Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-10-14

may be learned from the report of the Sec
retary of the Board Of Education. We are
expending annually nearly five hundred
thousand dollars in the support of free
schools, with an aggregate average attend
ance of nearly fifty thousand children, while
the number of children of school age is about
seventy-six thousand. Should we not seek
for some means of securing larger attend
ance upon our schools? 1t is the Ignorant
and idle that furnish inmates for our reform
school, .iails and prisons
1t would seem that the obligations of pa
rents TO their children ought to be sufficient
to secure the attendance of much larger
number OF scholars upon our public schools.
1t has, however, been found necessary to en-
act laws regulating this matter. and we are
| asked in the Secretarys report, if these laws
cannot in their operations be made more
! effective, by making it the duty of the school
officers to inquire into, and prosecute viola
tions. Is it not matter of prudence in the
expenditure of our public money, that it
should be paid only to well qualified teachers
As a means of securing them, and receiving
the greatest benefit from schools, we
should, by generous aid, develop the full
power for the good of our Normal Schools
MILITIA.
As required under the Act of 1867, the
State has been divided into three military
districts. The first district consists of the
counties of Addison, Bennington. Rutland
and Chittenden The second district of
Washington, Orange, Windsor and Wind
ham, and the third of Caledonia, Essex,
Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille and Orleans
/ The necessary orders have been issued
under which organizations can he made to
/ fill up the regiments and battery. As yet
only eight companies and two sections of
artillery h1Ve hppn orpanIZe1 bnf is he
lieved that the continuance of the present
| policy Will secure full organization in all
the districts, and give some vitality to our
militia system.
A considerable portion of the expenses in
CURED during the year in the department
have been in collection. as required by law,
of the arms and equipments IN the hands of
the the State Militia, and putting them in
proper order. There now remains outstand-
ing quite an amount of property belonging to
the State, the return of which can only be
insured by the enlistment of law more strin-
gent in its provisions than the present stat
ute
STATES ATTORNEYS.
The operations of the law providing what
in most counties of the State is a wholly in
adequate salary for the duties that should be
discharged by our States Attorneys, leave
undone a large amount of criminal business,
to the great injury of our communities. An
increase of salary. or what would be better
a return to a system of fees, would more fully
comply with that Constitutional provision
which requires that - Laws for the encourage
ment of virtue, and prevention of vice and
immortality ought TO be constantly kept in
force, and duly executed
STATE PRISON.
The reports of the officers OF the State
Prison are quite full, and doubtless will prove
satisfactory. There are now confined in the
institution seventy-two male and four female
convicts The expenditure has been thirteen
thousand two hundred and nineteen dollars
and the income sixty-eight hundred and six
dollars, leaving balance Of expenses over
income. of sixty-four hundred and thirteen
dollars nearly the average of the past four
years. 1t cannot be expected to show better
results during the continuance of the present
contract for the labor Of the convicts, which
expires in 1871. The operation of the laws
Of last session are beneficial in their effects
upon the discipline OF the Prison. The com
mutation of sentence prov idcd for i much
more effective than the expectation Of par
don, and entertaining this view, but few of
the numerous applications for Executive
clemency have been granted The sugges-
tions Of the officers of the Prison on this point
meet my cordial approval.
REFORM SCHOOL.
The appropriation of last year, for
Workshop for the Reform School. has been
expended. The Trustees have erected a
substantial brick building, ut cost of
twcnty-nine hundred dollars and have made
other improvements on the grounds and
buildings. with Il view to the permanency of
the institution.
The expenses Of the school have been
ten thousand five hundred and thirteen dol
lars. from which is to be deducted seventeen
hundred and seventy-nine dollars, the earn
ings Of the bows in the shop. The products
Of the farm, for the current year, amount in
value to twenty-nine hundred and sixty-five
dollars, and have principally been used i'll
the support Of the school.
The school has had eighty-seven inmates
during the year. and now has sixty boys
under its charge Twelve of this number
are placed out in good situations 10 remain
during good behavior This course relieves
the State from expense, and must prove an
advantage to the boys who have reformed and
desire to show themselves worthy of being
trusted. \ number Of young men have
graduated respectfully, prepared for business
and are in good situations. 1t is suggested
that the law in regard to alternative SEN
tences, needs amendment to make it effective,
and that the profitable employment of the
boys, would seem to require an enlargement
of the farm.
The Trustees report the school as under
efficient management, and that it is accom-
plishing its work of reform with a reasona-
bic expectation of useful and honorable lives
from It's graduates. The facts developed in
this Report, are well worth your candid
consideration.
RECIPROCITY.
~ 10
the dominion of Canada, is now a matter of
negotiation between the General Govern
nent and the authorities in Canada, in con-
nection with their home government
Any treaty that may be entered upon will
require ratification on the part of the Senate
of the United States, and doubtless some
legislative action on the part of Congress to
make it effective Although it might not
be best for us to enter upon the discussion
of the details of exchange Of products. while
these negotiations are pending, we may pro
perly consider the commercial and political
aspects and in the view, no apology is
necessary for inviting your attention to the
subject.
The questions involved are of vital i1npor-
tance, not only to Vermont and New York,
but TO all the New England States, and the
states bordering upon, and tributary to. the
Northern Lakes. The annual increase of the
productions of these Western States has ex-
ceeded the capacity of transportation of all
the avenues to the Atlantic. At recent
commercial convention in the West, it was de-
clared as the deliberate sense of the large
assembly, that 1.-The canals and various
railroads leading to and from the Lakes,
while they have contributed vastly to develop
the resources, increase the wealth and pro-
mote the permanent union of our country