Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-02-20
ST.. PAUL, Feb. II, 1873.

inmates Of this institution are furnish
I'd by St. Paul and Minneapolis, and
there is growing uuwillingness among
from, other localities to
permit The State to be charged with the
entire burden Of supporting it. Jus
lice and equality would seem to require
the cities to support their own criminals.
It is enough that the State is required
to reform, them. Estimates Of expense
for maintenance, based upon local rep
should be made annually,
and each county represented should BE-
made annually, and each county repre-
sented should be required, BY a genera!
law. to levy, and pay over from its col
counties now do State tax.
es-its pro rata Of tho whole sum to
be raised. The money to be drawn out
Of the State Treasury as other funds
arc drawn for tho support Of public in
This would place tho bur-
den upon the shoulders which ought to
bear it.
After this DEPRESSION, VIC remark that
the Senate also passed what is called
tho liberty Of conscience bill," which
applies to al the State institutions ex-
cspt the University, the Normal Schools,
aud the Hospital for the Insane. 1t
provides that the inmates Of the several
institutions shall not be compelled to at.
tend upon any religious services 'chat-
eser; that they may attend upon such
religious services as they respectively
desire, and, for that purpose, all persons
therein not under sentence for crime,
may be allowed to go outside their sew
cral places Of confinement. Further,
that such as are thus sentenced may,
on the first dry Of each week, have and
receive from any clergyman in good
standing representing the particular
sect to which such convict belongs, or
to the doctrines and precepts to which
he incliaes, such religious instruction
as the canuons of the denomination to
which the officiating clergyman belongs
may require, and for this purpose the
officers in charge, are required ia
set apart room convenient for use III
such times, and to permit such clergy.
man and inmates the sole and undls.
turbcd occupancy Of the same for the
space Of one hour, for each denonlina.
ton, and longer if made necessary by
sickness, or other adequate reason.
The statistics show that considcra
bic majority Of the persons incarcerated
for crime, or confined for the purpose
Of reformation, arc the representative:
Of one particular church, and it is sup
posed that this measure is calculated to
be mutually beneficial 10 church and
people. I doubt very much whether
" liberty of conscience is, under our
Constitution, proper subject Of legis,
lation, but the soLoNs have entertain
ed IT,
If the religious q convictions Of a
criminal,or Of an incorr;gible, are inter-
fered with in any way, by the persons
in charge, such persons should at once
be relieved OF their authority. This
would seem to be the common sense
way of affordiug" liberty Of conscience. !"
The "Tcmperance bill" has been
undergoing discussion in the House
since last Thursday. 1t has some earn
est supporters who have made very
gallant campaign under its banner. A
few men, and some Of them quite prom
inent, have made record" on both
sides Of the question, evidently with the
hope Of satisfying divided constituen.
cy; such disappointed both themselves,
and those who con6ded in them. The
bill has been amended so as to make
tho person getting intoricated,the bonds
men, and the liquor seller, Jointly, re-
sponsible for all damages. This effect
ually denudes the bill Of all power over
the dealer, because lie cannot be prose-
cuted without uniting with him as de-
PENDANT III the action, the victim Of the
foul traffic. In this condition, the bill
was ordered to third reading. Should
it pass the House thus, none can tell
what fate it will meet in the Senate.
The Senate investigating Committee
is still at work, but lis sessions are held
with closed doors, and only sensational
reports gain any publicity. In fact,
nothing has yet >ranspircd to justify
any criticism Of the action of the
Treasurer, and the slurs which appear
in some Of the papers, are sheer imagin'
ings, expressed for political effect. In
due time the proceedings Of the Cou'.
m;ttce will be made public, and the Of
fetal record Of tho Treasurer will be
submitted to tho candid consideration
Of an intelligent people. Then will be
the time to enter judgment and not be-
fore. The opposition papers manifest this
disposition to conuict everybody against
whom a charge is brought, without
observing the ancient formality OF Ia
king evidence, or Of listening to the
story Of the party charged.
The Dispatch is just now excelline
itself in this practice. A life convict
in tie State Prison, sent to the Senate
u few days ago, letter, asking q re
dress Of grievances, which he allcdset
against the prison authorities, and which
were, in brief, the following, viz: To-
much work, too little food, and too few
privileges" Some remarks were Of