Before the railroad question had assumed all its subsequent importance he gave expression to the following views: There are those who, failing to comprehend facts, are prone to charge all the ills with which business interests are afflicted, and of which they complain, to the railroad companies; and hence there is, just now, conflict in some portions of the country. While I wish it distinctly understood that in no way am I an apologist for any man, corporation, or anything tending in the least to oppression or monopoly, I am free to assert what I conceive to be a wellfounded belief, that railroads have made the West, and that their value is incalculable and universally conceded. True they have in instances become strong, powerful, and profligate organizations, resulting in wrong and oppression. This is the natural and inevitable tendency of the concentration or aggregation of great wealth, it matters not whether in railroad, bank, or manufacturing organizations, individuals or in whatever capacity it may act. While it is the duty of "the people, in whom all power reposes" under our form of government, to protect against any and all reckless and unscrupulous acts, let them come from what source they may, it is a mistaken idea that mere legislation will cure the ills with which business and morals are ofttimes afflicted. These statements of fact and opinion may also be quoted: Our population has quite doubled itself within two years past, numbering now, without doubt, at least three hundred thousand souls. The balance on hand at date of last report, December 1st, 1872, $198,287. Receipts from that date to date of present report, $1,469,408, making total receipts from all sources, of $1,667,695. The total disbursements were $1,433,152. State warrants are now and have been for a year past, at par. The State has no bonded indebtedness. The state university, insane hospital, blind and deaf and dumb asylums and state normal school were all reported as well officered and in good condition. The fifth annual reports of the warden, inspectors, physician, and chaplain, in detail, are transmitted, by which it will be seen that the number of prisoners incarcerated is fifty-four. The total current expenses of the prison for the two years, 1873 and 1874, are shown to be $58,000.43, or an average of about $538 per prisoner per year. The total amount of convict labor at forty-two cents per day is $4,343.64, or nearly forty dollars per prisoner per year. On this labor, there is now due from the contractor, unpaid, $3,418.45. Estimate for the coming two years, $45,000. But forty-one cases of sickness have occurred within the past two years, and but one death since the establishment of the prison. With the appropriation made by the legislature for that purpose, an excellent and well selected library of 438 volumes is provided and in use by the prisoners. The chaplain reports favorably and encouragingly as to the moral improvement, and reformatory tendencies of inmates. STATE LANDS. There were donated by the general government, known as saline lands, seventy-two sections. From this there have been appropriated by legislative acts: for the benefit of the state normal school, twenty sections; for the model farm, in connection with the agricultural department of the state university, two sections; for the use of the insane hospital one-fourth of a section. There have been sold to various persons, as per deed record in this office, seventeen thousand five hundred acres, leaving a balance undisposed of and on hand, of twelve thousand seven hundred and fortyfour acres. There remain to be selected and approved, to complete the seventy-two sections donated, four and onesixteenth sections. INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT LANDS. There were donated and have been selected and confirmed, five hundred thousand acres. By acts of the legislature, the whole of these lands have been appropriated and conveyed for purposes designated, to aid in the construction of railroads and bridges. In fact the records show, that by reason of hastily deeding before confirmation, thirtyone thousand four húndred and seventy-six acres have been deeded more than the State owned, or was entitled to. PUBLIC BUILDINGS LANDS. There have been received twenty sections designated as for public buildings. The whole of these lands were, by act of February 10th, 1871, transferred, or appropriated to aid in the construction of the state penitentiary. PENITENTIARY LANDS. There were donated for the erection of a state penitentiary, fifty sections, which, in addition to the twenty sections before named, made seventy sections applicable for that purpose. Of these there have been sold and used in the erection of buildings, forty-three thousand one hundred and eighteen acres, leaving on hand, undisposed of, one thousand six hundred and seventy-six acres. UNIVERSITY LANDS. Seventy-two sections were donated, selected and con firmed. AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE LANDS. Ninety thousand acres were donated and selected, of which eighty-nine thousand four hundred and sixty acres have been confirmed, leaving five hundred and forty acres yet unconfirmed. The school lands alone, if sold, would create a permanent school fund of over $20,000,000. EDUCATION. The report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the years 1873 and 1874 is most gratifying to the friends of education. At the close of the fiscal year 1872, there were 538 school houses in the State, valued at about $700,000. The present report shows 1,345 school houses, valued at a fraction over $1,300,000. An increase of over eight hundred buildings, and $600,000 valuation in the two years. The total number of pupils at the close of the year 1872 was 51,123; at the close of 1874, 72,991, showing an increase in the two years of 21,868. The total amount of school money apportioned by the Superintendent for the years 1871 and 1872 was somewhat over $370,000. The past two years the total amount apportioned was nearly $100,000 of an increase. At the close of the year 1872 there were 1,512 qualified teachers in the State. The reports for 1873 and 1874 show 2,200. LINCOLN CITY LOTS. The capital city, Lincoln, as originally platted, consisted of two hundred and eighty-seven blocks, or three thousand four hundred and forty-seven lots. Of these sixteen blocks were donated for public squares and railroad depot purposes. One hundred and fifty-five lots were deeded in consideration of lots in the old Lancaster town-site. Twelve lots were donated to the State Historical Society, forty to the various churches and benevolent societies, and twelve to the Lincoln Steam Mill Company. Two thousand nine hundred and thirteen lots were sold for the aggregate sum of two hundred and ninety-three thousand three hundred and fifty-eight dollars and seventy-five cents. Three hundred and fourteen lots remain unsold. The unsold lots are principally in the Salt Creek bottom, and of no considerable value at present. A report by Governor Furnas, January, 1873, revealed the disposition made of 500,000 acres of land donated for internal improvements as follows: To Burlington and Missouri R. R. R.... 50,104 acres To Brownville, Fort Kearney and Pacific R. R.. 19,989 acres To Sioux City and Pacific R. R... 99,973 acres .100,010 acres 80,069 acres 47,327 acres 1,000 acres 1,000 acres To Balance 499,502 acres 1,384 acres 500,886 acres On the first day of January, 1875, there were one thousand one hundred and seven and sixty-nine hundredths (1,107.69) miles completed railroads in the State: Union Pacific, 459.90 miles; Burlington and Missouri River in Nebraska, 190.75 miles; Atchison and Nebraska, 110.78 miles; St. Joseph and Denver, 88.50 miles; Midland Pacific, 83 miles; Omaha and Southwestern, 47.05 miles; Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley, 50.75 miles; Omaha and Northwestern, 40 miles; Sioux City and Pacific, 26.96 miles; Brownville and Fort Kearney, 10 miles. The promptness and self sacrificing zeal with which Governor Furnas met and assisted to remedy a great state calamity, independent of aid from the state treasury, merited the generous commendation of those who had hearts to feel and a willingness to act. FRONTIER HARDSHIPS. Our own State, like most other portions of the country at large, especially the West, has been afflicted the past season with short crops, by reason of drouth and grasshopper devastation. While the injury has been greater than for any and all causes heretofore in the history of the Territory and State, and can not be otherwise than discouraging, particularly to the agriculturists, there is no disposition manifested to abandon any portion of the State. As soon as satisfied as to results narrated, and as greatly exaggerated reports were in circulation as to probable wants and suffering that would follow to those in the new counties and on the extreme borders, I immediately placed Supplementing this voluntary action, Congress enacted an extension of time in behalf of homesteaders, and a cash appropriation of $30,000 for the purchase of seeds, to be distributed among the absolutely destitute for the succeeding year's planting. All persons who made settlement in Nebraska since 1875, are unable to understand the true import of "grasshopper devastation." The first visitation of these terrible pests was in the fall of 1866, when a portion of the corn crop had matured and the later planted and fall wheat furnished their supply of food. Having deposited their eggs and died before the beginning of winter, the people lived in painful expectancy of greater destruction when the genial rays of spring should give life to a new and ravenous brood. But their subsequent experience taught them, |