The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-11

paid to Purdue under the act of - be
used along the line or Industrial education,
as contemplated by law, and not IN the
line OF the work carried on in our public
schools or higher institutions OF learning.
but that Purdue be made a great agrlcui-
turat and mechanical university
-Kankakee River Improvement
The Legislature OF 1899 passed an act
which became a law by lapse OF time
March 10. 1899. This law provided that the
Governor expend for the Improvement Oh
the Kankakee river certain swamp land
funds now in the State treasury l have
found Il impractical 10 comply with this
statute. First. for the reason that / em un-
able 10 determine what amount of this
money was derived from the sale of swamp
land adjacent TO the Kankakee river. Sec
ond. / could not intelligenuy expend pub
lie money without a survey showing the
outlet and fall. and whether contemplated
Improvement was practical. II this money
Is expended. IL should be under the super
vision Of a competent engineer, who, having
ascertained by survey the wisdom of such
Improvement, takes charge of and executes
the same
Library Commission
The home without books, papers and
magazines is more likely TO furnish an in
mate for an insane hospital, or a reforma-
tory than a homs a~bundantly supplied and
made attractive with good literature.
I desire to commend the work OF the
library commission. The travelling library.
with proper Encouragement VIII De OF
great value. i have always found my best
Investment was in books. The State acts
wisely when II encourages libraries. a
liberal appropriation should be made to adj
vance the work OF the library commission
Seventeen States have library commissions
and are showing cOmmendablc zeal In adj
vancing this means OF intellectual develop
.nent and general information, and most OF
them have made liberal appropriations TO
the commission and TO aid the travelling
libraries.
Live Stock Sanitary Commission
My distinguished predecessor, the late Gov
ernor Matthews, in his message 10 the Leg
islature OF 1897, called the attention OF that
body TO the need of better protection to the
livestock interests of the State from IN
~fectious and contagious diseases Both In
my former message. and in my inaugural.
] called attention 10 the cumbersome, ex-
pensive and inefficient law now on the
statute. The loss annually, sustained In
this State amounts 10 more than three mill
Hon dollars. A bill prepared with much
care was introduced I'm the last session by
Senator Guthrie, which was a great i'm
provement over the present law. In the
passage OF this bill wool growers were
much interested. as It had stringent provis-
ions for stamping out the infectious disease
known as scab. From the State statistician
i learn that this disease now prevails in
ffty-six counties of the State. The pres
ent law makes no provision for stamping
> out this growing menace 10 the sheep in
dustry of our State.
-Chickamauga National Park Commission
In pursuance OF an act approved March III.
1895. Governor Matthews appointed a Chick
amauga and Chattanooga National Park
Commission, consisting of Morton c. Hun
ter. James r. Carnahan, Dyer b. McCon-
nell. William p. Heron, William NJ. Cock
rum. Reed NJ. Johnson, Milton NJ. Thomp-
son, Milton Garrigas, George H. Punten-
ney, M. NJ. Justice. The commission was
organized with Gen. Morton c. Hunter as
president and Mai James r. Carnahan
Hunter, Captain Mcconnell was elected
as the president. The appropriation Of the
Legislature for the completion and re-
mort n THAR ~ nNfnO lnnaA1 III
Legislature of 1899 reappropriated
the money for the publishing of their re-
port. This laborious task of locating and
marking all the points on the memorable
battlefield OF Chickamauga has been per-
formed. Tablets recite the story. markers
locate the spot and III
rate the valor of Indiana soldiers on this
battlefield. which records the heaviest per
cent. OF loss Of any Of the great battles of
the civil war. This is Indiana's great bat
tiefeld. Forty Indiana organizations took
part on this bloody field and lost in killed,
wounded and missing 1926 men
The report OF this commission is valuable
to the State. 1t has a special value TO SOL
diers who fought here and to their friends.
The report has been placed on the desks of
the members Of this General Assembly. |
call your attention to this splendidly pre-
pared history of this battlefield and the
part our State took in the memorable strug-
Sic One thousand copies were printed.
Earnest pleas come from all parts of the
State for them, but the supply is not equal
to the demand. 1 recommend that the
RAONAAC TIC III III VI e
thousand copies of this report. as II is the
only complete history of Indiana's part i'm
any Of the great battles, and that the Gen.
eral Assembly thank this commission for
their patient, faithful labor of love, for
they served without compensation.
On the % tn of September. 1899, it was nv
great privilege TO receive from Captain Nc
Connell these markers and monuments In
the name OF our great commonwealth, and
10 transmit the same into the sacred keep
Ing OF the United States government. Gen
erai Boynton responded in behalf of the
secretary OF war. l call the attention of the
Legislature to the fact that no provision
has been made for the full completion of
the work to which this commission has
been appointed. Nothing has as vet been
done TO commemorate Indiana's valor at
Mission Ridge. Lookout mountain and Or
chard Knob.
County and Township Reform Laws
There is a gowing sentiment in favor of
strict economy and business integrity in
the management of county and township
business. The laws recently enacted looking
TO this end have, in the main, been wise
Some little amendments may be added. but
the princtple OF these laws must be main
tanned. More than half a million dollars
= saveG 10 the taxpayers annually
thousands or dollars have been saved "a
the taxpayers under these new laws. The
saving In poor relief costs makes the fol-
lowing marvellous showing 0rom the report
of the State Board of Charities): The year
1855 was the last complete one in which
they operated under the old law. Compar.
Ing these two years. IL is observed that i'm
1900 $3.50 persons received relief from the
overseeIs or the poor, amounting to 5000
$751; OF this S1ls,5Sl-4T was in some sense
permanent relief For the year 1895 *. 10
persons were helped by these officials. 10
the amount of 1915, 20692. OF this S2Ss. 349 sc
was of a more or less permanent kind This
is a reduction of 2S. 100 in the number of
persons helped, S165. 90. 20 In the amount OF
relief given and sl10. 76S.15 in the amount of
aid given 10 pensioners. In 1895. the year
before reports were required by law to be
made this board. reports received from
county auditors show that the amount ex-
: pended for outdoor relief and medical re-
lief was $3.50. los. 70. which is $40. 212. 81 more
that the amount reported by ine township
trustees In 1900. This general testimony OF
relief-giving officers is that, notwiThsrand-
les this reduction, no needy person has SUI
fired The existing business conditions,
BY reason OF which our people are gener-
aily employed. have been very favorable
10 the inauguration oi the new law and
rave doubtless, TO son,e extent, operated In
the reduction made.
Ii Is worthy of note that there are also
less inmates In county infirmaries.
State Board OF HEALTH
The State Board of Health. with com-
mendable zeal. has studied sanitary condi-
tons. and promptly ,combatted the first
appearance OF infectious and Contagious
diseases Many valuable suggestions are
presented in their annual report. The
State should sacrecly guard the public
health.
.sHaarth IL the soul -na+ o =,