THE MORNING OREGONIAN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1901.
continuation of the state aid which has
been granted to It in tbc part.
STATE BOARD OP AGRICULTURE.
Its Principal Work, tlie State Fair,
Is Commended.
Under the requirements of a law passed
at the last session of the Legislature the
Governor was directed to appoint an en
tirely new Board of Agriculture, which
wair to take immediate control of the
management of the State Fair. This duty
waa performed and the result of the
change has proven of the highest benefit
to that Institution. For the first time in
many years a fair was held last Septem
ber which met the expectation of the pub
lic, proved a financial success and estab
lished Its reputation as a State Fair in fact
as well as in. name. .This result was at
tained in spite of unfavorable weather
during two days of the fair by the appli
cation of purely business principles and
unceasing Industry. It was regarded by
competent Judges as the largest and best
exhibition of line stock ever made west
of the Rocky Mountains, the estimated
value being little less than $500,000.
The competition thus engendered
has already resulted In the Importation of
a large amount of blooded stock of va
rious kinds and has aroused an interest
among stockmen In all parts of the state.
A state fair to be worthy of the name
and of state support, should be so man
aged that the people generally will be
interested In Its success and benefits. The
lack of this fact has been back of the
repeated failures thai have attended our
State Fair In- its past history. Now that
It is on a better footing, has proven a
financial succoss and has taken on a char
acter that has removed It from the charge
of being a merely local exhibition, I
cheerfully bespeak" for It a generous con
sideration at your bands, of Us actual
necessities. The state Is now the actual
owner of the lands pertaining to the fair
grounds, and whatever improvements
made there are simply investments- on its
property. I call your attention to the re
port of the State Board of Agriculture
for a detailed statement of the facts here
outlined.
ELECTION OF U. S. SENATORS.
Th.l Shonld Be Accomplished by Di
rect Vote of People.
Among the first and one of the impor
tant duties confronting you will be the
election of a Senator of the United States
for the ensuing six years. It Is to be
hoped that you will, without unnecessary
delay, unite upon some citizen of the state
well qualified to discharge the duties of
the office, and thus be better prepared to
approach the consideration of the ques
tions of purely local Importance to the
state. In this connection I desire to
earnestly urge upon you the unques
tioned necessity of passing a resolution
calling upon Congress to call a convention
for the purpose of submitting an amend
ment to the National Constitution provid
ing for the election of United States Sena
tors by a direct vote of the people. Ar
ticle 5 of the Constitution of the United
States provides that on the application
of two-thirds of the states, Congress ehall
call a convention for proposing amend
ments. The National House of Represen
tatives has, within recent years, adopted
resolutions on four different occasions in
favor of electing Senators by a popular
vote, but the Senate has never concurred,
and for obvious reasons probably never
will. The present National House of
Representatives passed such a resolution
by the decisive vote of 240 to 15. The
other method provided in the National
Constitution for Its own amendment is
for two-thlrde of the states, through their
Legislatures, to make application to Con
gress to call a National convention for
the purpose of proposing amendments to
..hat instrument. This method Is feasi
ble, easily followed and will quickly reach
the desired result. The election of United
States Senators by the. state Legislatures
is the one feature of our .system of gov
ernment, as handed down by the fathers,
that is out of harmony 'with its otherwise
Ideal plan, and I trust you will not ad
journ without formally passing a resolu
tion conforming with the terms of this
recommendation.
SCALP BOUNTY LAW.
Wnrants Mast Be Paid Even If From
General Fund.
The last Legislature passed a law pro
viding for the payment from tho state
treasury of a bounty amounting to $2 on
each scalp of certain wild animals men
tioned therein, when presented to and
verified by the proper officers. The dif
ferent County Courts were Instructed to
make certain levies on property mentioned
to provide for payment of the expense in
curred under said law. The law went into
effect at once, and the people of the coun
ties where wild animals abound began
to avail themselves of its provisions. But
since no levies were at that time made,
and could not be for nearly one year,
an enormous number of certificates for
warrants were presented to the Secretary
of State before any funds were provided
for their payment. At the same time,
the courts of several of the counties de
cided that the law Is sectional, and there
fore unjust, and therefore unconstitu
tional, the result being that we now have
on hands two ears of warranto against a
fund that docs not, In fact, exist, save
in small degree. Many of the larger
counties have never paid anything Into
this fund, and evidently do not intend to.
Probably the friends of the measure have
been surprised at the large number of ani
mals which have been caught that come
within its provisions, the total amounting
to 60,000, representing warrants against
the state treasury to the amount of $100,
000, for the payment of which only $10,000
have been paid by the several counties.
This leaves outstanding warrants to the
amount of $90,000, bearing interest. It will
be your duty to provide for their pay
ment In some manner. If there is no way
of compelling the payment of this money
Into the treasury In the manner provided
by law. It should be paid promptly out of
the general fund. The state has Incurred
the obligation to pay these warrants, and
If the method provided for doing so is in
efficient, then a direct appropriation
should be made for that purpose. Nothing
less than this will maintain the good name
and credit of the etate. Whether It will
be wi6e to continue the policy of paying
bounties for scalps Is for you to deter
mine. I wish to add. only, that if you
adopt the principle of disallowing every
appropriation that does not directly ben
efit all parts of the state alike, you will
most eurely lessen the total amount by
more than one-half.
RECLAMATION OF ARID LANDS.
Probable Benefits Under Government
Act Shonld Be Looked Into.
I desire to call your attention to a pro
vision of the laws of the United States,
approved August 18. 1894, providing for the
reclamation of arid lands. Jn this act the
Secretary of the Interior Is authorized
and empowered, upon the proper applica
tion by a state containing arid lands, to
contract with said state to grant to It an
amount of such lands not to exceed LO0O.
000 acres, free of cost, upon sufficient proof
being furnished by the state that tangible
steps have been taken to aotually Irri
gate the tracts In question. Undor the
provisions of this law, the state may pro
ceed to make contracts to cause the said
lands to be reclaimed and sold to actual
settlers. In tracts of not more than 160
ceres, and the money derived from such
pales In excess of actual cost of reclama
tion to be held by the state as a trust
fund to be applied to tho reclamation of
other desert lands. Within recent years
the Oregon Railway & Navigation Com
pany has. through its industrial agent,
demonstrated that the possibilities of hun
dreds of thousands of acres of our arid
lands Just south of the Columbia River
would be. under prqpcr conditions, almost
bevond belief; The same may be said of
other sections of Eastern Oregon
Br many who have given the matter 1
thoughtful consideration It Is believed that
modern inventive genius will devise some
method by which enormous quantities of
water from the Columbia will be raised
above Its backs by ponderous pumps or
other contrivance, and large tracts of
dert lands, now utterly valueless, be
made Into productive and prosperous
homes for thousands of worthy people.
Similar undertakings In other parts of
Eastern Oregon might be Inaugurated
with proper encouragement, and I espe
cially request tho members from that .sec
tion of the state to examine this propo
sition of the General Government and
ascertain At it Is not worth while for the
state to avail Itself of Its liberal provi
sions. HISTORICAL SrTE AT CHAMPOKG.
State Should Take Immediate Steps
to Marie It.
At the request of the Oregon Historical
Society, I went last May to the historic
town of Champoeg. and, with Hon. F. X.
Matthleu, located the spot where tho cele
brated meeting was held by the early
pioneers on "May 2, 1SW, at which Joo
Meek called for that division which re
sulted in the first, and cr many years,
the only governmental organization on
the Pacific Coast. Mr. Matthleu Is the
only survivor of that great meeting, but,
having lived in that Immediate vicinity
for 00 years, had no difficulty in designat
ing the exact spot where that band of
brave and patriotic pioneers, standing In
a little glade within CO paces of tho bank
of the Willamette River declared their
allegiance to the Government of the
United States. It was a critical moment,
and Its right decision was the result
largely of the Impulsive nature and de
cisive character of that famous trapper
and frontiersman. Joe Meek. The State of
Oregon should take Immediate steps to
permanently mark this pot that It may
not be lost to future generations. A stake
was driven, cut from an adjoining oak
tree that had grown sinco the meeting in
1S43, and it was left to be cared for fur
ther by the State of Oregon. I recommend
that you make provision for the erection"
of a plain stone at that site, which will
remain permanently. It should not bo
gaudy or expensive, but in keeping with
the characters of our forefathers, serve
to unostentatiously mark the birthplace
of a great commonwealth.
QUARANTINE MEASURES.
More Stringent Lairs Against Spread
of Disease "Necessary.
The prevalence of smallpox In different
parts of the state within the past two
years caused frequent appeals to the Ex
ecutive Office for aid In establishing quar
antine measures to prevent the spread and
ravages of this Idreaded disease. These
appeals served to emphasize the fact that
Oregon has no quarantine laws, the only
resort, in cases of danger, being to the
United States quarantine law, which can
only be enforced under United States au
thority. In order to do this, the whole
matter of quarantine and prevention
would have to be turned over to the
Treasury Department of the United States
and placed in the handa of the marine
military service. This would be a, slow
method for reaching quick results and
would be so indirect as to be inefficient.
While there was some danger during the
last year of the Introduction of the bu
bonic plague the various state health offi
cers were Instructed to be vigilant In the
matter of Inspecting all Incoming ves
sels and their efforts were crowned with
successful results, but some measure
should be enacted that would give the
necessary authority to establish quaran
tine stations when necessary to. prevent
the spread of any epidemic that might
arise. There are several distinguished
members of the medical profession who
occupy seats in your honorable bodies, and
I desire to Invite their attention especial
ly to a serious consideration of this im
portant question.
EMPLOYMENT OF CONVICTS.
They Shonld Not Be Allowed to "Work
at State Schools.
On account of the reduced appropria
tions allowed by the last Legislature for
the support of some of the state lnstitu.
tlons, as compared with former years,
and, through a desire to meet these re
ductions as nearly as possible, I have de
tailed convicts to assist in the work at
the Reform. School, the Mute School and
the Blind School. After roduclng tie num
ber of employes In some Instances and
consolidating their duties In others. It
was still found impossible to conduct
some of the Institutions without going be
yond the appropriation, and, as a last
effort, I detailed two convicts to work
regularly for several months at the Re
form School, and a large sharo of the
time there has been one at the Mute
School and one at the Blind School. But
I shall not adopt this course any longer
unless specifically directed to do so by
the Legislature. The State of Oregon is
not a mendicant that it must resort to
this method of paying its bills. These
three Institutions are for the care of un
fortunate children who are the wards of
the state, and I question the moral effect
of having convicts around them, especial
ly at the Reform School, where they are
necessarily thrown in many ways in di
rect contact with the boys. Aside from
this view of the question I doubt the pub
lic policy of encroaching, even In this in
direct manner, on the rights of free labor.
Of course, the convicts should be em
ployed, but there is legitimate work at the
penitentiary for all the convicts there at
this time and for even more. There is, in
my judgment, valid objections to the em
ployment of convicts as attendants
around other state institutions, and. while
I believe in and urge economy In the ex
penditure of public money, 1 trust you
will provide sufficient funds to support our
state scnools without the necessity of
drawing on tho penitentiary convicts toH
lessen or avoid a deficit. The moral ef
fect of having convicts around the schools
for the blind and deaf children of the
state Is, at least, questionable, and as
to the Reform School, certainly to be
deprecated.
STATE LAND AT UNION. '
Disposition Therof In Some Manner
Shonld Be Authorized.
At the session of 1S93 provision was
made .for building a branch asylum in
Eastern Oregon, in accordance with
which a tract of land, consisting of 620
acres, was purchased near Union, in
Union County. After passing through va
rious stages of litigation the state has
secured a clear title to the land, but since
the Supreme Court has held that construc
tion of state buildings away from the state
capital would be unconstitutional, the,
proposition has been abandoned, and,
awaiting the action of the Legislature
as to its final disposition, the State Land
Board has temporarily leased, the same
to a private party for the sum of $750 per
annum. To authorize the sale of this
property and the placing of the proceeds
In the proper fund, or some other dispo
sition of It, will be one of your duties
during this session.
It has been urged In some quarters that,
since practcally all of the state appro
priations are expended in Western Ore
gon, nearly one-half of which Is paid by
the eastern section of the state, it would
be an act of justice and good policy to
erect on agricultural college on the tract
of land referred to. It is claimed In Jus
tification, of this proposition that since ag
ricultural colleges are largely supported
by the g.eneral Government, the constitu
tional objection to the erection of an asy
lum at Union would not apply to the
former. I feel disposed to call your at
tention to the fact that the development
of Eastern Oregon In population and
wealth justifies Its claim for more gen
erous consideration at the hands of the
state's Legislators than It has alwavs re
celved. It should be remembered that that
section comprises over one-half of our
area; that probably two-thirds of our com
mon school fund arises from the sale
of lands east of the Cascade Range; that
fully two-thirds of the 500.000-acre grant
was selected in Eastern Oregon, nearly
the whole of the Grand Ronde Valley be
ing covered by this selection. This has
principally gone into the common school
fund, excepting what was used In the con
struction of the locks at Oregon City.
Nearly 90 per cent of the Agricultural
College land grant was selected in East
ern Oregon. When we consider that more
than one-half of the gold and wheat and
sheep and cattle exported from the state
Is produced in that section, we begin to
realize that it is a magnificent domain,
worthy of equal legislative recognition at
all times.
It will be well, therefore, for you to
give thoughtful attention to the sugges
tion that the object of the Federal law
providing for the establishment of ex
periment Btatlons at the agricultural col
leges In the several states, had In mind
the location of them at different points
In the pamo state when thought needful
or expedient. Several of the states now
have two or more stations, which Is
necessary to secure practical results. It
Is sometimes urged that Oregon should
be divided Into two states for the reason
that its western and eastern sections are
so unlike in climatic conditions and gen
eral character, but this very fact this
very diversity of character and possibil
itiesmakes & perpetual union the more
desirable and probable. It simply in
creases the variety of its products and
adds to Its natural wealth. It makes It
more nearly self-sustaining. But for
this very reason, an experiment made
at the station at Corvallls had as
well been made In Kansas so
SALIENT POINTS IN THE MESSAGE.
. -
Governor Geer urges .
Enactment of a law which will secure- uniform assessments.
That provision bo made for Investment of funds arlslnz from ealo of pub
lic school lands.
Recognition of the service of Indian "War Veterans by pensions.
That probable benefits under Government arid land act be looked into.
Adoption of a practical, simple primary law.
A small appropriation for Pan-American Exposition.
Revision of fees for future state printing. , ,
Recognition of the need of Improvements and changes at the Roseburz Sol
diers Home.
That steps be taken to secure more reasonable terms for lighting of stats
buildings.
Legislation for the perpetuation of the fishing Industry.
That the necessities of the Stato Fair and State Board of Agriculture be
met.
The election of United States Senators by direct vote of the people.
Prompt payment of outstanding scalp bounty warrants, even if from the
general fund.
far as any fact has been developed that
trill be of any value In Eastern Oregon.
In this respect the object of the law pro
viding for experiment stations Is not be
ing fulfilled so far as Oregon Is concerned.
This is a Federal fund, and It Is be
lieved that a part of it could be diverted
from Its present use and applied to a
Similar purpose In Eastern Oregon.
For the purpose of establishing an ex
periment station, It would be difficult to
find a tract of land better fitted for that
purpose than that referred to near Union.
It would not require more than one-half
of It for the uses Indicated. In any event,
the State Land Board should be author
ized to dispose of this valuable land In
some manner, and If sold, the proceeds
turned Into some deslgntaed fund In the
public treasury.
DIRECT PRIMARY LAW.
Practical, Uncomplicated Measure
Shonld Be Enacted.
Considerable public Interest has devel
oped within the last year In favor of the
enactment of a direct primary law, and
there seems to be a general demand In
that direction. This is the outgrowth of the
abuses of the present convention system,
under which the power to name candidates
for office Is often centered within the
control of a few persons. Several propo
sitions have been made along the line of
this proposed reform, and If one can be
formulated whose benefits will not be
overcome by Its Inconvenience or Inadapt
ability, it should receive your favorable
consideration. The principle of the plan is
right, and if the people of the rural dis
tricts could be Induced to take sufficient
Interest in It to make Its practical work
ing a success, it would no doubt secure a
much more faithful expression of the pop
ular desire In the matter of naming can
didates for public positions. A law that
will eliminate the convention system alto
gether will necessarily require the nomi
nation of all candidates for all offices by
the direct method. In other words. It
would require two elections Instead of
one an election of candidates and an
election of officers. This system. If neg
lected by the farming classes and other
people living in remote districts, would
be of doubtful Improvement over the pres
ent one. It would have a tendency to in
crease the power to name candidates by
the cities because of the Increased oppor
tunities of their people for personal con
sultation. In fact. It Is believed that if
the system could be applied to some of
our larger cities only, It would remedy all
the complaint that is Justly made in Ore
gon today. But a direct primary law to
include the selection of all candidates
must include the entire state. The object
to be attained Is admirable. One-man
power, or anything approaching it, should
be excluded from our nominating system.
The more nearly the people can be con
sulted on all propositions the more nearly
will good results be obtained. The pro
posed system, however, Involves such a
radical revolution from that to which the
people have been accustomed that a new
law not carefully considered would prob
ably soon become very unpopular. I de
sire to assure you that any measure
tvhlch promises to be practical, uncom
plicated and to curtail the power of those
who may Indicate a disposition to become
what are known as "party bosses," will
meet my hearty approval.
PAN-AMERIOAN EXPOSITION.
Small Appropriation Would Be a
Good Investment.
The management of the Pan-American
Exposition to be held at Buffalo. N. Y..
this year has Invited Oregon to moke an
exhibition of Its resources at that place
and time. I believe this Invitation should
be accepted, and that you should make a
reasonable appropriation for that purpose.
In the matter of internal development and
securing increased population, Oregon has
fallen behind her sister states during the
past decade, and that for no other reason
than that we sit still and do not advertise
our wares. This Is the only explanation
of the fact that Waslhngton at this time
exceeds us in population more than 100,000.
There is at this time no state in the Union
that has such a variety of undeveloped re
sources as ours, and the exhibits that
could be made at Buffalo would meet the
eyes of more wealthy men seeking oppor
tunities fori Investment of Idle capital
than has ever before been possible. The
farmers of the state are continually suf
fering In purse from the plain faot that
we have fewer manufacturing establish
ments for our population and possibilities
than any other state in the Union. At
Buffalo will be the opportunity, by means
of a display of our resources, to Induce
men of means to want to see a country
that can produce such samples of nature's
bounties, astounding to them, but so fa
miliar to us that we pass them by un
heeded. I believe a small appropriation
carefully guarded In every detail as to Its
expenditure would be a good Investment,
and ultimately for our poorer people es
pecially. THE STATE PRINTER.
A Public 'Expenditure Which
Is
Wholly Unnecessary.
One of the public expenditures which Is
wholly unnecessary, but which has the
sanction of law. Is the matter of public
printing. No blame whatever attaches to
the State Printer, but the amount of
printing required by law Is far in excess
of the public needs. For a number of
years the biennial appropriation for print
ing has been about 960,000. This has al
ways been exhausted, and has been fol
lowed by some deficiencies beside. The
present state officers have used every ef
fort to curtail this matter, and have suc
ceeded In returning a surplus of $0000 after
paying $3000 for the former printing and
binding of "The Resources of Oregon,"
making a practical saving of $11,000. But
if you will change tHe present law in sev
eral particulars a still further saving can
be made. At the beglnnig of this admin
istration there were found several tons
of useless reports of various kinds stored
in the basement of the Capitol, which
were carted out and sold for junk In order
to make room for an accumulation of
another supply of the same kind of use
less merchandise. The law now requires
1000 copies of all kinds of reports printed
When 250 of each would furnish an ample
supply for all purposes. For instance, the
printing of the report of the State Board
of Agriculture cost $1300, and they are
stacked up In the basemnt of the Capi
tol, and nobody can be Induced to take
them away for any purpose. The thou
sand copies of the report of one of the
Eastern Oregon district fairs were sent
to the Secretary of State last Summer,
and, having no use for them, were sent
to the secretary of ttoe fair Interested.
The secretary refused to pay the freight
bill on the shipment, which, upon being
presented to the Secretary of State, was
paid, and It is supposed the reports havo
long since been destroyed. Section 3964,
Hill's code, requires the printing of 2000
copies of the seslson laws. After supply
ing all possible demands for the session
laws of 1699, there are .now 800 copies on
hand. Of the session "laws from 1880 to
189S there are now on hand over 4000 cop
ies for which there is no possible use.
There are piled up In the basement at
this time 3200 copies of the Senate jour
nals, and 2775 copies of the House Jour
nals prior to 1S99. The law requires the
printing of 800 copies of ,cach report of
the Supreme Court. There have been four
reports during the last four years, and
there are on hand at present an average
of 370 of each. Of the reports made prior
to 1899 there remain on hand over 7000
copies. The cost of these volumes prior
to 1899 made an average of $4 each, mak
ing the cost of the surplus volumes now
onhand fully $2S,000. Without going Into
further details, I ask your earnest con
sideration of the necessity of providing
for a reform in this matter. The
number of all reports and documents
should be limited to not more than 250
copies.
In addition to this it may bo said that
the present cost of all state printing Is
believed to be far above what it should
be, and since the term of the present
State Printer, who has made a most ex
cellent officer, will have expired before
the printing for the next session of the
Legislature will become necessary, this
Is the proper time to revise the fees for
future state printing. This is an, Import
ant matter and should under no circum
stances be overlooked, especially since the
Constitution provides that the rates fixed
for state printing shall neither be In
creased nor diminished during the term
for which a State Printer shall have been,
elected.
MONEY FOR CONVICTS.
Re-ennctment of Present "Discharge
Fee" Recommended.
The general appropriation bill passed in
1893 contained the following clause: ITThe
superintendent of the Penitentiary snail,
out of the foregoing appropriation for gen
eral expenses of said Institution, pay to
each convict, on his discharge, at least
$5 in money, and shall furnish him with
a suit of clothes worth $15, and shall pro
cure transportation for such discharged
convict from Salem to the place at which
he was convicted, or for an equal dis
tance to any other place in this state se
lected by such convict." I believe this is
a sound policy, and recommend the re
enactment of its general features. If
there Is any possible combination of cir
cumstances that will Incline a man to
commit a crime who may have already,
through heredity or association, the crimi
nal instinct, but who also may be pos
sessed with a desire to reform. It Is the
one surrounding a discharged convict
when he is turned out without money,
friends, Influence, or acquaintances, with
the usual avenues of employment turned
against him and no means to get away
from tho place of his recent Incarcera
tion and disgrace. It is believed that a
large proportion of tho discharged con
victs emerge from the doors of the prison
with a determination to 'not again com
mit a penal offense, but through a system
of neglect In the matter referred to the
state virtually surrounds him with an
environment that Instead of destroying
really stimulates whatever Inclination to
commit crime has not been fully eradi
cated from, his nature. This is altogether
wrong, and even ignoring tho humane
aspect of the case it will be cheaper for
the state to remove this temptation to
violate the law by making some provision
similar to the one referred to. My atten
tion has been specially called to this
subject by the frequent visits of dis
charged convicts to the executive office
asking for personal aid. Under the pres
ent appropriation for that purpose the
sum allowed ha3 not been more than
$1.50 per man, an amount scarcely suffi
cient t6 pay for a night's lodging and
two meals, or, if used for railroad fare,
then only to take him a few miles from
Salem, to be left absolutely stranded. If
It Is thought unnecessary to grant all that
Is Included In the provisions referred to,
at least some more liberal one than that
now in practice should be made. I leave
the question for you to determine wheth
er a continuation of the present system
is either Just, humane or economical. At
the same time, while In seeming conflict
with this position, it should be said that
the number of convicts in the state's
prison is more than 100 less than It has
been In former times.
APPROPRIATIONS.
Should Be Kept Down, But Not to an
Extent of False Mconomy.
While the Legislature should be very
careful In the njatter of appropriating
the public funds, and should examine
every appropriation for that purpose crit
ically, there is nothing gained by carry
ing the policy of economy so far that It
results in actually crippling- the state in
stitutions. While actuated at all times
by a desire to reduce expenses to the
minimum, the present administration has.
In some Instances, been handicapped by
insufficient appropriations to meet actual
requirements. No appropriations of any
kind were made in 1897, and. for that
reason, the special session of 1893 passed
an appropriation bill covering the bien
nial expenses of tho state government
for the years 1S97 and 1S9S. That Legisla
ture found it necessary, for Instance, to
appropriate the sum of $61,000 to .defray
the general expenses, including electric
lighting, for ihe Reform School for the
preceding two yeara. But at the regular
session of the same Legislature and by
the same committee on ways and means,
four months later, the sum of $33,000 only
was allowed for the following two years
for identically the same purpose, ana
that, too, for an Institution that is, with
the state, gradually growing. More than
that, the next Item In the general ap
propriation bill, which allowed this pum
Of $35,000, Is an allowance of $2277 for de
ficiencies for the same Institution that
had already been allowed $51,000. If It
required nearly $64,000 to defray the ex
penses of that Institution for the two pre
ceding years, it is difficult to understand,
by what system of reasoning It was con
cluded the same work could be done for
nearly $30,000 less for the following two
years. It Is believed this Institution has
been conducted on an economical basis
since its inception, and why it should be
crippled is difficult to understand. On
account of the nature of those sent there
for reformation, it can well be Imagined
that It requires constant attention to
the matter of repairs to the buildings to
maintain their efficiency and appearance.
Some of these Improvements could not be
longer deferred, and while In this Institu
tion economy to the verge of parsimony
has been practiced, a deficiency of nearly
$14,000 has been Incurred, though the total
expense is still about $15,000 below the
amount expended and allowed for the two
years previous.
I wish to repeat that In all this con
stant attention should be given to econ
omy by all state officers and heads of de
partments, at all times, In the Interests
of those who toll to pay the taxes, but
deficiencies, with the attendant obligation
to pay Interest on warrants, for the sake
of a brief reputation of economy by those
In public position, is not economy for
those who finally foot the bills.
REFORM SCHOOL.
Institution for Great Good and Wor
thy of Support.
It is not believed to be possible to con
duct the Reform School on any cheaper
basis than that which has prevailed dur
ing the past two years. A large majority
of the boys are necessarily too small to be
of any real service on the farm, and since
it 13 a school for children on a plan not
unlike other common schools, whose pu
pils cannot be sent homo during the
Summer vacation (as the blind and deaf
children are), Its expenses never cease.
This school Is productive of Incalculable
good, In the way of turning unfortunate
and homeless and incorrigible boys In the
right direction. Industrial teaching along
several lines Is now and has been for
several years engaging the .attention of
the school, and facilities for It should be
extended.
Boys who have nothing to do and do
not know how to do anything useful, are
the ones most likely to drift Into wrong
doing. Boys of this character, taken up
and trained in the right way, and taught
something useful to dp by the time they
are ready to be discharged, are far less
likely to drift into criminal ways than
those who havj not been taught how to
do some useful work.
Hand training should be a feature, es
pecially of the Reform and Mute Schools.
In fact, more attention should be given
to this Idea in thfl nnmmnn crVinoJo i.
erally. It Is cheaper to teach boys trades
in me scnoois nrst mentioned than to
turn them OUt Without pmnlnvmAnf nr
knowledge of some practical sort. The
tenaency in our modern schools Is to
teach away from manual labor, any
way. The average crniiint t in
clined to the conclusion that if his
schooling does not enable him. to
live wnnout doing manual labor, he
will be regarded as a faJium tm o0
and tendency can be eradicated only by
not encouraging it. After the average
young man becomes "highly educated" his
ucis euori is to Decome a lawyer, or doc
tor, or, falling in that, it Is preferable
to get a life Job as stenographer or type
writer than to undertake clearing 10 acres
of land by actuallv dninc it ah m
schools, so far as they tend to foster this
iaea, are aomg a great degree of harm,
and It should be remedied by encouraging
education toward practical things that
Wilt fit our young neODle for nraeMral
affairs.
Viewed merely from the mercenary
standpoint of dollars and cents, the Re
form School is an economical Investment.
It is a waste of time to say that parents
should look more carefully after their
children. The condition remains Just the
same and the only question confronting
the state is whether It will undertake the
reformaton of these children, or wait until
a later period and care for many of them
in the penitentiary after untold crimes
have been committed. No one will say
that it Is not necessary that the morals
of the children of the commonwealth
should be looked after. In such extreme
cases as where parents will not perform
this filial duty the state cannot afford
not to. Most of the states of the Union
have reform schools for wayward girls,
and Oregon needs one as much as It does
for boys. Surely no rule of ethics can be
cited in Justification of the process of
reforming boys and neglecting the girls
of the state who, in equal numbers, need
the fostering care of a protecting com
monwealth. This system of flagrant par
tiality and statutory neglect has been the
policy of the stato ever since the erection
of the Reform School, and It Is altogether
probable that one-half the effort bestowed
upon the boys Is wasted by the state's
Indifference toward the equally deserving
girls, who through parental disregard of
duty, or other unfortunate circumstances,
are allowed to drift along the paths of
immorality. I trust you will see your
duty In the direction of acting upon this
important matter In some manner that
will produce tangible results.
SOLDIERS' HOME.
Money for Repairs and Several
Chances Is Necessary.
Under the provisions of a law passed
by tha last Legislature the board of trus
tees for the management of the Soldiers'
Home was abolished and the control of
that Institution placed under the direct
charge of the Governor. This change has
proven very beneficial, as there has been
no complaint from any quarter of any
kind. From a recent consultation with
the members themselves, I was assured
that they receive uniformly kind treat
ment, and all their wants are supplied.
As compared with nearly all other Homes
in the United States, our own is at a
great disadvantage. There Is a National
law which ajlows $100 annually to each
State Home for every member who Is
drawing a pension from the National Gov
ernment. In all the Eastern Homes prac
tically every member Is a pensioner, but
uiere fully 30 per cent of them are Indian
war veterans, whose care and mainten
ance are patriotically provided for by our
laws, but who, nevertheless, diminish the
financial resources of tha Home to that
extent. Ever since Its erection the state
has made an annual appropriation of $12,
000 for its support, until at the last ses
sion it was, very unwisely I think, re
duced to HOjOOO. Thus crippled in Its
means of support, all needed repairs
which, in public institutions, should be
met as they appear and not allowed to ac
cumulate, have been forced to remain
unattended to. This is not a sound policy
nor real economy. It would not be on the
part of a business man, and, since the
public Institutions belong to the whole
people, it Is not In the case of the state.
The Home owns 40 acres of land on the
Umpqua River, 30 of which are in Use,
and few tracts in the state, if any, are In
better state of cultivation. An unusually
large amount of produce was raised this
year, tho labor being mostly furnished by
the soldiers themselves. It Is a positive
discredit to the state, however, that
there is but one horse, and that of un
certain age, belonging to the Home, the
team work being largely done with horses
borrowed from kindly disposed neighbors.
The mere reference to this condition
should insure its reformation. If the form-
Dry Thin abd Falling Hair
and Red Rough Hands'
Prevented by
Millions Use Cuticura Soap, assisted by Cuticura Odjt
MENT,for preserving, purifying and beautifying the skin, for cleans-'
ing the scalp of crusts, scales and dandruff and the stopping of fall
s ing hair, for softening, whitening and soothing red, rough and sore
hands, in the form of baths for annoying irritations, inflammations
and chafings, or too free or offensive perspiration, in the form of
washes, for ulcerative weaknesses and for many sanative antiseptic
purposes which readily suggest themselves to women, and "especially
to mothers, and for all the purposes of the toilet, batfi arid nursery.
No amount of persuasion can induce those who have once used it
to use any other, especially for preserving and purifying the skin,"
scalp and hair of infants and children. Cuticura Soap combines
delicate emollient properties derived from Cuticura, the great skin
cure, with the purest of cleansing ingredients and the most refresh
ing of flower odors. No other medicated soap ever compounded is
to tie compared with it for preserving, purifying and beautifying the
skin, scalp, hair and hands. No other foreign or domestic toilet
soap, however expensive, is to be compared with it for all the pur
poses of the toilet, bath and nursery. Thus it combines in One
Soap at One Price, viz., 25c., the best skin and complexion
soap and the best toilet and baby soap in the world.
Complete External and Internal Treatment for Every Humor, $1.25,
Consisting of CUTICURA SOAP (23c), to cleanso tho sklh of crusts and scales nd
soften th thickened cuticle: CUTICURA OINTMENT (COc.), to Instantly allay iteh
lns:. Inflammation and Irritation and noothe and heal, and CUTICURA RESOLVENT
(50c.), to cool and cleanse the blood. A SINGLE SET, wiinc but $1 23, is often
sufficient to cure the most torturing:, disfiguring: skin, scalp and blood humors, with loss
ot hair when all else falls. Sold throughout tha world.
er appropriation canont bo Increased, it
should at least be reinstated. For reasons
easily understood the expense of maintain
ing a Soldiers' Home cannot at this time
be supposed to be decreasing, for, as the
members grow older, a greater percentage
of them require hospital treatment. The
hospital facilities there at this time are
crowded, and the central Idea of a state
home Implies that the more helpless the
members become the more binding Is the
duty of the state to care for them.
There are at this time in many parts
of the state indigent soldiers who are as
much entitled to the care of the Homo as
those who have been there for years,
and when they appeal to the executive
office for admission tho only response to
be made Is that there Is no further room
either in the Home or the hospital. I
make this appeal to the humanitarian
side of your natures, and for detailed in
formation as td the workings of the Homo
and Its necessities, I call your special at
tention to the report of the commandant.
STATE INSTITUTIONS.
Penitentiary and Asylum Improve
ments Within. Appropriations.
Without going further into details ot
the management of the different state in
stitutions I will refer you to the very
complete reports of their several superin
tendents. It Is confidently believed that
they are all well officered and that the
object for which each was established is
being realized In a manner that will fully
meet the public expectation. The last
Legislature made appropriations for the
construction of additions to the asylum
and penitentiary, and a new cottage at
the asylum farm. These requirements
have been met, and although the rapid
Increase in the cost of all kinds of ma
terials made it impossible to complete
them all In the manner Intended, the ex
penditures have been kept practically
within the appropriation. I earnestly urge
that the committees appointed to ex
amine the various institutions mako their
Investigations complete, especially for the
reason that the general public has the
right to be fully informed a3 to the
disposition of the public funds and the
results derived.
The last Legislature enacted a law pro
viding for tho number of committee
clerks to be employed and for the man
ner of their selections. Tho principal fea
tures of this law have been demanded by
the people for many years. You are to
be congratulated upon finding such a law
on the statute books, as it will afford you
a helpful fortification .In the matter of
defending ante-election promises for pos
sible and necessary retrenchment.
MEDALS FOR VOLUNTEERS.
Expense of Securing Them Has Been
Carefully Guarded.
As a testimonial of the appreciation
which the people of Oregon feel for the
gallant services of the Second Oregon
Regiment of Volunterss In the Philippine
"War I ordered a sufficient number of ap
propriate bronze medals struck to present
one to each member of that regiment. A
similar step was taken by nearly every
other state that had a regiment in that
war, and, so far as I know, by every rfjne.
Tho regiment of model young men, volun
teering as they did, from among the best
families of tho state, conducted them
selves while in active service and at all
other times when under fire or when mak
ing forced marches In a manner that re
flected credit, not only upon themselves,
but upon the state that sent them forth
to support and defend the flag of their
country. One hundred and four
teen of them were college grad
uates, 156 were students, 15
were lawyers. 141 were clerks. 123 were
farmers and the others were drawn from
different walks of life, the creditable fact
being that nearly every man left a good
position in order to respond to the call of
his country.
The reputation this regiment earned by
Its superb and never-falling soldierly
qualities, Is best recorded In the famous
order of General Wharton, "Orderly,
overtake those Oregon greyhounds on the
rood to Polo and order them to Melinto.
Go mounted, or you will never catch
them."
Undef the most trying circumstances,
they remained In tho service after the
terms of their enlistment had technically
'expired, and, after reaching Manila on
their way home, were detailed on another
two days' march after the skulking and
treacherous Filipinos. By their soldierly
bearing at all times they not only hon
ored themselves, but added new lustre to
the fame of Oregon in every civilized na
tion on earth. They are entitled to the
grateful remembrance of every patriotic
citizen of the state.
Before ordering medals, I corresponded
with several firms in the East, and In
California, and, after securing their most
favorable prices, found a firm In Portland
that offered to do the work at a cheaper
rate than any of the competitors.
By a personal application to Secretary
Root, of the War Department, a bronze
cannon, which had been captured from
the Spanish at Manila by our forces, was
shipped to Portland for the express pur
pose of furnishing the material for the
medals. Their design Is suggestive' of
state as well aj national patriotism and
pride, their workmanship is of the best
character, and I am sure the expense of
securing them, which has been carefully
guarded, will be gladls borne by the peo
ple of Oregon.
STATE SEWER.
Should Be Completed- from State
Buildings to Willamette.
Your attention is called to the necessity
of making provision for the completion
of the state sewer leading from tho state
buildings to the Willamette River. A fev
years ago, by direction of the Legisla
ture, a permanent and ample sewer waa
constructed from tho river to a point op
posite tho Capital building. On Court
street, but was there abandoned by rea
son of the exhaustion of the funds pro
vided. It was the intention to build this
sewer to the asylum and penitentiary,
and it seems Imperative that Its comple
tion should not be longer delayed. The
immense amount of sewage coming
from the asylum and penitentiary Is dis
charged Into the city sewers, which al
ready havo all they can carry. Thero Is
now nearly an acre of roof surface on tho
asylum building alone, and when a hard
rainstorm occurs, which sometimes hap
pens, tho result Is the inundation of many
private and public basements In the city.
During the present Winter tho furnaces
In tho basement of the City Hall wero
submerged and the fires extinguished.
This has happened also In many private
residences. Not only so, but It Impairs
the health of tho city and the Inmates
of the state Institutions concerned. The
state has no light, and should have no
desire to thus impose on the rights of its
citizens, and I earnestly recommend that
you make provision for the remedy suggested.
STATE HOUSE IMPROVEMENT.
Acoustics of Hall of Representatives
Bettered.
Ever since the completion of Represent
ative Hall its accoustics have ben ao
very unsatisfactory that It has been al
most Impossible to transact business in
it with any degree of certainty as to
what was being done. Various experi
ments had been tried without apparent
improvement, when the last Legislature
directed the Board of Building Commis
sioners, consisting of the Governor, Sec
retary of State and the State Treasurer,
to appropriate the sum of $11,634 for tho
purpose of putting in a ceiling and dimin
ishing tho height of the hall by some
thing like one-half. This sum was at
first thought to bo wholly inadequate for
the purpose named, but, after advertising
for bids, a firm was found willing to un
dertake the work, and it has been com
pleted, as you now see it, practically
within the appropriation. The workman
ship and material have been first-class,
and it is believed the result attained will
fully Justify tho expenditure.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING CONTRACT.
Steps Should Be Taken to Secure
More Reasonable Terms.
In April, 1S93, the state made a contract
with the Salem Light and Powor Com
pany, in Salem, by the terms of which
that company agreed to furnish certain
state buildings with electric lights for
the term of ten years. It Is believed that
the price paid for these lights is quite ex
cessive, and that upon the expiration of
the contract some steps should be taken
to provldo lights on more reasonable
terms.
Unless better conditions can bo ar
ranged with the company now providing
the lights, or with some other company,
it will be necessary for tho stato to In
stall a plant of Its own. I suggest that
at this session you authorize the Board
of Capitol Building Commissioners to
consult with different lighting companies
as to the best terms upon which another
contract can be made, and with experts
as to the probable cost of Installing a
state plant, and to report the result of
its findings to tho next scssibn of tho
Legislature.
The present contract will explro on the
first of April, 1003, and at that time the
state should bo ready, to act promptly in
the matter.
NORTHWESTERN STOVE FOUNDRY.
Affairs Reported to Be In Excellent
Condition.
Upon the authority of an act approved!
February 25,. 1S93, the Board of Managers
of the Oregon Stove Foundry, composed
of tho Governor, ' Secretary of Stato and
State Treasurer, entered into a coptract
Pretty boxes and odors
are used to sell such
soaps as no one would
touch if he saw them un
disguised. Beware1 of a
soap that depends on
something outside of it.
Pears', the finest soap
in the world is scented or
not, as you wish; and the
money is in the merchan
dise, not in the box.
All sorts of stores sell it, especially
druggists; all sorts of people are
using it.