Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-01-12
GOVERNOR THOMAS MESSAGE.

The maintenance OF this district at an
annual cost OF $500 to the people Of
the state Is wholly indcfensible and
unwarranted. and I earnestly recon-
mend Its abolition.
The Court Of Appeals was created
by act OF the General Assembly, ap-
proved April q, 1891. Its establishment
was deemed necessary to relieve the
docket OF the Supreme Court from con-
gestion ana promote the rapid disposi-
tlon OF cascs on review. AT that time
the docket OF the Supreme Court was
far In arrears. and the cxpedient Of a
commission had proved ineffective.
During the eight years OF Its existence
Its judges had transacted n large
amount OF business and are burdencd
with an accumulation of cases which
may be said to demonstrate the ncccs-
slty for Its establishment. While this
may be mcasurably triic. ] neverthe-
less entertain the conviction that II has
not well served the purposes OF Its
creation. Is not promotive either OF
dispatch or economy In the disposition
OF appellate business, ana the act cs-
tabllshlng 1t should be repealed by ap-
proprinte legislative action.
The moral and material worth and
excellence OF an American common
wealth Is Justly measured by Its cdu.
cationnl system, the percentage OF Its
illitcracy and the general standard OF
Its intelligence. II its school system
be well established and literally sup
ported. Its benefits are incalculable,
not only In the improvement 1t imparts
to our youth. but In the repute II gives
and the influence II extends through
out the land. The general government
displayed Its libcrnllty to us In Its np-
preparation OF public land for educa-
tional purposes. and in view OF the
condition OF the revenues, past general
assemblies may be said to have devoted
such means as We're ut 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 Mt the
head and Is nn essential component OF
our general public school, system, has
been crippled and Its efficiency seri-
ously Impaired on account of Its mca-
ger support. and that unless II can re-
ceive the assistance II deserves, II
must either be discontinued or exist rs
the shndOwy and cmasculated sem
biance Of IN establishment designed
by its founders rs n great institution
for the higher education of our youth.
What Is true of the university Is
true. In degree. OF two other educa-
tional institutions, the School of Mines.
whose standing is second to no other
school OF the kind In the Union-suf-
fers from crampcd 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 1t obtains the support 1t
Graves. To permit 1t to retrograde or
to lose the place 1t justly occupies In
the estimate OF the educational and
scientific world, would be u blunder so
objectionable as to rise to the dignity
of 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 mill;
1,60O students have been numbered up
on its rolls since Its establishment;
$50 have graduated, 225 of whom are
teaching in our schools. Its present
scholars number 500. 300 of whom are
in the normal and 200 in the model de-
partmcnt., These must be provided for
as to room, equipment and teaching
force. Heretofore one-siXth of a mill
on the dollar of assessed valuation,
without extra allowance. has been up
propriated for Its maintenance. 1t is
not sufficient for the purpose.
Over $3.5OO.OOO is annually paid to
fire, life and otherassurancea 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
effect than to materially curtail our
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 n proportion at least
of this vast sum paid by our people for
indemnity. Our law requiring joint
stock fire insurance companies to have
u paid-up cash capital of 100000 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 simplify the exercise of suf-
frage and enable voters to cast their
straight ballot by the making of n sin
gle cross. and identify party tickets
with specific characters. so that igpor-
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 of "The act
concerning damages sustained by
agents. servants or employees" aD-
proved April 8, 1903. and the enact
ment of general employers liability
law, similar to that existing in Massa-
chusetts and some other states. Such a
law is imperatively demanded in the
interest both OF the employer and the
employe, and If framed upon consorvo-