Year: 1868

mitted herewith.


The last Legislature directed a
commission to be appointed to re-
wise the tax laws of the State, and
report what changes are necessary !
to systematize and make consistent
the existing statutes relating to this
important subject. Their examina-
tions have disclosed great many
Inconsistencies und incongruous
provisions in our financial legisla
ton, and the result of heir laborious
Investigations will be found in their
report, which will be before you.
They have consolidated the present
laws into several carefully drawn
bills, to which your early attention
is invited. The necessity for their
work is made manifest by the exhibit
of numerous contradictions and
anomalies which they disclose, and
the remedy will, as believe, be best
found in the adoption Of the bills
they recommend.


During the past season; the pro
ceeds of the sales of the lands given
to the State by the Federal Govern
ment for the endowment Of
an A Agricultural and Mechanical
College, have all passed
into the Treasury, and that Endow-
ment Fund is now complete. 1t
consists of capital Of $40, 1894 4G,
on which nearly twenty thousand
dollars Of interest have accrued
within a few weeks. The dis
posal of this fund has been vigor-
ously discussed at each session Of
the General Assembly for four years
past, but no definite settlement has
been made ofa plan for its use
The fact that the proceeds of the
sales OF scrip had not been fully
realized, has 10 doubt had much
influence in delaying final action;
but as the money is now in the
Treasury, the time seems to have
come when its use should be def
nitely determined. The Executive
mes ages, reports Of commissions
and Investigating boards, laid before
your predecessors in Office, contain
full discussions of the various
schemes for its application, and the
people of the State will look to your
wisdom to make the fund available
as soon as possible to the classes Of
it was. intended to benefit.


The report of the Commissioner
of Common Schools is again delay
ed by causes beyond his control, to
which reference was made in MY
last message. The need for a re-
vision of the school laws, SO as to
enforce more reliabIe and prompt
returns OF the facts needed to base
legislation upon, becomes more and
more evident every year. In my
opinion, the stability Of our Gov
ernment and the preservation Of the
liberties of the people depend more
upon the efficiency ofour common
school system, and the resulting in
te,ligence Of the rising generation,
than upon all things else. Other
interests may be important but this
is vital. AS a means of approving
this efficiency, I would earnestly
recommend two changes in this
system 1st-The establishment of
County SUPPLEMENTARY; and I'd
The distribution Of the public mon
ey in proportion to the number Of
pupils in actual attendance at the
schools.


The former Of these recommend
ations is made in accordance with a
memorial of the leading teachers
and educators Of the State, and is
based upon the acknowledged ne
cessity for bringing the stimulus of
competent supervision closer home
to our district schools. The second
is warranted by sound reason and
by the experience Of those States
which have adopted the rule. If
energy on the part Of school officers
and parents in procuring constant
and regular attendance Of children
at school, is rewarded by increasing
their share of the public fund, the
stimulus is found practically to be
most powerful in bringing a larger
proportion Of youth within the in
tiuences of education. These sug
gestions are concurred in by the
/ Commissioner of Common Schools,
who will, no doubt, present them
other recommendations worthy of
your attention.


The reports OF the several Benev-
client Institutions show not only q
satisfactory account of their man
agement and the good results which
have accrued to their inmates or pu-
pills, but also systematic improve
ment in the buildings and appliances
connected with them. The appro-
priations made by the last General
Assembly for the enlargement of
the Northern and Southern AsyIums
for the Insane, have enabled the
trustees to make good progress in
the additional buildings, and it is
expected that another year will see
the accommodations of those
two institutions nearly doubled. The
trustees appointed to locate and
! build new Insane Asylum have
fixed upon Athens as the place for
it, and the liberal gifts in land and
money of the citizens of that vicin-
ity have secured to the State s.n
ample and eligible site without cost.


Plans for the new buildings have
been matured and the preliminary
work begun When this Asylum


shall be built and the enlargement of
the existing ones finished, it is CON
fidently expected that the chronic
insane. whose pitiable condition in
our county infirmaries is now the
reproach of the State, will all or
nearly all be brought under skilled
and constant treatment. and their