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THE SEDALIA WEEKLY BAZOO. TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1883. Con tin ued from Third Page. My predecessor wisely said, in his mes sage to the 30th General Assembly : "There was formtrlv a statute which provided that in all criminal cases there should be a lien on all the property of the defendant for the payment of costs and fine which might be adjudged against him, and which lien should date from the day of the arrest of defendant, or from the date of the iudictment found, whichever might first happen. I advise a similar provision to be adopted. Criminals sen tenced to the penitentiary are sometimes kept in the jails many days after the judg ment and sentence has been rendered, and when no appeal or writ of error is pending. This entails additional expense to the State; for the cost of feeding a convict in the pen itentiary is about ten cents per day, whilst in the jails ir is fifty cents per day. This unnecessary delay in sending convicts to the penitentiary should be remedied." RAILROADS. I invite the attention of the Legislature to the Seventh Annual Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners. It is full of valuable matter. The board has discharg ed its duties with fidelity and intelligence ; exciting, by its just action, no deserved criticism from the people or the corpora tions, and having the great interests of both under constant consideration, with but one object in view to so adjust the rights of each, according to the principles of justice, that both may be saved from bickering and hostility. I present a comparison of the year 1882 with those of 1880 and J 881, showing the per cent, of gain in the lead ing features of railroad business, which exhibits the prosperous conditions of the roads: Nnmber of miles of railroad in Missouri in 1882 4,500 150 266 493 Number in process of con- struction Increase of 1882 over 1881. Incn asa of 1882 over 1880.. Capitol stock on railroads at close of 1882 $135,000,000 Bonded debts on railroads at cIom of 1882 148,500,000 Tetal stock and debts 233,500,000 Increase of 1882 over 1881 16,758,000 Increase of 1882 over 1880 59,108,000 Gross earnings in 1SS2 33,000.000 Increase of same over 1881 6,000 000 Increase of same over 1880 10,600.000 Operating expenses in 1882 22,000,000 Net earnings in 1882 11,000,000 From this $11,000,000 is to be paid the interest on the $148,500,000 of debts, which amounts to about $8,880,000, and the bal ance, $2,120,000, to be divided between the holden of stock : Per cent, of increase of net earnings 1882 over 1881 .22 Per oent. of increase of net earciugs of 1881 over 1880 .20 Grss receipts on passengers, 1882........ $7,260,000 Grose receipts en passengers, 1881 . 5,940,000 Gross receipts on passengers, 1880 4,928,000 Gross receipts on freights. 1882 24,090,000 Gross receipts on freights", 1881 19,710,000 Groas receipts on freights, 1880 16,352,000 Ctroes receipts on miscella neous earnings from trans portation, 1882 1,650,000 Gross receipts on miscella neous earnings from trans portation, 1881 1,350.000 Gross receipts on miscella neous earnings from trans portation, 1880 1,120,000 The cost of transportation (to the com panies) has gradually diminished for sev eral years past, resulting in part from the largely increased volume of tonnage and travel, and so distributed, as to employ their machinery profitably in passing to and fro along the whoie or "part of the line. The cost to the public (i. e. rates) has been 25 per cent. Jess since March 1878, than be fore ; resulting from the operation of the law of 1875, as administered by the Rail- 1 J mi roaa commissioners, mis Has saved the people $25,000 000 in five years. Number of persons employed on railroads in Missouri in to 1882 Average number to mile of road Highest local passenger rate, 1882 Lowest through rate reported.... 24,750 4 cents. 1 cent. Average on all under (tending downward) 2 cents. Average freight rate (very little change since 1880) lh cent3, The general condition of the roads is good and constantly improving; the ex ception being on short Jines with light traffic. Iron rails are being replaced with teel, and iron bridges are replacing wood en ones. The first 250 miles of the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad is a specimen of excellent track. The capital represented in the roads is shown by the -stock and bond account to be $283,500,000. Their cask cost to the companies cannot -mow be ascertained. The road-beds, gen erally, throughout the state, are in excel lent condition, and are being constantly improved by labor, and with the safest modern appliances, such as steel rails, iron bridges, trestles with embankments, reducing the short curves and heavy grades, and extending over the trunk lines, substantial stone ballasting. The com panies repair suggested faults and defects in their road-beds and machinery with alacrity, and we may congratulate them tipon the greatly improved condition of their road-beds and character of their -eoaches, and mail and express cars, and locomotives; the acceleration of speed with which they move their trains, and the politeness and vigilance of the officers and employes of the various roads. Along the lines of the old roads are still seen many old sombre looking depots, which were erected at an early day in their history, and which should be re placed by buildings of more modern archi tecture in keeping with the prosperity of the roads. I am satisfied that the man agers of onr railroads will see the necessity for such changes, and will further elevate their roads in the public esteem by these additional improvements. Section 17 of Article 12, of the Constitution forbids the consolidation of parallel or competing lines of railroads within this State. This sec tion was not inserted in the Constitution for the purpose of arraying the police power of the State;against the roads, but to prevent their franchises and privileges from being used against the interests of the people, and converted into powers to oppress those who invoked them into ex istence. I do not know that such consol idations as are prohibited by the Constitu- tion have taken place. It is worthy of the consideration of the proper tribunal and should receive judicial investigation. The Constitution declares thai the ques tion shall be decided by a jury, upon oroper issues made in the courts. The lib erties of no people afe safe who suffer their laws or organic acts to be violated by any individual or combination of individuals, if one or more corporations have disregarded thif section of the law, they should be dealt with in the manner prescribed by $e law. Those immense powers should yield implicit obedience to the law like individuals, receiving its bene fits and protection when in submission to its requirements, and its punishments and penalties when they dety its powers. There should be the most amicable feelings be tween these corporations and the State, each being essential to the prosperity o; the other. The State and various counties having expended large sums of money in the construction of these roads, for the purpose of increasing their population, de veloping their resources, adding taxable wealth to communities and supplying cheap and rapid transportation to their citizens and tonnage, cannot view them otherwise than as indispensable public blessings, and cannot fail to recognize their important and friendly relations by im partial legislation. However rapid may have been the growth of Missouri in the past, surpassing, in the increase of her population and mag nitude of her wealth, many older States, there are yet millions of acres of unoccu pied land within 1 er broad limits await ing the investment of domestic and foreign capital in railroads in order to make their markets accessible and make them the homes of an industrious people. This capital will seek investment in those States whose legislation is not inimical to its rea sonable remuneration and will permit it to reap returns upon capital actually invest ed, equal to the profits realized by capital invested in the ordinary clasies of busi ness. If the same wisdom characterizes the legislation of this State in the future, as in the past, we may reasonably expect large investments in railroad construction, and the creation of thousands of new homes upon those idle acres of land. Such investments are now seeking Missouri and will continue to come so I am assured provided it is not repelled by illiberal and arbitrary legislation. The fnture prosper ity of the State, as well as the fullest de velopment of her resources, will depend upon the enactment of liberal laws and their enforcement against all classes of violators. A prominent Western journal said : ' The railroads should be fair with the people, and the people should be just to the roads." If that idea is adopted by both parties, both will be benefitted to a greater degree than if an antagonism ex isted between the two. I call your attention to the necessitv for an amendment to sections 838 and 842 of the .Revised Statutes of 1879. shown on pages 157 and 158 of the 7th annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners, and the reasons for these amendments, as shown on pages 15 to 21, inclusive, of same report. I suggest the propriety of amending sectioas 792. 841 (as amended'bv act of March 17th, 1881) and 843. The effects of these amendments will be to ren der a perfect classification of freight possi ble; whereas, as th law now i, it is im possible to extend the limitation of rates to all articles of freight, where it is now applicable to only a part of them ; to make sections 833 and 835 consistent with seclibn 842, as amended ; to simplify the enforcement of the law of rales ; to collect all matter pertaining to returns from rail road companies to the Commissioners into onesection; to remove dicrepancies m regard to same, and to enable the Commissioner to simplify it; to place in a separate section the matter of reports of the Commission ers to the Governor, and to provide for the publication aud distribution of the same: to require the Commissioners to inspect the railrods twice a year; and to investi gate the causes of accidents. COMMON SCHOOLS. What is said hereafter of the State Uni versity and Normal Schools covers so completely my views on all grades of edu cation that but little can or will be said under this head. The common schools of the state are in a prosperous condition, as will be shown by data, subsequently given. On the Is of January 1883, closes the official career of Hon. K D. Shannon, as superintendent of the public school system oi this state. He h?s filled the office for the last eight years with ability, wisdom and efficiency. To no one who has occu pied the office, does Missouri and the cause of education owe more forg the sim plicity and excellency of the school law and the good repults flowing from its man agement than to Dr. Shannon He has done his dtUy well and his deeds will fol low him. I refer the General Assembly to his late report, which fully sets forth wherein the school law is defective and should be amended. Although the fol lowing facts collated by Dr. Shannon have already been presented in one of the pub lic journals in St. Louis I deem them suffi ciently important to present to you : SCHOOL FUNDS OF THE STATE. Total amount of permanent productive funds in the several counties, (county, township, etc.,) and in the city of St. Louis 3,124,083 84. Add State Fund (proper) 2,912 517 66 Add Seminary Fund ... 122,095 08. Add Agricultural College Fund (sale of lands) 213,000 00. Total .$9,371,696 58. Add University Fund (bonds not heretofore reported) 200,000 00. And here we have ...$9 571,696 50. Comparing these figures with those given in the last published report of the School Department. (1880) we find an increase in the county funds (actual increase or part not heretofore reported by county clerks) in two yea's of $205,165 87. In the State Fund of 2,725 00. Add the University Funds of.. 313,000 00. Total increase $520,890 87. The report of 1880 showed that Missouri was the second Stale in the Union in the amount of permaaent funds set apart for public education Indiana surpassing her $114,449 02. But as Indiana has no county or township funds and no fixed or certain provisions for the increase of her State fund, Missouri has advanced beyond her, and now has considerably the largest amount of funds devoted to public educa tion of any State in the Union. Nor does the amount above given repre sent all of our school funds. The fines, forfeitures and penalties realized during the year belong to the county school funds During the last school year the connty clerks report the amounts collected as $91,- fr r -c T" t V 1 11 ? t. 168 91. l nave net inciuueu meni in iue statement of the amount of the funds, for the reason thai a fey clerks reported they had included the lines, etc., in their re ports of the amounts of the county funds and I have no means of determining the: exact amount thus erroneously placed. Still, I am sure not many thousand dollars were thus reported. SCHOOL census (1882). Total enumeration ...741,632 Total enrollment ..48S.091 Per cent of earollment to enumera tion .. .0581 This is au increase (in 2 years) of enumeration of 18148 And an increase (in 2 years) of en rollment of 5.105 Considering the facts that our school age is between ft and 20 years (covered by the enumeration), that very few attend scbool after the 18th year, acd very many not after the 16th year; that the enrollment does not include those attending private, denominational or parochial schools, the University, the four Normals, or the schools of other States ; while the enumer ation includes all of these the per cent, of enrollment or attendance is seen to be most excellent. Indeed, I do not believe that it is surpassed in any state. EXPENDITURES. For the last school year. $3,468,738 67 Which is a per capita, on enumeration, of 4.677 Which is a per capita, on at tendance, of 7 106 It must be borne in mind that five large, wealthy and populous counties make no report of expenditures (on account of township organization), while they do re port school population and receipts. The five doubtless expended $150,000 for schools. School houses owned 8,272 Increase over 1SS0 23 Schools in operation (white) 8,321, (colored) 501 total 8,822 Increase (white) 172,( colored) 9 total increase 181 Teachers' wages paid $2,226,609 5S Increase over 18S0 $8,972 22 Number of teachers em ployed 10,607 Decrease since 18S0 1,052 Average salaries paid teachers per year $209 91 It is impossible to tell the average num ber of mouths schools have been taught, owing to the defective reports made to the Superintendent's office ; but assuming that average to be five months, and I think it will not exceed five, the average monthly salary of teachers would be $41.98. The estimated value of school property in the State, exclusive of the University, four Normal schools and the schools for blind and deaf and dumb is $7,521,695 08. An increase since 1880, of.....$ 168,293 86 The estimated capacity of the schools is 516,942 An increase of 27,807 The total amount of taxes levied by the school districts, (DeKalb aud Macon coun ties not included ) is $2,286,191.66, which is $0.41 on the 3100 of the assessed valua tion of taxable property for State and county purposes. NORMAL SCHOOLS. The three Normal schools, located re spectively at Kirksville, Warrensburg and Cape Girardeau, are in a flourishing con dition. They are situated in three of the geographical divisions of the State and are easv of excess by rail at all seasons the one at Cape Girardeau being also acessible by water. They are located in communi ties distinguished lor their intelligence and morality, and have grown into public oommendation and palrouage so rapidly that they may now be considered au indis pensible part of the educational system of Missouri. No Stale is assuming a more prominent and pronounced position in favor of all grades of education than Mis souri. Beginning with the Kindergarten system in cities and towns, ascending to the common school grade, the school of manual training, the high school, the Nor mal school, the School of Mines, the de nominational colleges in various sections ot lhe Stale, Washington University in St. Louis, and to the State University at Columbia. These form an educational unity of which no defence is required, as its perfection is rapidly passing beyond the limits of just criticism. Few, if any, of the other States have a larger or more safely secured school fund than this State There have been enrolled during the present school year at the Warrensburg Normal School 364 students, being a net gain of 85, or more than thirty per cent, over the enrollment of the corresponding date of last year. This does not include the school of practice, which enrolls 69. During the last school year 365 students matriculated, all of whom filled written declarations of their intention to teach in this State. One hundred and seven were teachers of some experience before ma triculation, and 239 designed making this profession their permanent calling. Of the number registered last year, 388 were residents cf Missouri anjl 7 from other States. The attendance from the State represented 33 counties. The occupations of the parents of these students are as follows: Farmers, 68; mechanics, 9; all other callings, 23. The number of students enrolled at the Kirksville school during the year ending June, 1882, was 481. Number enrolled present vear, up to December 1, 1882, 350 Not having the information before me, I am unable to state the number of counties represented by the students in this school, the number who have taught or intend making teaching their calling, or the occu pations of their parents. This school has an enviable reputation, secured by the thoroughness of its curriculum, and by the excellent qualifications, character and de votion of its corps of teachers. There were enrolled at the Cape Girar deau school last year 225 students. Thh vear. to December 1st, 211, with the ex pectation that it will reach 300. Consid ering that this school is, by several years, the junior of the other Normal Schools, and is situated in a part of the State less populous than are the communities sur rounding the others, it has an enviable record. It is under the management of one of the best and most ardent educators in the State, whose reputation is co-extensive with its limits. He is supported by an able and zealous corps of teachers. Its location is not surpassed by the other be too earnestlv or too frequently ini schools in ihose elements which enter into pressed upon the" intelligent public mind, the success of such an institution. These I The fundamental idea of our svstem of schools have crown in popularity during J free government i& that it must rest upon the last two years as the oublic realize moie and more the virtues of the system through the efficiency of the teachers" they send out. Heretofore the State has de pended largely upon troui a distance to the demands of our public teachers supply schools. Now thev go forth from our own Nor- mal School Is, equally as well and in umst better qualified than foreign instances teachers, and additionally equipped with a grateful interest in the progress of the schools of our State, which has, through its generosity, supplied them with such ample opportunities for education There is a constantly increasing demand made on these schools for trained teachers, which I regret to say, the schools has not been able to supply. The Legislature should give thee schools every legitimate facility lor meeting these demands. It is the most economical way of expending the public revenues. School houses are more honor able and profitable to the State than ig norace, crime and prisons. The late cen sus shows' the startling fact that of the il literate residents above the age of ten and unable to read, Missouri stands 29th in the list of forty-seven States and Territories 8 9-100 of her population being in that un fortunate condition, while 20S,754 of her population are unable to write. It mav upturn, a iaic ucuit ui mi3 uiuciu iur iue euucation oi me people, in is was exists among the colored population. the provision made by the wise and intelli Even if this be true, it should uot be al-1 gent men who laid the foundations of our lowed to remain so, ami steps should be taken at once to remedy this great evil. No state doe- its full duty to itself or its citizens until it anorus every convenience and opportunity with or without cost for the education, to a reasonable extent, of eyerv child within its limits. LINCOLN' INSTITUTE. ThTc tnstitnto Rolrtncrc tr tYia nnrmol snknnl cvami nf r;ccniirl Tinrin- ntinnl vpnr it tiitrwMiiuffMi i Jft ctn. dents. The number matriculated this year, to date, is 130, as against 125 at the corresponding date last year. It was established bv the liberalitv colored soldiers for the purpose of educa ting the colored youths of this state, to the end that some if not all of them might become teachers in the schools set apart for that race. The school has proven a success, especially so since it has been placed under the management of Prof. Page, who is one of the most competent and diluent educators of the state, and hose devotion to that cause has placed th institution nrpr wMrk hm nreMwi upon the elevated ground of being worthy of the consideration of the legislature and the patronage of the State. The prejudice that once existed against it is rapidly sub siding, which is in part, at ast, attribu table to the fact that its course, as far as it gees, is thorough in morals as well as in mental improvement, and that it is, alone, an educational institution for the enlight enment and advancement of the colored students, male and female, who attend it. It supplies a demand that no other institu tion in the State could supply; therefore, it should be recogniz-d as one of ihe per manent and indispensible colleges :n the State. The necessity of the situation de mands the greatest assiduity and care in the education of the colored children of the land; as, in so doing, we make of them better men and women and more useful citizens, 3nd afford home means of educa ting their guardians and parents who had no educational advantages in their earlier days. We, to-day, have imposed upon ns by the law of the land as well as by the dictates of common humanity the double duty of educating both the young aud the old of this race, and we should not allow neither neglect, preiudice nor indifference to swerve us trom this obligation. The old cry that "it will do readv bscn provcu to be no good" has al fallacious and we should ignore it with regret. It is in oppo sition to all the teaching? of the past and the christian sentiment of the present. The four normal buildings require to a great er or less extent immediate repairs in order to preserve them from decay and render them comfortable for the students. Under the provisions nf an act entitled "An act requiring theUovernor to appoint a special committee of the General Assem bly to visit and examine the institutions of the State," approved March 3d, 1SS1, I have appointed Hon T. V. Bryant upon the part of the Senate, and Hons. Harry Lander and C. H. Storts upon the part of the House, ay such committee, to visit and examine ail of the State institu tions except those located at the seat of government. This committee will make a report to you ''showing the condition and management of said institutions and such other facts aad recommendations as may be deemed pertinent for your in formation." They will report to the Gen eral Assemblv what architectural changes, repairs and improvements are necessary in the various State institutions to fully equip them for the purposes for which they were designed, except in the case of Lincoln In stitute. This school being located at the seat of government, the committee has no authority to examine it. I therefore call your attention to the special necessity for an examination into the wants of the school by the Legislature The last Gen eral Assembly appropriated $5,000 to be used in the erection of a dormitory at the Institute. This sum was uot sufficient to complete it. A sufficisnt sum ought to be appropriated by this Legislature to corn p.ete the dormitory and make necessary improvements upon the main buildings. For a detailed statement of the needs of the school I refer vou to the report made to your respective bodies. 4 THE STATE UNIVERSITY. The University of the State continues to prosper under its piesent efficient and en lightened management. Despite the fail ure of the corps in 1S81 and the hard times consequent thereon the number of students in attendance upon the various departments of the institution will for the year 1882-83 reach upwards of five hun dred. Each department of the University is in good working order, the various chairs be ing filled by able and learned professors. "With the present prosperous condition of the State there is a fair promise that in the future the number of students will be largely increased, and that the institution will continue to meet the enlightened pur poses for which it was originally founded. Our State has an excellent educational system when properly analysed and under stood, and in this conrection the true char acter of this public school system cannot the morality, intelligence and culture of the people. It embraces in its scope not only J the common schools but also the higher instruction provided for in the Universitv: a. T . .. .1. . . J me oihms intenueu to supplement the other; iiivv ; annum sireugm ana Doth are needed to insure that better iuLellicenpft essential to TOO(l Cfii.ftnshin in a frp country. Even prior to the adoption of the first State Jonstituiisn of Missouri this was the thought which gnided the enlightened men of th&t day. Under the Enabling Act of March 6th, 1820." which authorized the inhabitants of the territory to organize themselves into a state, provision was made for common schools by the dedication of every sixteenth section of the public land for this object, aud at the same time set ting apart two townships of the public land for the founding of UA Uuiversity for the promo! ion of arts, sciences and liter ature." Thus he common school and University were inseparably blended. The lower and higher education were thus pro vided for in the same "Enabling act," and "came to birth with the birth of the State itfeelf." One University, many common schools, which meant concentration for the higher education, diffusion for the lower." Thui it is at these two parts of the same svstem were established at the same time , State government more than half a cen tury ago ; his wis the system which they j pledged themselves to encourage and main- tain, and which they deemed necessary to afford that cul ure to all who might in habit the State in the future, and which would enable them to be honorably asso ciated with citizens residing in other States which might compose the Amer- cau Union. And who in this age of i progress would change this system ? Who would net iortiiy, strengthen and main tain it, aud thus enable the vouth of Mis- t v r r . Soun,niae ami lemaie, to enjoy advant- off3?01 c,ncUlon 11 to those of any other Mate or country? It is creditable to the people that in the firt constitution adopted by them when Missouri was admitted as a state into the Union, the system of education above de scribed was incorporated, and amid all the political changes and fluctuations of par ties which have since occurred, and in ever- Constitution under which the people ! have iiTe down to thi? time !he samesys- "Jin ns oeen recognized and a solemn pieoge giv.n 10 maintain it it was em bodied in the constitution of 1865, and with only a change of phraseology it is found in the present constitution, adopted in 1875. In article eleven, section one, we find the following: Section 1. A general diffusion of knowledge and intelligence being essential to the preservatiou of the rights and liber ties of the people, the General Assembly shall establish and maintain free schools for the gratuitous instruction of all per sons in this state between the ages of six and twenty-one years. And in section five of the same article we have the following explicit language: "The Geueral Assembly shall, whenever the public school fund sha'l permit, and the actual necessity of the same may re quire, aid and maintain the State Univer sity, now established, with its present De partments." How is this pnblic school system to be sustained? In article eleyen, section six, subject, Education, will be found a clear and distinct definition of wh t shall con stitute the "Pnblic School Fund," and which fund "shall be securely invested' aud "sacredly preserved" as "a Public School Fund," the annual income of which fund, together with so much of the ordina ry revenue of the State as may be necessary, shail be faithfully appropriated for estab lishing and maintaining the free schools and the Universitv in this article provided for, and for u9 other uses or purposes whatsoever. Under the latter clause ot this section not less than 25 per cent, of the State rev enues has been for many years past set apart for the pnrposes named in said sec tion. It has never been definitely settled what portion of the above fund, or of the income thereon,shall be set apart for the free ''public schools," and what part for estab lishing and maintaining the "State Uni versity." This question has therefore caused some embarrassment, and as certain ty of annual income both for the free pub lic schools and for the University is a matter of vital concern, I call you atten tion to it in order that the same may be equitably settled by proper legislation; and if it is deemed the wisest policy to set apart for the free public schools the whole amount of the 25 per cent, of the State revenue, then it would seem but fair and just, as well as in strict accordance with the letter and spirit of the Constitution, that an amount commensurate with the wants of the University, as recommended by its Board of Curators, should be appro priated out of the remaining revenues or other funds belonging to the Stata and not otherwise appropriated. A PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FUND. In this connection it is proper to call your attention to the State providing a permanent endowment fund for the Uni versity. If this were adequately done, and the fund profitably and safely invest ed, the annual interest thereon could stand in lieu of the appropriations now asked for at each meeting of the General As sembly. This policy would not increase the expenses of the State, whilst it would secure certainty and uniformity of income upon which the authorities of the Uni versity could always rely, and t the same time relieve the General Assembly of the contests which usually attend the passage of laws making the appropriations. Wheu it is remembered that no part of the per manent fund belonging to the University has been granted by.the State, buMias been derived wholly from local subscriptions and other source, the justice and propriety of the demand' for a permanent endow ment will be readily recognized. It has not been unusual for other States much younger, less populous and posses sing far less wealth than Missouri thus to endow colleges an universities belonging to and under the control and government of the States, and bearing the same relation to the State in which they are located that the State University bears to the State of Mis souri. Michigan, admitted into the Union in 1837, seventeen years after Missouri, has appropriated for her university proper for buildings and permanent improvements, $344,000 For permanent endowment fund', $4S0,000, on which the State pays 7 per cent, iuterest. The standing annnal ap propriations are made of current expenses. The Agricultural College of Michigan i not connected with the Uninersity, but is located at Lansing. For the support of this institution for lands, erection of buildings, fixtures and permanent improve m.ns tlie State has appropriated the sum of $581,750. The endowmeut fund amounts to S173, 481, on which the State pays 7 per cent, iuterest quarterly. California, admitted into the Union in 1850 thirty years after Missouri, has ap propriated for her University proper, for buildings and equipments, the sum of $440,710. State permanent endowment fund $870,000, on which the State pays 6 per cent, interest annually for the support of the institution, $52,200. Iu California the Agricultural and Me chanical College is made a part of the University, the sain as ours. For build ings and for the support of this depart ment, the State has appropriated $276,897. INVESTMENT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUND. Under the law a large part of the funds belonging to the common school, formerly held in bonds of the State of Missouri, have been invested in a certificate of in debtedness of the State, bearing six per cent, interest per annum. This certificate is intended to be perpetual, and affords a safe and permaaent investment of these funds. There are other funds belonging to the Public School Fund of the State, held also in bonds of the State of Missouri, now called in for redemption. This fund amounts to upwards of $200,000, arising from the sale of Agricultural College Lands made by the Board of Curators dur ing the last year. These funds, under the law, are for the benefit of the Agricultural and Mechanical College, located at Colum bia, and the School of Mines, at Eolla. Under the restrictions of the State Con stitution the Board of Curators meet with some embarrassment in reinvesting these funds ; to provide for their security and permanence, it is recommended that a "certificate of indebtedness on the part of the Stute" be issued for the amount of these funds similar to the certificate above referred to, issued for the benefit of the common schools, and bearing the same rate of interest now paid upon the bonds. There will be other funds derived from the same source and other sources paid into the State Treasurv for the benefit of the Public School Fund of the State, and it is recommended that the law passed at tho last sesaion'of t e General Assembly "To encourage and increase the Public School Fund of the State," be so amended aa to authorize the issuance of a common State certificate for all snch monies thns added to the Public School Fund. As our population and 'wealth increase it will offer an inducement and encourage persons benevolently inclined to dedicate a portion of their means to the sacred cause of education. A policy kindred to this has been successfully pursued by a num ber of States of the Union, as in the cases of Michigan and California above referred to, and many others that might be men tioned The State, so deeply interested in all that pertains to the education of the rising generation, will always find ample use for any moneys thus likely to be added to the Public School Fund. The State thus becomes the trustee for funds given or granted for public educational purposes, holding thvm in her own hands, and hav ing a guarantee at the same time that the interest on all such funds is sacredly ex pended for the precise objects for which they were granted or donated. THE UNIVEB3ITY COMPOSED OF VARIOUS COLLEGES. Unlike many colleges under the control of the different States, the policy of concen tration has been mainly pursued in Mis souri. The University consistsjof various departments or colleges, under fne manage ment of a common government, and where, without expense of multiplication, the dif ferent professors are utilized in each, as their services may be needed. In addition to the courses in science,literature and art, usually taught in colleges, there are in the University the departments of Agricultnre and Horticulture; the Normal Department; the Department of Civil Engineering, to gether with the professional schools. Besides the great saving of expense, there are many advantages secured to the youth of the State by th's association of various schools under one government. With the prospective increase of students, it will be seen that there is an imperative necessity for more room, either in the en largement of the present buildings or the erection of others, all available space being now fully occupied. IMPROVEMENT OF THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE FARM. Under the law of Congress of July 3d, 1862. there were certain conditions attach ed, to which the assent of each State ac cepting the grant should be given. On March 17th, 1863, the General Assembly, bv resolution, assented to all of said con- j ditions, and pledged the faith of the State to the faithful performance of the ' trust therein created. Among these conditions was the following : Second No portion of said fund, nor the interest thereon, shall be applied, -directly or indirectly, under any pretense whatever, in making improve ments ; in the purchase, erection, preserva tion or repair of any building or build ings." The States were recjnired and agreed to do this, and as Missouri has never appropriat ed anv amount for this purpose, or far nished any labor for these improvements, I commend to you a careful consideration of the recommendations that shall be made to your honorable bodies by the Board of Curators upon this subject. NUMBER OF THE BOARD OF CURATORS. Prior to the adoption of the Constitution of 1875, under laws that then existed, the number of the Board of Curators had in creased to twenty-three or twenty-four members, making the body both expensive, and unwieldy. In an effort to remedy this" difficulty, the Convention went to the other extreme, and reduced the number to nine (9), making the Board too small, with the important duties and responsibilities at taching to the office. It is recommended, therefore, that an amendment be proposed to the Constitution, to be submitted to a vote of the people, increasing the number of the Board to fifteen, in order that the responsibility be further divided and the different parts of the State be more fullj represented in said body. Continued on Seventh Page.