The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-09-20

tinue to read In this line of literature
until the expiration of their terms OF
incarceration there will be no longer
any question of their fitness to repre-
sent the people in the Legislative halls.
They are certainly fast gravitating to
the title of "Honorable."
We observed that the convicts
didn't wear as fine clothes as the Leg
islature. men, which item of contrast
made the latter beam with selfcom.
plaeent smiles. They were glad TO
note such palpablc difference be.
tween themselves and Watkind's
boarders.
There was one woman in the Peni.
ten,iary, but she curled her lip in
scorn at tho familiar approaches OF
her Honorable visitors, remarking that
although in her present position she
might seem degraded she yet wished
it understood that there were depths
TO which even she could not descend.
As it was soon discovered that she
had no vote TO cast for United States
Senator, and was withal opposed to
the caucus system, she was left alone
with her deeply offended dignity.
The building Commissioners
Messrs. Wa,kinds, Holman and Meal.
exander, deserve the highest praise
for the superior workmanship and ar
tistic skill displayed in the construc.
ton of this truly palatial ediflice. 1t
is equal in size and appointments to
any similar building in the States oi
the Mississippi Valley, and would do
honor To the mother commonweal,hs
on the Atlantic seaboard. As this
building was designed and erected
under n Democratic administration i,
must remain for generations as mon.
nment TO that partys enterprise, en-
lightenment and humanity.
Superintendent Watkinds is doing
all in his power to render the prison
self-sustaining institution, aud has
already nearly succeeded in doing so.
His energy, perseverance, and dill
gent attention TO his official duties
are entitled to the highest ecomi-
ums of the people of the whole State.
Baldwin. Of Grant, to-day intro
duced into TO the Senate n Joint Res
olution TO amend the State Cons;itu.
ton in the following respects: That
the members of the Legislature re.
ceive FIVE dollars per day, instead OF
three dollars as now, and three dol
lars for every twenty miles travelled
and that the presiding officer Of each
House shall receive seven dollars per
day; that each regular Legislative
session shall not exceed ninety days
and each special session thirty days;
that the Legislature may at any time
provide for n separate Supreme
Court; that the annual salary of the
Supreme Judges shall be three thou
sand six hundred dollars, the Circui:
Judge three thousand dollars, the
Governor two thousand five hundred
dollars, the Secretary of State and
State Treasurer each two thousand
dollars; and that the State shall not
incur an Indebtedness TO exceed two
hundred aud fifty thousand dollars.
The consideration of the resolution
was made the special order for Satur.
day, Sept. 2S. The increase Of the
salaries of officials is probably well
enough, but we doubt much il the
people are prepared to have the bar
rier thrown down which forbids the
State incuring an indebtedness ex.
ceeding fifty thousand dollars. Such
a measure requires the weightest
consideration before its adoption
1t is long stride for even our pro.
gressive young State to make, from
fifty thousand to a quarter of mil.
lion Of Indebtedness. All things
considered, it occurs to me that the
old law upon this matter of State in-
debtedness is good enough for some
years yet. However, as this question
is yet in its incipency n discussion
upon it's mesits may be for the pres.
ent he'd in allegiance.
Bills are rushing into both Houses
in voluminous numbers, as though
there had never been any laws passed
for the management of the common.
wealth heretofore. OF course lots Of
the introducers don't expect theil
bills to pass, they only want to gel
noticed by somebody. AS fest as
laws of public interest are enacted
shall transmit copies for publication
M. V. B.
John w. Forney,s paper only
figures out four majority for Grant
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