring joint
stock fire insurance companies TO have
II paid-up cash capital of $500, 600 might
safely be amended so as to reduce the
amount required to 100000.
Our election laws need revision and
material change in many particulars
The use of emblems on the official bal
lot should be discarded. They are de-
signed to simply the exercise of suf-
frage and enable voters to cast their
straight ballot by the making of sin
gle cross. and identify party tickets
with specific characters. so that ignor-
ant voters recognizing the ticket by the
character, may vote In accordance with
| their political convictions. In practice,
however. the emblem has been the pro-
| life source of confusion. litigation and
| expense.
| would suggest the repeal f"rhe act
| concerning damages sustained by
agents. servants or employees" an
proved April s. 1893. and the enact
ment of general employers liability
law, similar to that existing In Massn-
chusetts and some other states. Such n
law Is impcratively demanded in the
Interest both of the employer and the