The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-12-02

10 certain cases, is an innovation aud may
work we'll. but that result will rather be.
hoped from it than expected. The Leg.
%islature is perhaps to be commended Tor
what they refused to do quite as much
as for what they did do. They certainly
acted wisely in refusing to remap the
state, to give the bodies Of deceased pau.
pers to the doctors, to remodel the Board
of Agriculture, to tax the deposits in
savings banks, and many other such
schemes.
There arc also some acts which cannot
be commended. The attorney general
bill was a good one and 1t ought to have
been passed. The reduction Of tho sala.
ry Of tho superintendent of the Reform
School was unwise if not unjust, and the
refusal to make an appropriation to in.
crease its capacity and usefulness was
bad policy. IL fact, the action of the
Legislature in regard to the Reform
School is unaccountable except upon the
theory that the members OF that body
we're not well informed upon subjects
which they ought to have understood in
order to be qualified as Legislators. We
cannot suppose them penurious eF ,ndif-
ferent to the best interests Of the people
Of the state. They were undoubtedly
Influenced by the worthy desire to use
the utmost economy in the public expen.
ditures. But it is false economy to OK.
pend less than is necessary for the attain.
ment ofe desirable object. If the Ro.
form School is an institution Of sufficient
merit to warrant its establishment and
maintenance, it is certainly worth the
expense necessary to mako it %eficlent for
the purpose designed. 1t appears that
We are far behind other states in our use
Of this fundamentally for the reforma.
ton Of juvenile offenders aud in our
provisions for such use.
The present capacity of the Vermont
institution is too limited for the needs of
the state, as is apparent to any careful
observer. But when compared with sim.
liar institutions 10 other states the def.
cheney becomes painfully apparent. In
Massachusetts, the reform school for boys
at West5oro has above four hundred in.
mates, while the girls industrial school
and the primary have each c very large
number more. The New Hampshire in.
stitution at Manchester is much larger
and better fitted than our own. Con.
necsicut, in respect to this class of insti-
buttons, is in advance even Of Massachu.
setts. SO New York state, Now Jersey
and Pennsylvania have model institutions
for the reform OF juveniles with vicious
tendencies. II tho additions called for
at V%ergennes are really needed, and it
appears that nobody denies that, it is
certainly q mistaken policy, if we should
use no soverer term, to withhold the
needed funds.
Much is hoped Tor, by the temperance
people, from the nuisance law, which was
passed on Tuesday. This bill provides
that every saloon, restaurant, grocery,
cellar, shop, billiard.rOom. bar.roou, and
every drinking place or room used as a
ri~ss OF public resort. where intoxicating
drink is unlawfully sold or Kept for sale,
shall be declared q common nuisance.
On conviction Of any person for keeping
and maintaining such place. be is to pay
a dnc Of not less than twenty dollars nor
over two hundred doliars, or be liable to
a fne OF twenty dollars and imprisonment
cot less than one month, nor more than
three months, in the discretion of the
court. And on such conviction, the place
is to be shut up by order of the court.