Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-04-01

IHE LEGISLATURE OF l8jS.-The Massach-
usetts Legislature closed Its sttings for 1888
on Saturday evening, having been in session
81 days, less number than any previoHs
legislature since the change in the Constitu
ton twenty. five years ago. with two or three
exceptions. The record of this body, its acts
passed, and its acts not passed :; the ability
OF the members, their industry, public spirit,
and mutual iorbearance, viii compare favor
ably with the same characteristics of any pre-
ylous legislature that has assembled in the
State House during the same period.
The great praise of the session does not
consist IN its shortness, nor in the iewness Of
the laws passed (only about half the average
Of the past three years. but IN the better
method and system which have been intro
duced, especially IN matters Of finance, the
public currency, the administration OF Grim
inal justice, and of probate and insolvency
proceedings, the militia, sc. The financial
reforms OF the session are evidenced by re-
dueuon OF half million in the expenses of
the year. and even greater diminution than
TINS III the aggregate Of State and county tax
atom But this is not all. The legislature,
while etfectlng very considerable reductions
IN tue necessary expense of maintaining sew
eral departments of the public service, has
rigidly RETAINED from any act, which III any
degree whatever, will enhance the cost of car
ryng on the governmental future years. The
only exception to this remark is a moderate
and deserved increase in the salaries of two
dlstiot attorneys and two registers of insol-
Vency, and an advance from 5 to per cent,
OF the maximum rate Of interest to be allow
ed to banks In the case of compulsory loans
TO the commonwealth; a simple measure OF.
justice, butnot likely to be operative for same
Tune TO come. In everything else, there has
been. a rigid abetinenee from aught that might
increase in any respect, however slight, The
burden OF future years. No new offices have
been established; no new buildings have been
begun or authorized no new schemes Of any
KIND have been undertaking no new debt
has been created and in short nothing new
has been done, involving an expenditure Of
money, excepting a very few things, for
which the means have been provided out Of
the revenue of the current year. There has
been the greateet moderation even in these
the whole amount of the special expenses of
the yer being less than $40, 900, including
several that could not be avoided in the view
OF past legislation upon analogous subjects.
While the legislature has thus scrupulously
RETAINED from adding in any considerable de.
gree to the financial burdens of its successors.
It has dealt finally with a tremendous load Of
expenditure deyolved upon it by its predeces.
sors 1t has provided for finishing the Luna
tic Hospital at Northampton, by an expendi-
ture this year OF sos, 600 it has paid the
debt OF the State prison, amounting to S2l,-
900, besides appropriating SIS ,000 for any
deficiency this year in the receipts from con-
victs' labor, although the institution is theo-
reucaly selt-suPporting it has provided
more than SIG, 600 to continue the work on
tie New Plymouth Records which will
bring this job uery near its end. 1t has dis
posed in a similar conclusive manner, of
numerous matters Of lesser gravity in their
financial aspects. In the tangled skein Of
State finances which the members of the leg
lslature found upon coming together, we be.
ieVe they have not left single Jose thread
to embarraSs their successors, and we are
sure they have introduced no new ones, with
the trivial exceptions which we have noticed
There remains, however, the serious mat
ter Of the revision of The statutes, for which
the present administration is not responsible
and which must be managed by the next leg.
islature. Mr.. Cushing's just and generous
remarks upon this subject on Saturday morn
ing. deserve the readers attention..
With regard to our State charities. which
cost the State treasury annually, some $500.
COO, including more than $500, 600 for pau
perS' tie legislature have provided joint Sc
lect comnittee to sit during the recess, to de-
wise means for the admini,tration Of these
important interests at less expense
we entertain the hope, moreover, that
with proper care and economy on the part of
the various State officers and boards in charge
OF the several departments of the public SER
vice, there may be further savings effected,
amounting to nearly $50 goo in the aggre.
gate of the appropriations which have been
made; and we do not Relieve that any ex
cess over the amounts specifed-in the appro-
priaiions will be necessary, or that any con-
siderable excess will be tolerated or ratified
by the next legislature, unless some unfore.
seen contingencies should happen to occur.
Such is the record OF the legislature of
1903. We submit it freely to the people,
ana ask II the dominant party have not more
than fulfilled the pledges upon which thew
came into DOWer Russian A5ro,t;oo.