The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1867-10-15

people. which i one 81 the 6rst duties
Of the State / commend this subject
TO yonr liberal consideration.
Bank Commissioner.
The duties Of Bank Commissioners
during the past yoar have been almost
nominal. | recommend that the office
he abolished. and that SONS other State
officer be authorized TO perform sneh
acts As may hereafter be required in
this department.
Safo Prison.
Until within n few years our State
Prison has been self sustaining, but
owing 30 the high prices II clothing
and provisions, with no corresponding
increase Of income, 1t has become nee
cssary TO draw upon the treasury 0 n
siderable sums TO meet the deficiency.
During the past year ten thousand
four hundred and twenty-soven dollars
aud FIVE cents have been required for
this purpose. Turning to the neigh
boring States ! find that their prisons
are q source OF income, aud it behoyes
us to inquire what can be done 10 place
our prison on a paying basis. The en-
actment of a law has been suggested,
requiring the directors TO advertise for
proposals for new contracts at least SIX
months before the expiration Of existing
contracts for the labor of the inmates.
1t has been thought that this, with the
adoption Of a better system Of discipline
would bring about the desired results.
The superintendent is of the opinion, in
which | concur, hat additional proyi-
sions should be made for the female
conyicts. At present il is almost i'm
possible to maintain any discipline in
this department for want o fproper ac-
commodatlons.
Reform School.
The establishment Of q school for the
reformation Of juvenile offenders hav-
ing be come Il policy, provisions for
its necessities the coming year should
be made at this session.
II is my belief that great good is he
ing done in elevation our maynard
youth, and preparing them for useful
and honorable lives, and | am convinced
that a familiarity with the operations
OF the Vermont Reform School would
commend it TO your sympathy and sup
port. For information Oh this subject,
you are referred to the interesting re-
ports of the Trustees and Superintend-
ent.
Resources Of the State.
The resources Of the State, as devel-
oped in its agriculture, in its manufac-
lures, its quarries, and its mines, merit
and should receive, your careful atten-
ton. The Legislation on these subjects
should be such as to secure to our peo-
pie the greatest advantages from these
sources, by inducing the influx Of capt
tai for their development, and inviting
investments, without hampering them
by unnecessary conditions and %restric-
tons, for extending u manufactures,
opening and working our quarries and
mines, and increasing our railroad ia
e%ilities.
In most particulars, our laws com
pare favorably with those of other States
in these respects. In some of their pro-
visions however, / shall have occasion
to indicate reforms which seem to me
to be needed.
Vermont is pre-eminently an agricul-
tural State, having thirteen-twentieths
Of its four millions Of acres, under inn
proyement, and we have cause for graf
ltude to the Giyer of all things for the
abundent harvest that has rewarded
the labors of or husbandmen during
the year. The increased value Of the
real and personal estate in Vermont
from 1850 to 1860, as given i'll the cen
sus, was a little over thirty millions Of
dollars, and this on q gold basis. Oh
this sum twenty-eight millions was in
the increased value OF the real estate.
Had we the statistics to the present
time, they would show a still larger
rate Of increase, This large advance
can only be ascribed to the system Of
railroads, put in operation during that
period, opening to producers easy com
m%unication with markets before mac
cessible. Take up our iron rails and
you reduce the value Of our farms and
quarries more bar the entire cost OF
the roads. Those within u few miles Of
our railroads derive the most benefit
from them. Therefore the opening o.
new roads to accommodate more remote
sections would aid largely in develop.
ing the OF the State.
When we turn to our manufacturing
and mechanical industries we find that
with superior facilities, in many res.
poets we are far behind our sister States
Of New England. AT the taking OF the
last census we had only fifteen hundred
establishments, using an aggregate cap
ital Of nearly ten millions, and employ
ing a little oyer ten thousand persons
with sixteen millions Of dollars in an.
nual products, while our %neighbors OF
the other side 81 the Connecticut rive
show results three times as great. i
cannot with truth be claimed that the,
hold a more favorable position, or hay'
superior natural advantages; but wheI
We look on their Legislation, we fne
that they encourage manufacturers b,
the exemption Of new establishment
from taxation, and by other wise law
throw about them the fostering care 0
the State. In this connection, permi
$3.50 - III "a