West-Jersey pioneer., 1868-01-17

healthy climate, our equal laws, educa-
tional arrangements, rail and other roads,
and the prospects held out to all of easily
realizing competence by settling among
us.
100000 tons of Mail has been carried
over cur railroads, beside the vast amount
used near the beds, aud have done mucl,
to increase the fertility of our soil. SS5
miles of railroad are already completed
within our bounds and 6S more are in
process of construction This gives us q
mile of railroad to every eight square
miles in the State, and is also a mile
of railroad to every S37 Inhabitants.
Our "prison system" he thinks needs
reformation. Officers should not be re-
moved for political reasons the methods
OF punishment ought to be specified, and
moral agencies should be more extensive
ly used especially those which are based
upon rewards for good conduct. The
contract system" of hiring out the con-
Wet labor should be abolished aud a plan
of conducting their work by commission
ers be substituted. Under our contract
system the convict labor is worth to the
State but thirty-seven and a half cents
per day, while in other States this labor
makes the prisons self supporting, and in
one instance the average of receipts from
this source is dollar and thirty-six cents
per day to each convict. Increased ac-
comodations are necessary, and the Gov
ernor offers a plan by which they can be
secured.
$4,000 dollars will be needed from
the State to meet the current expenses of
this year, while repairs and salaries will
bring this amount up to over the avails
of convict labor Sl05,754 r. There
were S85 prisoners confined during the
year, of whom only 165 were natives of
New Jersey. OF these prisoners SIG
were males and only 81 were females
The Reform School is spoken of in terms
of high commentator, and the Governor
proposes that the Legislature shall by
law compel the parents who are able to
pay the cost of maintenance for the child
rem who may be placed within it, This
he thinks would be stimulus to parents
to correct the morals of the children
Its expenses have always been little
over $4,000. The care of the State for
its feeble minded children-its deaf,
dumb and blind people are alluded to in
terms of just pride, and the condition of
these classes shown to be largely anchor
ated by the interest taken by the State
in their welfare. The State lunatic as
sylum has been conducted with more
than usual success, and an additional ap-
preparation of $4,000 is asked for by its
managers. 62l patients have been treat
ed in the institution during the year, of
whom l26 have been discharged, either
cured or permanently improved.
He recommends the establishment of
Sanitary Commission for the prevention
of disease and pauperism. An institu-
ton of this character would he thinks be
of the greatest value to the health and
morals of the people.
He recommends a complete revision
of our military laws, and shows that as
they stand at present they are of but lit
tie practical value. The soldiers claims
are being rapidly settled, and by the
State arrangements the fee of ten per
cent. usually charged for collecting is
saved to these noble men.
The Home for disabled soldiers has
been very prosperous, having had 502
inmates, at a cost to the State $50, ,289.4 .43,
or about Sc cents day for each bene-
iciary. There is proposition to con-
meet it with the National Asylum, which
will very materially reduce its expenses
The Soldiers Children's Home has had
within its walls the past year 151 chill
dren, who have been well cared for and
instructed.
The New Jersey War History. by John
Y. Foster, is completed, and will in few
days be issued by the publishers, and will
form an invaluable addition, both from
the facts it puts on permanent record and
the ability of its author, to the history of
New Jersey.
He recommends that the Legislature
declare the right of the State to the title
of the lands lying under water, and shows
that they represent a value of several
millions, which ought to accrue to the
benefit of the State, and would do so if
the title were properly settled by legisla-
tive enactment
He concludes with short allusion to
our national affairs, and expresses his
views of the proper policy to be adopted
by the national authorities in the recon
struction of the Southern States, the
basis of which ought to- be "Loyalty,
Liberty and Humanity" and closes by
the remark, that in this way our onward
and upward career will be assured alike
by the wisdom of man and the favor of
God.