Year: 1879




:, The examiner epcaks In complimentary terms Of
tho generally sound condition Of our State banks
and the judicious care usually shown In their man
agement which he ascribes less to any legal regula-
hons under existing crude provisions of law than to
wholesome practices sef-imposed under the dictates
OF enlightened policy. The various suggestions of
the examiner made after due investigation of the
many objects of his inquiry, hardly fail to COM
mend themselves to your favorable attention. If he
nsd done nothing but reveal the exposed condition
OF the public funds resulting from the neglect Of
county officers to deposit adequate Official bonds az
required by law, would have fully established the
importance of the Office and more than justified it's
eost. s. Upon investigation it was found that only
h1yseven of the 140 bonds OF county reasurers and
auditors required to be deposited in the Office of
the secreary of ssate had been filed there according
to law. AZ result Of the persistent efforts'of the
examiner these delinquent bonds were finally fur
nished, but only thirty-two OF the entire number
proved to be legally and technically correct. The
others were found to be defective in varons degrees
from condition OF informally to that of utter
worthlessness. Those from twenty-five counties
named penal sums less in amount than the balances
held on tho LIST of June by tho officers giving them
respectively.


The correction of these evils by requiring the SUBJ
stitution Of improved and increased bonds, being
beyond the power OF tho examiner the remedy must
Do supplied by prompt and adequate provision Of
law. The aggregate amount of money passing
through the hands Of county treasurers now approx
imates the sum of S. 900 annually, and in view of
the lax precautions for the safety of these funds md
tho crude methods by which accounts are kept in


most of the counties, 1t is complimentary to tho gen.
eral character of county officials that there has been
so little Halfeasance in Office. Nor is the creation of
the Office OF public examiner necessary imputation
upon the motives of these officers. Conduct which
leads to enbozzlenent and defalcation in the major
ty OF cases begins in ignorance rather than in in
telUouoi crimiuality.


Whether therefor the protection Of the public, the
good OF the erring official the avoidance of public
scandal be considered the importance of that careful
supervision Which ensures correct basis and honest
beginning OF official life, becomes alike obvious. The
dangerl lies especially in the first misstep which, ig-
aorantly taken aud thoughtlessly repeated, imper-
ceptably grows into such startling temptation as to
defy the power of successful resstence 1t SCARCE
the correctives applied by the public examiner have
already been the means of straugling number of
mcipent embezzlenents, while the more 1natured
abuses exhibited by tho conduct of displaced
county auditor, and by tho recent. examination of
the accounts of the hospital for the insane whether
resulting from unconscious or intentional miscon-
timely creation of this office. In view OF the work
already accomplished and the enlarged usefulness
to be expected from the further operation of the law


cannot doubt that you will support with such ad
ditonal provisions may be needed to subserye its
highest purposes. III consequence of the late hour
at which the act became law no appropriation was
MADE 1oI It's practical enforcement an commission to
rectliy which your early action is solicited. The
port OF the Senate special committee for the inves
CATION OF the management of the ineane hospital
was duly submitted to mo aud will be transmitted.


fhAINERD BRANCH LANDS


By the act of March LIST. 1877. providing for the
completion Of the socaed extension lines of tho St.
Paul Pacific railroad, various duties were imposed
upon the executive respecting the adjustment Of
certain claims incurred for railroad construction,
aud also of claims of settlers who had made prior
filings and improvements in good faith upon the
lands pertaining to such roads. The commission
provided for the examination of the claims OF rail-
road creditors, consisting of the Governor, attorney
general and railroad commissioner, after repeated
hearings and full consideration, filed their statement
as required, in the Stale auditors Office on the 9th
s'xty-six and a' to a: a"wa:ice Of Of s3s5s5s t TO-
For the payment of the claims sscertained and III
accordance with said oct, caused sae by auction
t. he made Of such selections as had been made
from the lands which had already been certified to
the State. Prior to the published day Of SALE writ
OF injunction was served upon for its prevention
upon the complaint of the Western Railroad COM
pany tho constructor of the railroad from Waab to
Bratnerd, upon certain alleged grounds. Without
reference to the merits of the controversy, which
ware not matter for my consideration, deemed it
my duty, IN pursuance Of we'll established executive
authority and upon the advice of tho attorney gen
eral, to disregard the Injunction and proceed with
tie sale.


In the execution Of the difficult task devolvea upon


me for the protection Of the bona fde settlers upon
the line OF tho road, found it advisable to avail my
SELF OF the legal knowledge of tho attorney general
and OF the assistance Of Samuel H. Nichols, ESQ.,,
whose former service in Q government land Office
rendered him familiar with the laws and rulings gov
erning tho disposition Of the public lands. For tie
convenience OF the settlers frequent meetings were
held in close proximity to their homes for the hear
ing OF their claims, and ample time and opportunity
were afforded for full presentato OF facts by both
claimants and contestants. A thorough investigation
was thus made Of each land claim, aud upon due
consideration 1853 of them allowed in whole or
in part covering l9,046.47 acres, descriptions OF
which, together with the names of the persons re-
epectvely ent1tledto acquire the same, were en-
braced in the deed of REIMBURSEMENT to the United
States in order to perfect the titles of the actual resi-
tNyy&
referred to.


sEED GRAIN.


The legislature at its last session made provision
for supply of seed grain to the several counties
which had suffered from grasshopper ravages during
the preceding year. The Of Sl5o,ooo ap-
proprated for this urpose Gnd prompt action was
taken to comly with tho several requirements Of the
law within the brief period between the passage of
the act and seeding time of an early spring. Thirty
four counties availed themselves Of the opportunity
afforded furnishing an aggregate of 6026 applicants
desiring various kinds Of grain sufficient to eeed
total of 223,727 acres. Tho distribution afforded AL
average of something less than 80 per cent. of the
several amounts applied for. The practical operation
of the law proved universally satisfactory, and there
is no reason to doubt that great and deserved assist
anco rendered to destitute sections which had
been repeatedly subjected to the insect scourge
to be disabled from helping themselves, while tho
general good resulting from the measure is shown
by the fact that the most Of the counties receiving
aid arc those which largely escal ed the destructive
blight OF the past season and produced the best crops
in point of quality aud qnantity the benefits to in
diriduals thus speedily contributed to the common
prosperity by the increase and improvement of the
total product. Complaints having been received that
the grain raised from seed furnished by the State
III soc instances being levied upon and forcib)y re-
moved by creditors, suggest that tho existing law
relative to attachment and replevin be amended for
the better protection Of the interests of the State.


CAPITOL EXTENSION.


At tho last session of the legislature an approprla
ton of $4,000 made for the purpose Of erecting
an addition to the western wing of the State capitol
and rearranginy the apartments therein. The COM
modious chamber i'll which you are assembled, and
the convenient committee rooms adjacent, well as
tho increased accommodations beneath, bear witness
that the objects for which tho appropriation was
made have been accomplished. The enlargement
and changes thus made afford additional room long
needed in Of the departn,cLts and it is gratif4
ing to state that these purposes have been attained
by expenditure strictly within the limits Of the
moderate sum Set apart therefor.


BIENNIAL ELECTIONS.


The constitutional amendment providing for bien.
nial in lieu of annual sessions of the legislature will
necessiate much adjustment Of administrative ma
chinery to correspond herewith. In efTecting this
great care will be required to include practical de-
tails OF al essential nature pertaining to the several
branches of the government. Tho changes re-
qulred anu tho examination necessarily given to the
subject, would seem to afford suitable opportunity
for the consideration Of another question of i'm
portance. The extraordinary frequency of elections
has long been deemed by rejecting men one OF the
most rous evils pertaining to form of govern
ment. The differing duration of our State offices,
requiring elections to fill some Of them annually, and
tho differ ent seasons in which township and munich
pal elections are held leave intervals short that
the public finds little repose from the distractions Of
political warfare. The dceterious effect of these
constant disturbances is manifest. They lmfav-
orable 10 public order to the pursuit of private bus
ness and to the dispassionate discussion Of questions
concerning the common welfare. They increase the
aversion to political duty entertained by orderly and
busy men through whose default bad men are elect
ed to Office; while tho expenses attending such fire.
1uent elections entail q heavy annual burden upon
the reorle. In view Of these evils suggest the in
quiry whether obvious public interest would not
be subserved by providing for such amendments to
the laws and constitution wond require biennial
elections only For this purpose it would be neces-
sary to cause our State elections to take place the
year that in which Incmbors of Congress are
elected which would conform to that In which men,
bers of the legislature now biennay chosen and
also to tho year in which tho Presidential election
alternately takes place. If the terms of the Offices Of
clerk Of tho supreme court and State auditor we're
Ienghthened ono year each, and the commencement
and termination Of the several county Offices made
uniformly to accord with those OF State officers,
biennial fall elections only would be necessary
throughout the State, except for judicial officers,
whose election, occurring at separate and irregular
periods would, In consequence be properly further
removed from detrimental political influences. In
In tha combinations inf1(l.