GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE NEBRASKA AFFAIRS EXHAUS TIVELY REVIEWED. Recommendations for Mrw I.rglslarhf>n la Varloai Directions -A Plan far Kn harming the Pinnaces of tlie HlMtit— Greater Economy 1 rgcd—Immediate Relief for Drouth Mnffrrvri Itecom niMtdud—Other Matters Tonrhrd t’pon. Gar. rrounie’i Last WonU. Tha biennial mrasage of Governor tarento Crounse m read to the senate and th© house . of representatives yesterday (« an follow*: Gentlemen of the Sonata and Hoima of j Representatives: In obedience to a con- | ttltutlonal requirement It Incomes iny duty at wall at It In my pleasure to roinm mi if* to for jour considera tion such Information as 1 may posses* con carniug tho affairs of the stair, together ' with such recommendation* touching needed | legislation as observation and experience ' during mr two years in th© office of chief executive have suggest mi. With vou for the tiina is lodged the duty of ■ making laws for the state, a duty which in ! vulvas no light responsibility, Heebie some i digrw of familiarity w ith the methods of | legislation, it presuppose# a thorough | knowledge of the state's condition and j needs. To furnish such knowledge in great < part the law requires all officers if the exec | utive department, and of all the public In- j •ti tut ions, to make a report of the condition. | management and expenses of their several ; offices and institutions. These reports have j been made for tho biennial period Just, closed | and will lie placed before you. They have i been prepared with car© and contain much I valuable Information. 1 commend them to I your careful studv. I Reiter for Drouth StifTerora. j The period Intervening between the meet- . tug of the la»t legislature and your present j assembling has b***ii on© of general depression i throughout the country, which hn« been os- i pccinlly aggravated with our people by the j partial failure of crop* in the year 1893 and I their total destruction in a large portion of the state in the year just dosed. This double misfortune has resulted In a condi tion of distress in tuany localities which has been followtul l»y numerous and urgent np KaU for help Inspired by the action taken Him legislature of IMH for the bcnetlt of •ttfTerora from the drouth of 1 Him, frequent demands have been made on me during the last six mouths to call an extra session of the legislature to take notion in the matter. Notwithstanding the contfrrt it would have given mo too*ape three importunities by 1 turning the subJ«'Ct over to the legislature, J 1 decided not to ttmko the call. To have ! dorr so would have l»ee:i to make thn ac tion of Nebraska exceptional among the •tate* similarly afflicted and would have given the state an undesirable advertise ment. 1 also know that, in the action taken In 1891, the state had reached its limit c»f IndebtcdnesM under the constitution, and considering the empty condition of the treasury and the inability to appropriate alii, 1 chose not to incur the large expense which would attend an extra session, but de termined to leave to the several counties the can* of their noedy till tho convening of the regular session. While my decision has bean | a disappointment to soma of tho more im portunate and less considerate, in tho main it has had pretty general approval, and tho aaverni counties amt localities where distress •xist« have gone to works and by engaging In works of internal improvement and ny or ganised effort have furnished work and sup plies for the needy. In the meant into I have revised and re formed the relief commission of 1KPI which has l*een actively and earnestly at work aarertulning tho extent -and location of the relief required and in soliciting and distrib uting aid. Considering the stringency of tho Mined donations both from within and from without have been quite liberal. Espe cially are tho thanks of the state duo to the state of Oregon, which through tho chamber of commerce of Portland, has already do nated several car loads <»f grain and provi aions. and to tho states of Illinois, Indiana ami Iowa, which are making generous ship ments. Thanks are also due to the several railroads of the country, and especially those whore lin*»s extend into this state, fur gtm trmulv giving free transportation to all donations for tho relief of our citirons, tho aggregate cost of which at usual ratoa would have been many thousands of clonal's. Tile sum of nil donations, consisting of flour, grain, food of various descriptions, coal and clothing, amounts to something like luO carloads, fifty of which have boon coal. All of this and what is still to comes together with what the several counties •ml localities have supplied, must go far towards affording the relief required. What tho legislature may choose to do or find itself able to do U for you to determine. That there are and will be ease's of distress unprovided for, and would l»e under the luort liberal provision for the care of all, is in the nature of things. Modest ami spirited people will submit to want rather than beg or eat the bread of charity. On tho oth r hard t hem are tho immodest, importunate and undeserving who are ready to pro tit at tho expense of the deserving. The history of the distribution of tho aid given by the state in 1891 shows that in some instances weM-to do people, men who lmd money in banks, shamelessly shared the bounty designed for their unfortunate neighbors. * People of that class have been most importunate for an ex tra tension of tho legislature and a repetition of the experience of 1891. Disappointed iu this a* appears by letters ami circulars which have found their way to my table, they have undertaken to berate the executive and to solicit aid on thoir own account rather than through the commission organ ised for that purjx»so. While some of these circulars may have been inspired by good motiothers have not and all have brought but little good and much discredit Tin' .Most Prosaliift Mutter. The first iuiJ most press i rw subject de* ir.MiitiuR your attention, therefore, will 1* the action that should be taken for the re lief of sufferer* by the late drouth. With the limit of indebtedness which, under the constitution, is fixed at $100,000. already reached by the action of the legislature of lff'l in voting $100,000 in bonds for a like purjx*se, and the gemral fund, carding some hundreds of thousands of dollars, in meeting its 7 per cent unpaid wrrrants, you ere confronted with the question of right, as well as of wisdom, in voting any state aid. To my mind the giving of donations from the state treasury is of doubtful pro priety nud should ouly be done in extreme or unavoidable occasions. A too ready and frequent response by the state begets de pendence, destroys manly pride aud euoour ages improvidence. My idea is that the several counties should care for their own needy. Many of them are free from debt and abundantly able and willing to do so. What they want is power to raise means on county bonds, if necessary, and donate or loan tuo money’ to their citizens who are in need for suen time and on such terms as may seem best. Each county feebug its own responsibility and Eiaving a concern for its own* people will give thorough investigation in all cases , and distinguish real from pretended cases of need. In this way relief can be brought to the deserving for a quarter or less of the ex pense that it would cost the state. This plan would not only serve for the present, nut would be applicable in other years should there be a repetition^! the experience •of lb'.Vh Furthermore the bonds issued un der such pro viaion woud furnish good in . eestmont for the permanent school fund of the state. If any risk were to bo taken on any of these bonds the state might as well take it as to make donations outright from its treasury. I might further suggest that as an emergency exists the powers of county commissioners or boards of supervisors might bo temporarily enlarged so that pgyranta, under certain restrictions^ might he IdiinI. fundable later in the bonds rec ommended. The Mate's Financial Condition. The financial condition of the state la twit and I truat .you will nut allow tba aeaalon to end without hut lug taken stops to mono it From the r«'|»irl» of the trnaaurar and aud itor it will lw xten tliat on the lit day of De enmlier Inst there nereoutstanding warrint* drawn on 'he Keueral fund to the amount of IW7'>I.|h and on the faoblo-minded Institute ! f"»d f"f Idl.'Jiiil.liit, making an aggregate of ! fUA-V-H II, with only Ot.MKl.Cf In those funds from wlorti to pay them At the Mine time I here was In the treasury *417,318 til of Idle money belonging to the fiermaneat school fund. In other words, the state wus Wing internet at the rate of 7 |jor cent tier nnniiiu on upward* of sis hundred thousand dollars and wat losing interest oil ovyr fottr hundred thouiand douari. it under the law of lmit the [lermam-nt ichool fund could have been iuvmtisl in theae warrauta a« it waa Intended, much of this iutereat, Instead of going to warrant broken, would bo saved for the lamellt of the schools of the state. But unfortunately the supreme court has decided that law lno|ieratlva, as will lw referred to In another part of this communication. This load of high Interest-lieuring debt lias Iwcn Incurretl by appropriationa made by more recent legislature*, notably that of INW1, in excess of taxes that could lw levied and col lected under our preaeut revenue laws. The assessors of the state vie with ona another In thalr efforts to reduce the valuation of prop erty. In this they are encouraged and sup jiorted by the natural disposition of one pre cinct or county to shift iu burden of taxa tion on the others. As a result the proiwrty of the state, which by the census of ltftSlls estimated at 11,37ft, MAI, 514, is assessed at about $180,000,1100, or less than 1ft |ier cent of Its value. Under the present limit of ft mills levy on the dollar for tb« general fund it is hardly posaitilfc, with the otMervanco of the utriotoKt ard, con sisting of the governor, treasurer anti aud itor, under tho present law can make no change in the assessment roll as it comes to them. In equalizing state taxation among the several counties its power is restricted to varying tho rate under the limit fixed as applied to one county ami another. Its au thority should lm enlarged so that it could uot only raise the valuation of any particu lar county or counties, but increase tho as sessment of all the property returned to any extent not exceeding its true value. lu the auditor's report will be found a statement showing the excess of appropria tions for several years, tho percentage of de linquent tax and other interesting and in structive information bearing on this sub ject. Deposit of 8tato Funds. The legislature of 1891 passed nn act pro viding for the dciinsit of state and county funds in l>anks. The wisdom of such a law, as far ns it concerns the money of the state, to my mind, is doubtful. In ordinary or nor mal times its operation might be attended with little risk, but in times of financial itringeucy and uncertainty, such as have prevailed for the two years last post, it is liable to bo accompanied with much hazard, as experience has shown. The law imposes on oracers who are chosen with no special reference to their tit ness for tho task tho duty of determining the solvency of the proposed depositories nud the financial abil ity of the obligors on the several bonds of fered as security for deposits asked for. The act does not even provide that the sureties shall make oath as to their responsi bility nor for any sworn statement of the amount, character and value of the prop erty owned by each. Notwithstanding this the approving officer*, consisting of tho governor, secretary of state and attorney general, follow ing tho practice of tho courts nave, as a rule, demanded of ail sureties an oath showing their liability over and above exemptions. Even this precaution has uot proved a protection, for in ono notable in stance tho requiml oath was taken glibly and unhesitatingly and a rotten bank which had successfully decoived expert bank examiners and hundreds of inno cent depositors succeeded in putting U]k>u tho state au almost worthless bond for a large sum. Luckily in the case referred to, that of tho Capital National hank, it will be found, 1 believe, that no deposit was made under the bond and the state is not tho loser by the transaction. During the past two years of financial stringency tho law was been an invitation to the hanks of the state to apply for funds which some of them could get in no other direction seemingly, and no less than fifty nine applications and accompanying bonds have been received. Of these forty-seven were approved -enough to many times ab sorb the comparatively little idle money in the treasury nside from the permanent school fuud, which the supremo court in the cose of the State vs. Bartley has decided not subject to deposit under the law’. This list of depositories includes mauy banks of undoubted standing, some of which were solicited to apply in order to furnish the treasurer avenues iu which to safely put out ! the state's money. Still another question arising under this act is as to how long this approval of any depository is to hoi |, The conditions which | warrant the approval of a bond today may | change In the course of a few months in | these times of uncertainty, and it is hardly ; supposable that the board could keep track i of such changes. Still, it is iu heh&lr of the ! bank with such failing security that tho | strongest personal and }>olitlcnl influence would be brought to boar, and the treasurer might yield to such importunity without p rsonai responsibility or liability on his part. If tho law is to bo continued it may be well to consider whether it should not I provide for periodical examinations into the | sufficiency of the several bond* and a limi tation be fixed to the life of them without i canprovul, and such other amendments as will give additional security iu depositing In this connection I may add that as a I measure of additional safety in deciding on the value of some of the bonds offered, the board employed the services of one of the leading commercial agencies, having an of fice at the capital. The services have been valuable, the price agreed upon reasonable, and I would recommend the payment of the charges made therefore. | Investmentot Permanent School Fund To the state have been given the sixteenth and thirty-sixth sections of land for the ben efit of its public schools. The constitution has fixed the mimiiumu price at which there lands can be sold at $7 per acre. The money derived from the sale of these lauds forms a permanent school fund, the interest on which, together with the rents from unsold lands, furnishes a temj'orary fund which is applied to the support of the public schools. It is therefore important that this permanent school fund shall be at all times invested, and at the best rate of in terest obtainable. As a member of the board of educational lands and funds I have labored earnestly to effect this. The law limits the investment of this fund to United States or state securities aud registered county boutls. No state bonds have been of fered during the last few years and, owing to the low rate of interest and high premium commanded, and in the hope of being able to invest in county bonds,which ordinarily pay the best interest* the money has not been tied up in United States bonds. But owing to the depression of business, failure of crops and other causes, but few counties have made new issue of bonds and those issues have been eagerly sought by bond brokers. Where the board has heard of any proj>osed issue it lias been prompt to assure the county authorities that the state would purchase them at as goon or bettor rate than obtainable elsewhere. In some few instances county bonds have thus been secured, bi*t In others, through private arrangers)Ant* with agents, by the imposition | of terms which the board had no Dower to I comply with ami by other method* not necessary to recite, the offer of the state j to pay to the county direct such (setter price : has l#een disregarded and the bonds have had ; to be obtained, if at all. through second ; hands, and at an increased price. in order to keep the entire permanent ! school fund at all times invested and earn ing some interest 1 would rr,000 inclusive, together with ac ; erued interest, it being determined by this j board that raid warrants are drawn i in pursuance of an appropriation made by i tho legislature and secured by the levy of a tax for their payment, aud therefore are stnto securities, and the state treasurer is instructed to at once notify the several par til's in whoso names said warrants are regis tered of his readiness and purpose to pay said warrants so that, tho interest on the same shall cease as provided in chapter 03 of the com piled statutes of Nebraska and when so paid } the warrants shall be belli by the treasurer as an investment of the permanent school fund and shall bo stamped and signed ns provided I by law. Resolved, Also, that tho further sum of $3.>0,000 of tho iH'rmaneut school fund of tho state, or so much thereof as shall be neces sary, be and hereby is set apart from which to pay current, unregistered warrants already drawn, as well as those which may hereafter he drawn, against the general fund under appropriations made by the last legislature, it lieing determined by this board that suck appropriations are secured by a levy of a tax for their payment,and the state treasurer is hereby directed to pay such | warrants as they may be presented at the state treasury and stuiniied, signeil, and hold | the same ns an investment of the permanent | school fund us provided by statute. Resolved, Further, that the state treas urer. a member of this board, be and hereby is empowered to act in its behalf in deter mining questions as to the genuineness and ownership of any aud all warrants pre- ! sented under the foregoing two resolutions, i and when in doubt he will rofor tue matter j to tho chairman to be submitted to the board for its decision. Tho people of the state have the right at j all times to demand the practice of tho ! strictest economy in the appropriation ami expenditure of their money. Especially can they insist on a rigid adherence to this rule when they themselves are struggling uuder an enforced observance of it in their in dividual affairs. The greater portion of the money which finds its way into the treasury g«M*s for the support of the several peual, reformatory, charitable aud educational in stitutions of th*» state. On the way in which these institutions are conducted, therefore, depends to a great extent the excuses of the state. They need that attention and super vision without which extravagance, waste and even peculation grow up. In my several relations as appointing officer aud member of the board of purchase and supplies I have given much study to their management, and 1 think 1 can safely say that most of these institutions were never more ably and economically conducted than they now arc. In fact, the limited appropriations for their support made in 18y*i have demanded the exercise of more than the usual ce.ro and economy. You may recall my remarks to tho legislature two years ago when I sai l: “Nebraskans, in the main, are a plain people. W ith most of them life is a perpet uui struggle. Hard work, frugality nni economy are their coi\stant companions. They indulge in little extravagance tiiem relves, aud they may reasonably expect their representatives to govern themselves in like manner. The tendency of the day is toward extravagance and it nowhere mani fests itself more than in the conduct of pub lic affairs. Extravagance begets extiava gauoo. An unwarranted or too liberal appropriation of Vviay.fonns the precedent for tomorrow, and I submit to you whether your predecessors have not always pamed the high water mark Such is iny opinion, and in my judgment the aggregate of ap propriations made by the last legislature should be rut down fully three-quarters of a million dollars, notwithstanding the growth of the state in the meantime.' Made a Hen:I uni na Whether out of deference to my advice or not the fart is that the sum of appropria tions made by the legislature of 1893 was $2,208,940.20, oh against $2,880,575 63 in 1891, or 1637,035.37 of the throe-quarter* of a million reduction recommended by me. Current expenses for the support or con victs iu the penitentiary are fixed by a con tract made bv the legislature. The affairs of the normal school and the university are under the control of a board of education and u board of regent* reipeotively. Hence these institutions are omitted from the fol lowing comparison: During 1892 the remaining eleven institu tions supported 1,564 inmates at a cost for current expenses of $390,078, or $248 ]>er capita, or $08 per capita daily. During 1893 they supported 1,822 inmates at an expeuse of $41 l,89i. or $220 per capita, or 62 cents per capita daily. During 1894 they supported 5,042 Inmates at an expense of $393,327, or $192.01 per capita, or 52.7 cent* per capita daily. Thus it is shown that during the years of 1893 and 1894 these institutions sustained an average number of 1,932 inmates at an ex pense of $805,224. The institutions produced $48,700 of this amount in cash, farm and garden products, although the two years Just closed have beeu very unfavorable to agriculture. In arranging for a wider and sharper competi tion in bids for supplies, in providing for the slaughter of beeves at the larger institutions and its purchase by the carcass at wholesale prices in others instead of purchasing through local butcher shops, by analysis of coal, the manufacture of scan and other ar ticles of large consumption, by the largest production of supplies for use of the institu tions and of products for sale from their lauds, and in other ways the expense of sup porting these institutions has been greatly reduced. What has contributed more than anything else to their economical conduct has been the requirement of periodical re ports from each of them. I'CIIIUII ,1 ui aui iH.Mii UIH ('OUSillUUOn requires that the officers of all institutions of the state shall make a semi-annual report to the governor, under oath, of the monpys received and disbursed. A compliance with thiswise requirement it seems had never been insisted on, and except in tho case of the university, which is under the control of neither the governor nor the board of public lands and buildings, scarcely any reports of the kind were supplied. I not only insisted upon these reports being furnished, tint udonted for thorn such a form ns would present much information valuable in keep ing watch over expenditures made. These reports show not only the numtier of officers, employes, inmates, money used for both cur rent and extraordinary expenses, what hits boon produced, consumed and sold, but what it lias cost tho state per capita during tho given period for bourd, for clothing, for fuel and other items of expenditure. These reports furnish the data from which to as certain the relative cost of maintaining in mates and for comparing it with the cost of other states, as well as for ascertaining the relative expense for different periods. While those reports, witli a knowledge that they ure before the executive and open to public inspection and criticism, have served as a check to extruvagauee and a stimulus to greater care on tho part of heads of institu tions, they will, I trust, servo as a valuable guide to you in making appropriations. I would call your attention to the need of a revision of tho laws relating to the estab lishment and government of several of the state institutions. Some were provided for before tho adoption of the constitution, of 1S75 and were placed under the direction and supervision of trustees chosen by the legislature. Under the constitution which makes the commissioner of public lauds and buildings, the secretary of state, the treas urer and attorney-general a lioard distrusted with the supervision and control of all asv lums and other institutions except those for educational purposes, some confusion has arisen and some conllict of authority relat ing to the appointment of officers and upon other points which have been the subject of decision by the courts. In one institution the tenure and duties of an officer are llxod, while in a similar one, and for no apparent reason, these are loft undefined. The whole matter should lie carefully considered and the laws made clear and specific. Governor .should Appoint All. In the case of some of tho institutions of the state the governor ajqioints the superin tendents and other officers, w hile in others this authority is given to tho board of public lands and buildings. This is wrong. The governor should be charged with the ap pointment in all these cases and he alone should be responsible to the people for his actions. The responsibility for a bad ap pointment should not lie a divided one and one not directly traceable or chargeable to any one person. Considerations of a politi cal or partisan character may bo opposed to a favorable acceptance of this recommenda tion at this time, still sound legislation should not be avoided for fear of the loss of some partisan advantage. It is unfortunate that the heads of some institutions, incases where to fitness experience has lieen added, should become the sport of political fortune, and for good reasous only should tried ami ex perienced officers bo replaced. Actions llrouulit by the State. Soon after my inauguration the Capital National bank of Lincoln failed and its affaii-s and assets, pursuant to the United States statutes, were placod in the hands of a receiver for settlement and liquidation State Tieasurer John E. Hill, during both his terms of office, had deposited largo amounts of state funds in that bank. Au in vestigation by a legislative committee dis closed that ho had turned over to his suc cessor, State Treasurer Hartley, who had received thorn in lieu of money, 'corlitlcntes of deposit issued by such batik to the amount of kwSo,3bi.051 that these were thereupon surrendered by Treasurer Hartley and the amount thereof credited upon an account with the bank opened bv him ns state treas urer, aud that prior to and including Janu ary 121, 1808, he had chockixl or drawn out portions of this amount, leaving to his credit on account of the surrendered certitloatos the sunt of fM38,3H4.6J. No part of this has as yet been realized by the state from any source, and for that amount ex-Treasurer Hill has failed in any manner to account, I was advised that it’would be prejudicial to the rights of the state upon his bond to filo or authorize to be tiled any claim in its be half with the receiver, and I did not do so. I am informed that some claim in the prem ises was presented by Treasurer Bartley, but that as yet no dividend has been paid to him on account thereof. I deemed it important that an action for tho recovery of this dofleit should be speedily commenced uiwn tho bond of ex-Treasurer Hill, for his last term of office, and in con formity with my advice and directions to the attorney-general as provided bv law such an action was commenced on the 30th day of March, 181*3, in tho distinct court for Douglas county. Irregularities In Institution*. Other investigations instituted by tho leg islature disclosed various apparent delin quencies, malfeasances and embezzlements on the part of persons connected with state institutions, especially the asylum for the in sane and the state penitentiary. Inconse quences presumably, of these disclosures, the legislature by chapter 5S of the laws of ISiid appropriated and placed under the direction and control of the governor the sum of $10, 000, to be used by him so far as deemed uoo essary in employing attorneys to prosocuto criminal cases and pay the expenses con nected therewith where the state had been defrauded by its officers, employes or others dealing with such institutions, or having in their possession or control moneys, funds, property or effects belonging to vhe state; or to prosecute civil actions or proceedings ?£**u** officers, persons or incorporations indebted to the state on account of moneys, ruads or effects b^lqn^ing the^ta, or upon any official bond, contract or obligation for the safe keeping or disposal of such moneys, funds or effect*, and a supplementary ap propriation of $5,000 was made for tb® samo general purjx>s©s. Portions of these sums have been expended in the proceedings here inafter mentioned, but a considerable part thereof remains unexpended, applicable to the same or similar proceedings. Under this authority I employed ex-Judge E. Wakeley of Omaha to assist theattornoy general in prosecuting the action referred to upon the bond. Douglas county was se lected as the forum upon advice of coun sel for the state, who believed that its inter ests would l>e jeopardized by the bias and local prejudice which would pervade a jury trial in the district court of Lancaster county, where the transactions connected with the breach of the bond and the failure of the Capital National bank had occurred, attended with much local excitement ana feeling. It was, however, determined by the district and supreme courts that the cause of action upon the bond arose in La li ft n caster county, ami that there only the action could be properly brought. Although the jiercentage of the insane in Nebraska has not increased and is not greater than the average in other states, yet the lib eral policy adopted by the legislature of 1891, under whMi the state assumes the ex pense of caring for all the insane of the state without making in turn any charge to the counties or to the estate cr 'relations of the patient, has resulted in a large influx of j patients which is taxing the full capacity of j the three asylums. If this policy is to bo continued there is a dcutanu for more room. I This should not be met by a multiplication j of asylums. By alteration of and additions I to the three asylums the stale now has ; ample room can be provided to anticipate the wants of a couple of decades and at a small fraction of the expense attending the i establishment of a new one. Double the j number of patients can be taken in charge ' by the same officers and maintained at a reduced per capita expense. Whether all, i or which one or ones, should be thus enlarged j is Tor you to determine, and it would bo wise if your action were guided by some committee attended by a competent architect, , who should first examine these different in- j stitutions. These throe hospitals, located at Hastings, 1 | Lincoln and Norfolk, under the super in- j j tendency of Drs. Johnston, Hay and Little ! j respectively, have been ably managed and 1 | desire to testify to the hearty co-operation i and sympathy of these gentlemen and the \ : stewards under them in my efforts to reduce i ! the expenses of those institutions to the j j minimum. A reference to the table fur- j ; nishetl you will show that the annual pec ! | capita tax expense was reduced from 1270.04 1 | in the year lblfcj to $152.65 iu 1804 at Hast- 1 ings, from $22&<2 to $l!Jtf.05 at Lincoln ami I ! from £270. to 1258.04 at Norfolk during j ; the corresponding period—all excellent : ; showings ami about equally good consider- j ■ ii'*K the difference iu population of each, ■ which of course affects the result. ; The institution at Hastings bears tho I name “the asylum for the incurable in 1 sane.” To those who are taken there who ! have reason enough to understand the sig [ iiitlcanco of the application and to their friends the name stands as a terror and it j should be changed to “the hospital for the ! chronic insane.” Whether there should be a separate hospital for the chronic insane or not is discussed in the reports of the several I superintendents and their discussion is worth your study. For reasons i cannot under take to set forth it is my opinion that the classes referred to should be distributed ! among the several institutions. ! Transportation of Patients. ! In connection with the foregoing I desire to make a recommendation in the interest of both humanity and economy. It is usual I for sheriffs to convey lunatics from their | respective counties to the hospital. The common fear of a crazy person which pos sesses people, generally leads these officers in I some cases which have been brought to my j attention to bind their subjects with irons j and straps, both cruel and unnecessary, and | tending to aggravate the malady of the j patients. Their transporation should bo bv a skilled and experienced attendant from the | institution, ami mono}’provided for the pay ! meat of the actual expense incurred. This ! would result iu a saving of 50 per cent or ! more of the amount now paid. Irrigation. The subject of irrigation is of such im portance as to demand special consideration at this time. The fact that nearly or quite half the lands within t he state lie west of the line of humidity sufficient to insure aa un broken succession of crops rentiers irriga tion necessary to protect the people against Hi.iutnr in iiiincnnlliv ,1.... --- fm disaster in unusually dry years. The par tial failure from drouth in 1 and . .... .—.. .......... ... ‘ ■' -.i.-.M. anu the almost total failure of 189f,hasawakened the people to the necessity of providing for watering ttie growing crons by artificial means. The soil of western Nebraska,where to some extent, want now prevails, is a’ fertileas that of any portion of tho imiteii States, and in years past lias yielded ; •- - j vi.i .> jiaau_ , ...„vv ] abundant hnrvestjn response to the ei'brti I of industrious settlers. This fac — — -.. * —- fact hasfosterec anti-irrigation sentiment and retarded wort tending to the establishment of a system ol irrigation, but tho more recent failures fion drouth have dissipated all false opimsi tion and started active onerutiom in several eountios of tho state Yuc now while irrigation in Nebraska is in iti infancy ami necessarily experimental, it wil lie well for tho present legislature to civ, the subject careful study, to the ond tha' wise legislation may bo enacted providinc for the protection of individuals in tlieii rights to the use of water fur irrigation pur J loses. The right to the use of water fron the streams should be so safeguarded b\ law as to prevent the very appearance o monopoly and to preclude all possibility o erroneous rendition of the laws which mai be Jinssed covering tile question. The deputy commissioner of tabor amtiu du.-ti ml statistics has Dreparcd a careful re port upon irrigation, setting forth tho exten to which it 1ms been carried within the state including a tabular statement, aeeompaniei by a map, showing all statistics as far a obtainable at this time. The question o water supply and best methods of applvim the same to tho land is discussed in the' ri pen named, to which you are referred to more extended information upon this ques Heet Sueur Industry. j Experiment of the most convincing anl 1 conclusive character has deneuistrated thi. 1 peculitu fitness of Nebraska's soil and rli- i mate for the production of sugar beats. Un- ' tier the stimulus of tlie act passed by the legislature of ISS'.t offering a bounty of 1 ivnt, and the further aotinu of congress in 1K», giving a bounty of 3 cents for e?e y pound of sugar produced, the manufacture of sugar spiaug tip and rapidly grew into S’ ‘rife l'Vl:;°b nronuse to the fv^,',i / i sut':lr factory established at (•rand Island was soon followed by the erec tion of another at Norfolk, h th reoreseutiog an mve.-tment of something like a half m,lf the vfa- f' o,'%e,fl,’ "yV*K during a part „f m. .?-- o. employes and disbursing 111U11-, thousands of dollars in wages and ill the purchase of teets. Under proper in uu'fearre Vb? fa;',orirs t"ight be multiplied "'any ot the counties of the diversifiedti ' ri‘mlf m » umch-nee led hold"!" fm™, UnT a!rrieuIturc'. in. waller a largely him™. ?luent rise In value, ment m f if, T l'OJ’ul‘itKm, the employ ing",, ,Ve '“f of workmen, and ndd th • state F,!-,Try y to the wealth of that iers. IUaMth;~ it » demonstrated sous when other V'fU},succew* ln ur-v fmi—a matter w rthy atiou, iu view of our recent sons of much consider experience B_ th„ T1,.° ,ion'-'ty Question, state botmtvThfmmf lo,='iElatun“. in 1S31 tho drawn and coi'i nf f O?crod 'vos with pealed tho law” civ in“ SOuIece,Ul-7 ru' cents p>r uound t‘!° houmy of 3 factories of the stiff of the two and it is a matter , f fRS yxst u*. n closed will continue uni Ui ’ W!K'th*r ‘heother I should regard it „V' preM;;lt conditions, the state if an induf i‘rf ,Ui “»?* 'tune to and which has nr,!-,,1 of such imp- rtnnce Nebraska should 60 m ;ch interest to wortk your Arnett c^,aadlt 13 weU . w c ^sderatiua whetber unyfHing can badona by ycru to w”? those factories we already bar* courage the establishment of other* i! you conclude to do so it might be hr . c ty to the manufacturer of sugar r“/ urn not I^h tvj price named, and that the payment ni bounty do not continue beyond ik* when the general government mar iicient protection to the Industry ’ * naumnni nai* naw, At the last session of the legi*!.',,,,.. , was passed classifying freights and*' reasonable maximum rates to wdln for the transportation of the sam»Cll,,, railroads of the state. Before the In,0"J into effect, however, parties . *< the several roads instituted prww'f' the federal court to test its validitf justness and by a recent decision by a judge of the United States CS! operation of the act has been\2i The decision of the court, as I undent*** while it asserts the constitutionality^,i act and concedes the right of the wJ, “ to enact laws of this kind, holdsthat tli.™ so fixed are not sufficiently remunerative the roads and for that reason enjoins is enforcement. The opinion of the IUli„ disappointing and unsatisfactory jt j! be regretted that in saying toa’stannl certain railway rate* established by it unreasonable the court did not give tb* >2 some rule by which reasonable rates J! be determined. ™ The opinion leaves undetermined a another important and long-agitated 0» tion, whether fictitious capitalization; railroads should be added to their real m, when fixing a basis upon which in™, shall be permitted. Not only with t to determining the soundness of thedtrio, rendered, but with the purpose o( sen . the questions I have referred to and u* others which may be valuable as a gu*, future legislation, I would advise that™ vision be made and direction given cute the case until it shall have reachei a court of last resort, if necessary, in orfei definitely establish the rights of the staa If this be not done it will be for you tnF, sider whether a new law bo enacted, t whether to let the present one stand aij the business of the state shall have grown, to it, when, under the present rulin'1 could be put in operation. ' The Huaslnn Tlilatle. The Russian thistle, a most danm, pest and one which has proved very 4, aging to some of tho states on our'n - has invaded our territory and norff»r!&g be omitted to expel it. The matter hasten called to the attention of our people Ly ;> fessor Bessey of tho state university am! ty action taken by tho state hoards j agriculture and horticulture. Any aid ly legislation can give towards its txUnzt tion and resisting its invasion si. , given. Publics Schools. The report of the superintendent; of pil-'i instruction shows that owing, no doubt * the stringency of the times there \va>a.fJ ing off in the money expended for the s» port of public schools in the year j compared with the year 1893—from 748 in 1893 to $4,745,556 in m. i the same time it is gratifying to non- ria the average daily attendance at school ra from 161,152 in 1893 to 171,198 in 1>94. Tlio State Normal School. The state normal school at Peru is in i flourishing condition and is doing 'M good in meeting the demand for a h. grade of teachers for the common seliooL. the state. A pleasant visit to that iusiis tion assured me that the work done there j thorough, and the condition of things a* found them testifies to the zealous cure« ercised by the board of education and tij pride it has in its charge. My attention has been called to the fu that the supply of water there has recenti failed. As the buildings are not insured;a matter should have prompt attention. The State University. The state university, under the acfiv«d energetic direction or its present chatiovt has obtained a wonderful growth in atti-ni Mice and has taken high rank among siiofe institutions of the land. In consider in,-'a wants of the university as respects i ml? is well to consider that quite a large fratSJ of those enrolled is in attendance upw u preparatory school and they are not univer sity students proper. This preparatory jjartment is in a sense a high school, wfed with its superior advantages, naturaily o vites a largo local attendance. Of the i.tf pupils iu attendance, and whose none j is given in the last report of the ro^sa 571, or about 50 cent, are eroiM to Lancaster county and presumably m from tho city of Lincoln. The regents » nounce their determination to graiss? drop the preparatory work. This condusu is a proper one. It ’will not only limit ** work of the institution to tho objects lernplated in the law establishing it and 9 which the bounty of the general gojp ment and the support of the state are 1>L"? al.y given, but will be something of a in determining whether any adliiw® room should he provided, and if so, sw' much. The comprehensive report of the re:ei covering tho biennial period just closed « be laid before you and will give you iuue»* sired information respecting tho in1'* tion. It closes with a statement 3 needs, which include the large sum of 000 for new buildings ami appurtena^ and repairs of old ones, beside the iw[ amount for current expenses. The ft"!®* comes at a time when both the condition1 the treasury and the condition of our l*0! can ^ illy respond to it. ' share in the just prido the people of the >» foci in the university, and appreciate tw portance and desirability of provide-, higher education for our younir, yet ' not repress the suggestion that witb j state, as with the family or individual. • question of cost and ability to pay lJ ® ho considered in connection with the qut>s“ of desirability. Other State Institutions. I cannot undertake in the compa^ - message to make special reference ^ state iuvtitut ons. I have only dene ^ cases where I have thought such ry' “ desirable. In tho reports made by eral heads will be found an account,'1 • . transactions and an estimate ol * wants, while in the table which will o- • pemied to this communication will w' VjjJ au account of the amount of niouo) * been expended for the maintenance oi a.id for what purpose expended. Money Received und Paid Iat° ury. Received and paid over to the state l urer Iuiuls as follows: Drafts from federal government in na.i of soldiers and sailors' home • r iv** per e