The value of flour manufactured in the State in 1877 is estimated at $15,500,000, and that of manufactures of all kinds at $42,600,000. and The inquiries of the commissioners have elicited information respecting a variety of sugar-cane which is cultivated on a small scale with great profit, and which, it is believed, can be made an invaluable addition to the general products of the State. The cane is said to yield from 150 to 200 gallons of sirup per acre, which is readily granulated, and experiments have shown it practicable to grow sugar liquid products valued at $150 per acre, while, in addition, the leaves of the plant equal in weight and value crops of the best hay as food for stock. The article has excited wide-spread interest for its many uses, and it is the prevalent conviction among inquirers that farmers can profitably produce their own sugar and sirups of a quality equal, when skillfully manufactured, to those of Louisiana. The bountiful crops of last year, coupled with fair prices, have stimulated an extraordinary demand for the cheap and productive lands of the State. Official reports from the several United States land offices show for the year a total absorption of the government domain, under the various modes prescribed, amounting to 850,000 acres, of which 410,900 were taken during the three months succeeding harvest. The same unusual demand for lands is shown by the sales of the several railroad companies, which comprise a total of 223,419 acres, more than two-thirds of which were sold during the latter half of the year. Adding the sales of the State land office, comprising those of school, internal improvement, and other State lands, amounting to 33,531 acres, a grand total of about 1,107,000 acres is shown to have been transferred to individuals during 1877. A far greater part of this is intended for immediate cultivation than was ever before devoted to practical use in a single year. The effect of this land movement has been a rapid increase in the population of the State, which is now estimated at nearly 700,000. The returns of vital statistics show a total of 24,205 births, and 7,043 deaths, being a continuance of the rare proportion, heretofore shown, of more than three births to one death. These returns also show the deaths to have included no case of small-pox for two years prior to 1877, while of those of the latter year, 213 were caused by old age. The report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction gives the following summary of common schools for 1877: The number of persons confined in the Stateis 23 in excess of the capacity of the prison. prison at the close of the year was 235, which The current expenses for the year were $45,075, and the earnings $23,322, leaving a net cost to the State of $21,753. This shows an which is a reduction of $28 from that of the average yearly cost per convict of $109.86, that "steps looking to the early construction preceding year. of another prison be immediately taken," and that the convicts be employed in the construction of the buildings. The Governor recommends The number of patients in the Hospital for the Insane is 579, and the full capacity of the The urgent necessity for immediate action," says the Govhospital, was shown in the last Legislature, but ernor, "looking to the erection of another the necessary steps for the purpose were not taken. The necessity for action is now still more imperative, and as the preliminary selection of a site combining so many requisites will absorb much time, the matter will admit of no further delay. This requirement, and that of the State-prison before referred to, must of necessity take precedence of the claims of all institution is limited to 600. 66 other institutions." The railroad facilities of Minnesota are shown in the following statement: River Division-La Crescent to St. Paul... St. Paul & Pacific: Main line-St. Anthony to Breckinridge Branch-St. Paul to Sauk Rapids... St. Vincent extension-Sauk Rapids to Melrose. St. Vincent extension-Barnes northward... St. Vincent extension-Barnes to Breckinridge. Brainerd branch--Sauk Rapids to Brainerd.. St. Paul & Sioux City-St. Paul to St. James.. Sioux City & St. Paul - St. James to State line. Worthington & Sioux Falls... Winona & St. Peter-Winona to State line Connection with Mankato.. Southern Minnesota-La Crescent to Winnebago City.. Northern Pacific-Junction to Fargo St. Paul & Duluth-St. Paul to Duluth. St. Paul, S. & T. F.-St. Fanl to Stillwater Branches-To Hudson and S. Stillwater.. Central Railroad-Mankato to Wells...... Total....... Miles. 123 75 127 9 12 207 76 85 106 23 67 121 66 80 2884 4 167 229 156 171 6 18 15 123 40 2,120 Of the above total, 1,900 miles were in operation in 1872, so that only about 220 miles have been completed since that year. About $2,982.516 six-sevenths of the entire mileage of the State 4.742 $3,378,569 was built in the eight years from 1865 to 1872 inclusive. There is now in process of construction a narrow-gauge railroad from Wabasha to Zumbrota, a distance of about 35 miles. It is expected that the 62 miles necessary to The following summary of the insurance transactions within the State during the year, is given by the Insurance Commissioner: complete the St. Vincent extension north of Glyndon to Pembina will soon be built; that the St. Cloud branch of the St. Paul & Pacific will be extended to Alexandria; that the Worthington & Sioux Falls Railroad will be completed to the latter point; and that the Hastings & Dakota will be finished about 25 or 30 miles beyond Glencoe. These enterprises will add about 178 miles to the total length of the railroads in the State. The Republican Convention assembled in St. Paul, September 27th, and made the following nominations for Governor, Governor John S. Pillsbury; for Lieutenant-Governor, J. B. Wakefield; for Secretary of State, John S. Irgeus; for Treasurer, William Pfaender; for Attorney-General, George P. Wilson; and for Railroad Commissioner, W. R. Marshall. The following platform was adopted: 1. Resolved, That we declare our unswerving devotion to those fundamental principles which gave birth and inspiration to the great Republican party, and in behalf of which the national unity has been preserved at an incalculable cost; that the truth and value of these principles have been attested alike by the achievements of peace and the sacrifices of war, and that in their maintenance and practical enforcement abide the common hope of all men, regardless of creed, color, or nativity. We believe that with the suppression of armed resistance to the national authority the object of our late war was substantially achieved, and that pursuant to the true theory of representative government, which tolerates no subject race among its people, the several States should now be left free to manage their local affairs in their own way, subject only, upon national issues, to the constitutional and paramount authority of the United States, and we hail with gratification the efforts of a wise and patriotic President to promote sentiments of peace and fraternal concord among the people of all the States of this Union, in recognition of the broad principle of national unity, local self-government, and the equal rights of all citizens of one common country. 2. Resolved, That the sincere and persistent efforts of President Hayes to redeem the promises made in his letter of acceptance and inaugural message, as well as the repeated pledges of the Republican party in behalf of civil service reform, deserve the cordial support of the Republican party, and commend themselves to the best sentiment of the country at large; and believing as we do, that purity, efficiency, and economy in the administration of public affairs will be in exact proportion as honesty and capability become the qualifications for public, as they are for private service, we recognize the right to make nominations to office as the exclusive prerogative of that power which is responsible for their mismanagement, and we reprobate all unwarrantable interference therewith, as a reproach upon the character of the public service, and detrimental to the public welfare. 3. Resolved, That we commend the conservative financial policy by which the national currency is steadily and surely approaching a gold standard, and believe that simple persistence in the practice of that prudence and economy which have long been recognized as the essential conditions of private pros perity, coupled with the healthful business revival already resulting therefrom, now everywhere observable, will lead to that early resumption of specie payments to which both the invariable policy of the Republican party and the faith of the Government are solemnly pledged. [We also hold that all bonds or promises to pay money made by the United States prior to the passage of the Act of Congress of Feb ruary 12, 1874, and rightfully payable in either gold or silver coin, as the United States may elect, and that the provisions of that statute by which it is enin sums of five dollars or less, ought to be reacted, that the silver dollar shall be a tender only pealed.] 4. Resolved, That we demand that all measures hereafter proposed by the Legislature of this State bonds shall be submitted to a popular vote at a genfor the adjustment of the so-called State railroad eral election only, and receive a majority of all the votes cast as provided in said amendment, before it shall have any force or validity. pily passed away from us, has left in its trail any 5. Resolved, That if the scourge which has hapcases of want and suffering, or of inability to commence and carry on farming operations for want of necessary material, that such necessities should be relieved at the public expense, and that legislative where proper efforts have been made by the sufaid in all such cases should be invoked and given ferers. 6. Resolved, That the efficiency, economy, and ability manifested during the last two years by all the executive officers of the State of Minnesota, are a source of just pride to our party and State, and alike commend their officers and the party to the confidence and support of all good men. tization of silver. 7. Resolved, That we are in favor of the remone FIRST STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, WINONA. The Prohibitionists met in Convention in Minneapolis, September 11th, and nominated the Rev. A. Willey for Governor, P. A. Jewell for Lieutenant-Governor, M. T. Anderson for Secretary of State, and J. E. Child for AttorneyGeneral. They adopted a platform which demands of the Government complete legal suppression of the traffic in alcoholic liquors of all kinds, to be used for drinking purposes; such legislation to be secured through both national and State Governments, within their respective constitutional powers; declares that as matter of conscience they cannot vote and cooperate with political parties who favor the license system of alcoholic liquors as a beverage, believing this system to be the gigantic "crime of crimes;" favors the resumption of specie payments, the remonetization of silver, postoffice savings-banks, and heartily indorses the proposed constitutional amendment of this State, giving adult women the right to vote on all questions relating to the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors; and that the ballot is the right of all citizens qualified by age, irrespective of sex. The Democratic Convention was held in St. Paul, October 2d, when the following ticket was nominated: for Governor, William Banning; Lieutenant-Governor, L. L. Ames; AttorneyGeneral, John R. Jones; Secretary of State, P. T. Lindholm; Treasurer, John T. Meagher; Railroad Commissioner, H. W. Hill. The resolutions adopted denounced the frauds and crimes by which the people's choice for President and Vice-President was defeated; congratulated the country that President Hayes found it necessary to adopt the Democratic policy of self-government, and to abandon devices of perpetuating sectional jealousy and hatred; accused the Republican party of acting in the interest of capital against labor, by making the public debt, which was promised in legal tender, payable in coin; arraigned it for demonetizing silver, for passing the Resumption Act, for raising, expending, and wasting enormous revenues, and for adopting a high protective tariff; censured Republicans for keeping in Congress men notoriously in favor of high tariffs; and declared gold and silver the only constitutional legal tender, that resumption should come as soon as the business interest of the country would permit, that the demonetization of silver was a step backward, and that the silver dollar of the old commercial value should be restored. The election resulted in the success of the Republican ticket. The total vote for Governor was 97,632, of which Pillsbury (Rep.) received 57,071; Banning (Dem.), 39,140; and Willey (Prohib.), 1,431; Pillsbury's majority over Banning being 17,931. At the same election the amendments to the Constitution, which had been proposed by the Legislature of 1877, were ratified by the people, and are now a part of the organic law of the State. Section one of article four was amended so as to provide for biennial instead of annual sessions of the Legislature, no session to exceed the term of 60 days. The vote on this was 87,995 for, and 20,833 against. Section twenty-four of article four was amended so as to read as follows: "The Senators shall be chosen by single districts of convenient, contiguous territory, at the same time that the members of the House of Representatives are required to be chosen, and in the same manner, and no Representative district shall be divided in the formation of a Senate district. The Senate districts shall be numbered in a regular series; the term of office of Senators and Representatives shall be the same as now prescribed by law, until the general election in the year 1878, at which time there shall be an entire new election of all the Senators and Representatives. Representatives chosen at such election, or at any election thereafter, shall hold their office for the term of two years, except it be to fill a vacancy, and the Senators chosen at such election by districts designated as odd numbers shall go out of office at expiration of the second year, and the Senators chosen by districts designated by even numbers shall go out of office at the expiration of the fourth year, and thereafter Senators shall be chosen for four years, except there shall be an entire new election of all the Senators at the election of Representatives next succeeding each new apportionment provided for in this article." This was ratified by a vote of 33,072 to 25,099. Section two of article five was amended so as to read as follows: "The returns of every election for the officers named in the foregoing section shall be made to the Secretary of State, who shall call to his assistance two or more of the judges of the Supreme Court, and two disinterested judges of the District Courts of the State, who shall constitute a board of canvassers, who shall open and canvass said returns and declare the result within three days after such canvass." The officers here referred to are Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Attorney-General. Before amendment the Constitution required the returns of elections to be made to the Secretary of State, and by him transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who should cause the same to be opened and canvassed before both Houses of the Legislature, and the result declared within three days after the organization of each House. This amendment was ratified by a vote of 36,072 for, to 21,814 against. Section three of article eight of the Constitution provides that "the Legislature shall make such provisions, by taxation or otherwise, as, with the income arising from the school fund, will secure a thorough and efficient system of public schools in each township in the State." By a vote of 36,780 for, and 16,667 against, this was amended by adding the following: "But in no case shall the moneys derived as aforesaid, or any portion thereof, or any public moneys or property, be appropriated or used for the support of schools wherein the distinctive doctrines, creeds, or tenets of any particular Christian or other religious sect, are promulgated or taught." 66 The following amendment, being an additional section to article seven, was rejected by a vote of 32,963 nays and 26,468 yeas: Any woman of the age of twenty-one years and upward, belonging to either of the classes mentioned in section one of this article, who shall have resided in the United States one year, and in the State for four months, next preceding any election at which the question of selling or restraining the sale, or licensing the selling, or of the manufacture of intoxicating liquors, shall be voted upon in the election district in which she then resides, shall be entitled to vote at such election on all or any of such questions in such election district; and all laws for the registration of male voters shall apply in all respects to women voting under this section, and also to those voting under section eight (8) of this article." The proposed amendment of section three of article ten, so as to read, "Each stockholder in any corporation shall be liable only for all unpaid installments on stock owned by him, or transferred for the purpose of defrauding creditors," was rejected by 26,020 nays, to 24,415 yeas. In January, William Windom was reëlected United States Senator for the term beginning March 4, 1877. MISSISSIPPI. The regular session of the Legislature of Mississippi, which began on the 1st day of January, adjourned on the 1st of February. A large number of acts of a local nature were passed. Among the more important of these were several authorizing counties and cities to fund their floating indebtedness. The city of Vicksburg was authorized to compromise its bonded indebtedness by issuing 5 per cent. bonds with 50 years to run, to take the place of the "ten per cent. improvement bonds," and "the Vicksburg, Pensacola & Ship Island Railroad bonds," at a rate "not exceeding 65 cents of new indebtedness for one dollar of the old, computing for the principal of the latter only, all interest being excluded." Two new counties were created under the names of Quitman and Sharkey. An act was passed providing for a State Board of Health, composed of two "physicians of skill and ability" from each of the six congressional districts of the State, to be appointed by the Governor, "upon the recommendation of the State Medical Association," and three others from the State at large to act as Sanitary Commissioners. The supervisors of the counties of Harrison, Hancock, and Jackson were also authorized to appoint local boards of health, to establish a quarantine "at all ports of the State in their respective counties." An act to encourage the growing of grapes and the manufacture of domestic wine allowed the sale of such wine put up, in bottles or otherwise, in quantities not less than one gallon, without payment of license-tax. It also made provision against adulteration of such wine. An act to improve the State Penitentiary authorized the superintendent to make necessary repairs at a cost not exceeding $25,000, and transferred from the commissioners to the superintendent the authority to lease the labor of convicts. An amendment of the registration law was made, depriving county boards of registration of the power to select one of their number to register voters, and requiring the work to be done by a quorum of the board in each case, such quorum to consist of not less than two members. Some unimportant amendments to the school-laws were made, one of them requiring assessors in the several counties to make an enumeration of "educable children in their respective counties" every two years, designating age, color, and sex. An act to revise the laws relating to swamp-lands pro January 1, 1880, $81,950; January 1, 1896, $227,150. The warrants of the State have been at par during the year. The receipts of the Treasury for the year were $865,327.47; disbursements, $562,084.69. The number of "educable children" in the State is reported at 324,661, of whom 150,660 are white and 174,001 colored. Reports of attendance from 59 out of the 75 counties show 77,613 white and 69,271 colored children, or 146,884 in all in the schools during the year. The number of teachers employed was 3,761. Receipts for school purposes in 58 counties amounted to $156,898.21; expenditures, $443,857.35. The average number of days that schools were in session was 80.7 in cities and towns, and 77.2 outside of cities and towns. The number of students at the University of Mississippi during the session of 1877-'78 was 391. The institution has a chancellor, 8 professors, a principal of high-school department, 4 tutors, and 4 members of the senior class acting as special tutors. At the Alcorn University for colored students there were 48 at the close of the year. It has a president and three professors. The Normal School at Holly Springs has 88 pupils. The Normal Department of Tongaloo University, which has been under the charge of State Trustees, had an average monthly attendance of 50. The American Missionary Society, which maintains the University, has refused latterly to permit the State Trustees to control the Normal Department, although it has been mainly supported by State appropriation. It is now proposed to withdraw the support and apply it elsewhere. The number of pupils at the Institute for the Blind at the close of the year was 29; at the Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, 41. The Lunatic Asylum on the 31st of December contained 391 patients. The cost of its support for the year was $58,900. A new wing has been added, and the capacity of the institution is sufficient for 410 inmates. On the 1st of December there were 1,012 convicts in the State Penitentiary, of whom 112 were white and 900 colored. Of the whole number 623 were received during the 12 months preceding. The institution is in the hands of lessees who employ the convicts under a contract with the superintendent. They have also taken a contract to repair the buildings, the sum of $22,391.56 being allowed them for the purpose and credited on their lease. The State Convention of the Democratic party was held at Jackson on the 1st and 2d of August. Ten ballots were taken before a candidate for Governor was agreed upon, and then Governor John M. Stone was renominated. The other candidates were: for LieutenantGovernor, W. H. Sims; Secretary of State, Kinloch Falconer; State Treasurer, W. L. Hemingway; Auditor, Sylvester Gwin; AttorneyGeneral, T. C. Catchings; Superintendent of Education, James A. Smith. The platform adopted was as follows: The Democratic party of Mississippi, grateful for the success of its past efforts in the cause of reform and of just and honest government, and invoking the blessings of Heaven on their future endeavors in the same cause, do adopt and proclaim the following platform of principles: Fidelity to the Constitution of the United States, home rule, and the preservation of the State governments, with all their reserved and guaranteed rights unimpaired. No interference by the military power with the freedom of elections, and with the civil and political rights of citizens of the United States. The protection of the equal rights of all classes-no discrimination on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude, or birthplace, and no special legislation for the benefit of the few at the expense of the many. A strict adherence, in the selection of public agents, honest, is he capable, is he true to the Constituto the time-honored Jeffersonian standard, "Is he tion?"" A continuation of the policy of retrenchment and reform so signally inaugurated by the Democratic party, and a reduction of the burdens of taxation to tion of the laws. the lowest point compatible with an efficient execu Corporations of every description supervisable within constitutional limits by State authority, and subordinate to State legislation, in the interest and for the protection of the people. As the perpetuity telligence of the people, we pledge ourselves to the of free government depends upon the virtue and inmaintenance of our State system of free schools. We favor the granting of such aid as may be extended without violation of the Constitution of the United States, or departing from the established usages of the Government, to the Texas Pacific Railroad, and for the rebuilding and keeping in repair of the levees of the Mississippi River. lic policy we invite the cooperation of all citizens That upon this platfor.n of principles and of pub without regard to past differences, in support of the candidates nominated by this Convention. Resolved, That unity and harmony are essential to victory; that all independent movements are dangerous to the integrity of party organization; that all independent candidates are inspired solely by a lust for office; that they shall be treated as common enemies to the welfare of the people and avowed enemies of the Democratic party of the State of Mississippi. Shortly after the convention an address to the people was issued by the State Executive Committee, in which the Democratic administration of the Government was reviewed and compared with that which preceded it. The Republicans held no convention and made no nominations. Consequently the election of the Democratic candidates was effected without a contest. The total vote for Governor was 97,550, of which Stone received 96,382 and 1,168 were returned as scattering. The vote on the constitutional amendment abolishing the office of Lieutenant-Governor was 49,910 for it and 15,183 against it, no returns being made on the amendment from six counties. On the amendment providing for biennial sessions of the Legislature the vote as returned was 58,112 for it and 4,005 against. A majority of the average number of votes cast for Representatives in the Legislature was necessary for ratification. As such average was 53,802, the first amendment was rejected and the second adopted. The amendment which was adopted is substituted for section 6 of ar |