The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-07

Pierre, s.. D., Jan. 5.-The Fourteenth
general assembly OF the South Dakota
legislature got under way this noon.
1t was formally opened with the read
ing of Governor Byrne's address. The
governor reviewed some OF the good
work done in South Dakota during the
last two years and offered many sug-
gestions- One of his recommendations
is tnat the state do away with capital
punishment.
The governors address follows. i n
part:
We have reason to felicitate ourselves
on the circumstances surrounding us as
We meet today. Our harvests have been
bonntfful; our people are prosperous, sue
cessful In their enterprises, contented and
satisfied. patriotic, law-abiding, intelligent
and thrifty. We have reason to be proud
ings.
The state is in good condition financially.
There Is no bonded Indebtedness. The
only Indebtedness is that represented by
$4,000 OF revenue warrants. The o
OF such indebtedness is almost exactly
equal to the amount loaned to the capitol
When the capitol building lands are sold,
and as they are sold, the proceeds from
such sales VIII be used to reimburse the
rants has been reduced approximately
$4,000 during the. past two years, as $780,
GO We're outstanding when / became gov
ernor, and had been for some years prior
to that time. The indebtedness of the
state is thus being substantially ed.
me revenue warrants should be entirely
out increasing the tax levy and the state
thus be left without Indebtedness of any
Kind, and with more than 100000 due and
building lands. This is the more signifi-
cant when 1t is remembered that the state
levy is but one mill OF the dollar-a tax
or 81 on the thousand of valuation. Our
total state tax collections are less than
$500 for each person in the state. Meas
ured either by the rate of levy or the
amount of tax collected in dollars per cap
tia of population. our state tax is small.
The public money is being economicaIly
and efficiently expended.
Agricultural Extension Education.
During the past year congress enacted a
vide for agricultural education extension
work by cooperation between the depart
ment OF a~griculture and the agricultural
describing in detail the provisions of that
law, it Is sufficient to say the it provides
Ior extension education in agricultural
subjects, through cooperation etwee
the department. of agriculture at Wash
1ngton, and the agricultural colleges. The
act requires that the state must formally
luton of its legislature before 1t can par
ticipate in the benefits of the act or in the
money appropriated Hereunder. providing
further that during a recess of the legis-
lature, the governor may accept the pro-
visions of the act for the state, until such
time as the legislature may meet.
1t is very desirable that all of the ac-
tivities of the state which might in any
way be said to be related to agricultural
extension education work should be united
and co-ordinated, and that there should be
no duplication of work in this field. 1t is
manifestly desirable that the present sys-
tenn of carrying on farmers institutes
should be discontinued and that class of
work united and carried on with the field
or extension work to be organized by the
college. I regard this matter as espe-
cially important and ask that you give it
your attention.
Better Salaries For Teachers.
Better salaries should be paid in our
schools. The laborer Is worthy of his
hire and who more tran he or she to
whom is entrusted the education and de-
velopment of the children and youth of the
land. We do not pay enough in any of our
schools to attract ana hold the best talent
toll and money in preparation and Develop
ment of such talent as they may have,
FOR a successful teaching life. We con-
stantly. suffer for this. Our institutions
of higher education. our state schools, la
Dor at a disadvantage because salaries are
materially lower Thar in surrounding
states. When a member of the teaching
force at the university. or any other of
our state schools, proves especially val
liable, when he or she begins to develop
strong qualities of service or leadership,
and is just coming t. be especially val
uable to us, another state takes notice,
and, with a tempting offer of increased
salary, and the resultant advantage in
prosperity and independence and wider on
portunity for service and usefulness, takes
from us a valuable servant, to our serious
disadvantage. Good executives and in
StructorS are of more Importance than
good buildings and equipment. desirable
as these latter may be, and in making
appropriations for the educational ~institu-
tons, I suggest that you first provide for
payment of fair salaries, and save, if need
be, on expenditures for buildings and
equipment.