Washington telegraph., 1909-01-22
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
a SYNOPSIS OF GOV. DoNAGHEY's MES
SAGE, READ TO THE 37TH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY

To the General Assembly.
1t is with feeling Of profound gratitude
to the people Of Arkansas that assume the
duties Of their Chief Executive. Especially do
! / teel the honored when | consider that
| am not lawyer, nor have | had previous
service in political life practice. But to
| the contrary my experience since manhood
has been only that of farmer laborer, crafts
man. and business man; my fitness for
Governor of the State in which have lived
SO long must from rugged association
| with hnman affairs.
However, in my past life of work, my
| practice has been to do the things | had to do
with whatever | had to do them with. By
personal experience l have often found the
rejected stone the best material; of my own
knowledge, l know that he who continually
quarfels with his tools is a poor workman.
have men with sense and energy literally
move mountains All these things came to
me in practical way; and having seen what
efficiency accomplish in industrial and
business affairs, | am now prepared to believe
after all that even so important "A work
state-eraft is only an intensely practical matter
Believing that honesty of purpose, energy and
common sense, will aid to overcome the
many difficulties l shall meet, l enter upon
my task with the determination to do some
thing in material way for the advancement
of Arkansas. In speaking thus, l mean to
| atttemp only the work imposed upon me 20 . q
duties of the office in which | am elected:
those things promised by me and expected or
me by the people whose servant am.
In the cooperative work of the Executive
and Legislative departments required by the
! Constitution l will at all times endeayor to
do my full duty; and in order to promote harz
monfous action and the best results. shall
take great pleasure in giving prompt confer
ence to the members of this General Assembly
UNIVERSITY
The first department of the State Govern
ment which Governor Donaghey discusses is
education The University of Arkansas its
origin history, purpose and progress is exten
siyeiy treated, The governor opposes its pro-
posed removal.
Continuing, the message says:
The State Democratic Convention when last
in session declared in favor of the establish
ment of four additional Agricultural Schools
in the State, but located one of them at Fay
etteville The Board of Trustees and faculty
of the University, however are of the opinion
that the Agricultural Educational features of
the University can better be conserved by
putting the additional appropriation and expense
which would be rquired for a secondary school
of this nature at that place into the one now
in operation there. | of the same opinion,
and l recommend that you put sufficient addi-
tional strength in the Agricultural Department
of the State University to make good all the
intentions of the State Democratic Convention
when 1t declared in favor of a secondary Agri-
cultural School at Fayetteville.
STATE NORMAL.
The Governor here discusses the brief history
and 1auds the purpose of the State Nor1nal
School and declares that it should properly
rank among the highest of all institutions in
ommendation of the last Democratic Convention
for an agricultural department in connection
with this Normal School, the Governor says it
is in accordance with what is considered the
best practice in other states,
SCHOOLS FOR TEACHING BOYS AND GIRLS
HOW TO FARM AND DO HOUSE
KEEPING.
The Governor then compliments the present
State Normal Board on its conduct of the insti-
tuition and solicits of the Legislature the maxi
mum amount of help for this institution and
the State University He then takes up the
question of schools for teaching boys and girls
how to farm and do housekeeping, declaring
| that more attention should be paid to the
| training of boys and girls to do the practical
| things of life. His recommendation along this
! line follows,
recommend that there be esta51lsBed fouT-
additional Agricultural Schools, two of which
| should be located, one ut the State Normal
| School and at Fayetteville, the latter two
being considered in this message under the
subjects of the State Normal and in the in
| creased efficiency of the Agricultural Depart
ment of the University of Arkansas.
But for the establishment of two of these
! Agricultural Schools to be specially designed
to teach boys and girls how to farm and do
housekeeping, l recommend that appropra-
tion of fifteen thousand dollars be made, the
to be available only for the equipment
and maintenance of the said two schools and
| they be located in the sections of the State
| offering the best inducements for same.
recommend also the creation by the Governor.
composed of three members residing near the
| respective locations ana to Doth of which
Boards shall be added ex-oHicio members
the Governor and Superintendent of Public
| Instruction.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND STATE UNIFORMITY
| OF TEXT BOOKS
| l recommend that you pass a law creating
State Board of Education who shall also
pose Board of School Book Commissioners
to be designated by the Governor.
In addition to its other duties. l recommend
that you make it obligatory upon this Board
to adopt an efficient and uniform system Of
school books for the entire State
The members of the school Book Commis.
sion not otherwise employed by the State
should be paid mileage and $500 per dag
while in service, and such appropriation as you
find necessary for carrying out other details
the expense of which the system would incur
should be made by you.
STATE REFORMAToRY.
Under this head, Governor Donaghey suggests
many improvements for the benefit Of the
inmates, including the teaching of trades. etc
UTILIZING AND CONSERVING OUR NAT
URAL RESOURCES.
1t is well known all over the world that our
State has been, and is stilL wonderfully rich
! in its native resources Of both mineral and
timber. And vet hundreds of millions of
dollars worth of coal timber stone and other
mineral is being shipped out of the state
| without the State realizing any profit at all
from the same
After satisfying ourselves as to the consti-
tutional authority, which, according to my
! information have there should be adopted
! such methods as these:
| First. plan by which tax could he
| levied upon coal at so much per ton, say 10
! cents, It is mined and shipped and tax
| the land over It for its agricultural or other
| value, excepting the coal
! Second Tax all lumber manufactured and
| loaded in. or boats otherwise moved Mt
any mill in the State. suy l o cents per tbou
sand feet, taxing the land from which n
was cut as above Indicated
Third. Tax all crushed stone loaded and
shipped from the quanies > cents per cubic
yard taxing the land before mentioned
rlN nj nl1l