Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-01-16
: balance in the governors contingent

| II, me existing practice of licensing teach.
! erS 90 the comparative failure OF the Sys
! ten to make adequate provision for suitable
professional training of teachers for the
| common district schools; and CD the lack
of close careful, professional supervision
| The normal school system has grown in at
| tendance in two years nearly 81 per cent
and in four years nearly 81 per cent. In
two wears the ability of the schools to fuf-
nish trained teachers has increased nearly
IS per cent, and more than 2OS per cent
in four years. This rate OF progress lndI-
Gates that the normal schools are rapidly
coming to fulfill their true mission, that OF
preparing competent teachers. The current
I EXPENSES of the normal schools for the pres
ent biennial period as estimated by the
regents is already provided for by fund in
comes from appropriations and tax levies.
The board asks for a special appropriation
Of $4,000 for necessary building and re-
pairs which request should receive your
earnest attention.
The regents of the university report an
increase in the enrolment Of students for
the present year of about 200 over any preYl-
Gus year This is but one indication OF the
increasing usefulness of this great institu-
ton. The university at present STANDS Well
up to the front among the great universities
OF this country, and the citizens generally,
as we'll as the regents, have pflde III main
tanning it's present high standard. In their
biennial report, which will be placed before
you. the regents ask for a specS4 approprla-
ton of $35 900 for additions to the dairy de-
partment of the agricultural college, ana
800, 600 for the erection OF suitable DulId-
ing for the college of engineering Ihe cur
rent expenses of The Institution are already
provided for by tax leYies, permanent appro-
nriatiOns and otherwise, and these amounts
asked are exclusively for the purposes
named. I am sure that these requests VIII
receive your careful consideration.
You will be asked to make special appro-
pration sufficient to complete the construc-
lion and furnishing of the building of the
building greatly exceeds what was at first
contemplated or asked for. In the future |
believe that when appropriations are asked
for the erection of public buildings, the leg
islature should require definite estimate as
to the cost of the buildings and limit its
appropriations to the amount OF the eStl-
mates The new building of the State His
tOrical society is to be one or the pest ilDFa-
~ structures in the country when completed,
and will be an honor to the state, as well as
to the society. To fail to provide for it's
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 TINS ouiId-
inc be given your careful consideration.
Cordial praise is bestowed upon the Tree
library commission The commission asks
for an appropriation OF $1,000 to carry on
it's work during the next two years, ana, III
view of the excellent work being accom-
pIished by the commission, the governor rec
0mmends that such appropriation be made
Two wears ago the legislature passed a law
providing for tax commission, to be made
up of the governor and the secretary OF
state as ex OfficiO members. and three MEM
bers to be appointed by the governor; Inc
work of the commission as laid out by the
law creating it was to collect ana c0llate
material relating to the assessment and levy
of taxes, and to make such recommendatlons
for legislation on the subject as the condl-
lions would seem to require. NO provision
was made for the payment OF the expenses or
the commission, but Notwithstanding this
on up to this time. No one can read the
report without being impressed with the
vast amount of work which the commission
ers have accomplished in the face OF many
obstacles [ believe it is of the greatest i'm
pOrtance to the people OF Wisconsin mat
this work so we'll begun, should be carried
commission have been raised by private sub
scription. 1t is not cerditable to the state,
nor should it be necessary, that commits,
sion of such Importance should be compelled
t. themselves solicit the money necessary for
the expenses incurred in their work. L
Urgently recommend, therefore, that law
br passed providing for the continuation OF
the work by the appointment OF a commls-
sion of three or five members, with ample
powers and facilities for carrying on their
work and that an appropriation or moi less
than S25, 900 be made for expenses Tor the
two years. 1t seems reasonable to expect
that if the work is properly done and sup
plemented by wise legislation, millions of
dollars worth of taxable property which
nav escapes can be brought into the as
sessment rolls, and many thOusandS-possl-
bly, 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
If this be done and the number of regiments
limited to three and an additional battalion
the expense will not be greater than II mas
been in the past. The information is I'M
parted that year and a half ago the board
of control adopted resolutions when nave
practically placed the whole responsibility
for the employment of help in the hands OF
the respective superintendent, the latter be-
inc held to a most strict account for the
character of the work done. This has tended
greatly to enhance the efficiency OF the en-
DIoyes new classification of state house
employees is urged, as We'll as STABLE ana
treasury and other departments the aDOl-
ton of the land office, the work to be done
by q clerk or two in the treasury, thaC the
treasurer should be the the CUSTODIAN OF an
state securities, that it might be wise to
again bring the bank question before the peo-
pie that the duties Of bank examiner be
delegated to the state treasurer, where the
existing banking code seems to place It: ana
that that official be empowered to appoint a
competent deputy for the purpose off aiding
him in examining the banks, who small re-
mort 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, 70
the fact that, through the board OF 1mml-
grafton, during the past two years 5,I4I
settlers have taken up land in 70 OF the
northern counties, Of which 70 per cent.
tries. while 25 per cent of them are merely
transferred from the older settled portions
of Wisconsin. The state board of arbitra-
ton is commended.
The governor thinks that the usefulness OF
the present caucus law may be greatly en-
HANGED by making it's provisions applicable
to every voting precinct. recommend
that this be done. he says and further, that
the law be amended fixing the date upon
which caucuses are to be held, and that eau
cuses of all parties be held on the same date.
If the law is to be so amended, it would be
we'll to consider whether it might not be
better to make the test of the voters eligi-
biity to depend upon his expressed inten-
TONS rather than upon his past atf1ll atoms.
I am inclined to the belief that what is
known as the "preliminary" meeting might
De done away with without detriment to the
essential features of the law.
The governor opposes a pardon board, but
has no objection to an advisory pardon
board CONTAMINATION is bestowed upon the
natural history survey and &C 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 dur
ing the past two years. The prison labor
commission report, he believes to be very
useful to the legislature in determining what
action if any. it should take. upon, the ques-
ton of the employment of criminals.
The governor shows how the state was
drawn in to bid in the Milwaukee fair