Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-10-13

he is a debtor should be relieved from contribut-
| ing therefrom TO the expenses Of the state.
Without doubt there is too much foundation Tor
| these complaints though the class first mention
ed could have existence in fact, If listers would
faithfully observe the law. and appraise all prop
| erty at its Just value in money.
| Ii is notorious that they do not regard the law
his respect but appraise property at from one
bird TO two-thirds its just value in money, often
veins with each other to place and keep the prop
| erty IN their locality in the list Tar below its
| value as possible. / informed that conscien-
tious listers often refuse to sign and make oath 70
the list from knowledge OF their failure to comply
| with the Law.
The prevalent ceiling that the practical operation
of the law for the assessment OF taxes is unequal
and unjust, has been, and is, working sad demon
| alizstiVn Of public sentiment By numerous
class OF citizens il is no longer considered pube
| duty 10 assume and pay their full share Of the
| public expenses but rather that they have light
10 avoid as much OF II they can even by resort
ing TO questionable devices. 1t Is feared that the
| Lesislature may have Inadvertently aided in the
| work Of generalization, by too readily passing
| acts to legalize grand Its, with and without
| specifying the defects 10 be legalized, and
even 10 legalize the omission OF the listers to sign
! and make oath to the list. Would not more
| healthy sentiment be inculcated by refusing the
uasase OF all which DO not specify the defect
10 be cured all acts TO legaliLe defects occa-
stoned by the Of the listers TO complete,
| sign and make oath TO the list according to law,
| and, also by enactng law rendering the listers
personally liable to their towns and 10 the State
Tor all Losses occasioned by their negleets or ems
| / am convinced that the law in regard to the
assessment OF taxes needs careful and cOnsiderate
| revision-such revision as Will apportion and
distribute the public expenses as equally and Justly
| as possible among all the citizens and upon ali
the pecunary interests OF the state Whether such
a revision car be effected single session OF the
Legislature may be doubtful
EDUCATION.
The importance Of this interest cannot be overes-
| timatcd more than ninety thousand children are
in process OF training N the schools OF the State
IHer veal or woe Is largely determined by the
| character }. the schools which they attend,
These children are soon TO give character TO the
Stat and other states.
The state can better afford to neglect any other
interest than this which is so closely allied 10 her
welfare and destiny.
Free institutions cannot long exist among peo-
pie characteri zed by ignorance and vice. lntelli-
g"ree aud virtue are the bulwarks OF all free gov
eminent.
me pecuniary interests connected with educs
ton re very large. The direct taxes raised an
nualy Tor this purpose amount TO nearly 500, go
But this represents hardly 1.-THE Of what the
| people Il the state annually eXpend TO educate
Their chi drep.
| There must tie added large sum paid for text
| books. and many times larger sum Tor the board,
| cloth NJ and time OF the children.
But the pecunlary interests connected with the
public schools dwlud,e in Importance into insignia
icsuce. when compared with the habits and charae-
| t,rs when are there beng acquired. thor
oughly intelli.e ard virtuOus people, Injured TO
habIs o. seii-cOntro and perseverance, are invnci
BILE every where, whether IN the world Of mind or
matter.
Itis not So much the amount OF money which we
expeld ~ the character which we give to the pub
lie Schools that Is all-impCrtant A most any ex-
peudlture 81 money. whether for the better super
nteudenceo tire public schools, for securing the
hearty corporation and interest Of the parents and
usrd ans, training and bringing INTO the ser
wee experienced and better qualified teachers.
tony serves To elevate the character OF the pub
lie school and give 10 tie State more intelligent,
viItuous and Ierseverlng citizens, is economical
ana uGicious. Il it ial TO secure these results, the
expenditure is wasteiul.
trust that this interest, whether it relates to
the public schools, the higher institutions OF
learning, will receive your careful consideration.
The report Vi the State Superintendent viii In
form you Of the work done during the past two
years. | CONNIE n his recommendations Tor legls-
latlun to your rs Iteration.
1t seems TO me that economical and Efficient
mana gement Ui this gieAt interest requires uni
iuTml9 oil text books throughout the state, and
that there should be secured decrease ana conso
ldatiun OF tie number OF small schools, which are
usually intIusted to young and mex per.enced, not
70 say unqualified, teachers
My predecessors recommendation Of the estab-
4isameut OF town Libraries most heartily endorse,
not alone as means OF education for the young,
but also a a means OF continuing the work % edu-
cation and culture among those who are engaged in
the active pursuits OF ne aid as source OF solaeo
70 dec lining years.
srATE LIBRARY.
This library, which is very complete in tho de-
partment OF Amer can law, besides being we'll iur
Iii he'd with m4sce laneous works, has entirely cut
GROWN the roc IN set apart Tor il in the State House
Il is Sident that some further provision Tor It's
accommodation must soon he made. IL seems 10 me
that an enlargement o. the present room IS almost
impTaet cable and That sooner ur later there must
he erected for its accommodation separate TIRE
proof bui dns, which should be kept open through
out the year. The library is now Of such dimen- |
slons and importance that II should be readily ac-
GEES Die for research and vestI-at.un at ali times
uoARD or AGRICsLIURE, MANUFACTURES AND
MINING
The 81 cretary 5 report with the accompanying |
Iapers, vii inform you OF the work accomplished |
al. III Na. nm g.
been couued 10 fostering the Interests o. agrlcul-
ture. Tn duubtiess has resulted from the fact |
that = culture il the more prom neut and general
interest. Tie Board is concerned win the three |
great Industrial pursuits OF the state Each %! these
Industries is essent al to, and more or less depend
ent upon, the Others iur us best Development and
should be jud ciously encouraged and iostered by
the state. ] think that these interests are suih
GENTLY i'm p,rtaLt TO warrant the continued en-
PICS ment Of lu1icious and properly qualified Sec
rotary that ia llecung and arranging iacts ana
statistics. making experiments, holding pubic
meetings, suggesting the best methods and bring
them t. the attention Of the people, he can fnd
ample work which can be done probably in the IN
teTest Of the state.
! would recommend larger appropriation than
is asked for by the Board, hose expenditure should
be guarded by suitable le-islation' and also that
the state tie. ogist, whose Ollie al duties lead him
20 a cons Iteration Of the mines and IL neras in the
state, he made an e. gfFeio member Of the Board.
TIE INSANE.
This unfortunate class are peculiarly the wards
@ tie State. Bereit Of reason. and frequently Of |
trien as. the state will be derelct in duty II its
-uafGianshp he not generous, active and visilsnt.
have read the report % the Commissioner with
interest. II is apparently a thoughtful AID care
fully prepared document. | commend IL TO your
careful perusal anc study. The facts and de
auctions there stated are startling ] have not
suic ieutly examined, and am sufficiently Amil
lar " tn, the facts and circumstances either 10
adopt or deny the conclusions OF the Commissioner
i bis conclusions are well iounCeo, there is IN
perative need OF immediate legislative action
That the number OF insane usder treatment and
neening relief should hive steadily, year by year
increa-ed from the foundation Of the Asylum. while
the population O! the State has remained compare
lively stationary, Is matter that challen ges at
tent, on and inquiry in the causes Of the increase
May you carefully consider this important subject |
ascertalnnS as nearly as poss bic the exact facts
q the relative increase or decrease Of insanity in
our own state, and other parts Of the country, and
may your action in the premises be wise and lust
T. the Asylum, 10 the State. and above all 10 these
%. the State. l commend to your
nslleratlun the suggestions OF the Commissioner
v IN reference TO the enactment Of safeguards
against improper commitments both to the asylum
aud 10 the county jalis.
STATE PRISON AND COUNTY JAus.
think +; may he safely asserted. after the ez-
per ence Of nearly a century, that the operations
1i our system Of prison discipline both prActced
q the State pr son and n the common iais, in its
effect upon the prisoner by way 80. encouragement
y virtue and prevention OF vice and immortality" |
has been failure that the prisoner, from the e.
ect % ms Imprisonment, instead Of having become
reformed and better man and citizen with iucua-
IONS toward virtue has become dlscoura ged, hard
'ned, and too often hupeessly fixed in a criminal
course O; c. Too often has II happened that the
LAY OF his srharke has witnessed a repetit on Of
big 'ormer criminal act, or some more heinous
rhine.
ili. t, my mid indicates that our system Of
prison discipline is radically wrong 10 prime pie.
be state has, and can have, feeling OF revenge
oward an erring citizen. Her conduct towards ,
I'm should not he such as to lesd him to ieel that
le is an outcast from her and protection.
Neither should il he such would Indicate dsre {
ara Tor his criminal act. Her treatment should be
UGH As eyinces the utmost adherence ard detes-
alton 81 ms crime, bat at the same time the great
- regard and tenderest solictuce Tor him as
man a. as cit zen. .
! Tar that while the State has been most active
q showing adherence OF crime, IL has been lack
~ IN earnest efforts to the criminal from his
mo 10 manhood and good citizenship. When any
slson, old or Oung, Is fully convinced that he is
q op;elst from society and that there Is no hope
his ever re-s inins the good opinion and esteem
Z h fellow citizens, he Is irreyoclbly lost to a
irtu0us life.
Hope is the great stimulating motive to action !
nd To striving itr better tn ms. When this is a
rushei out the once bad is bad beyond re
Very- The tendency Of cur system Of prison dis
tl ne, TO y mind, is to Danish ron the cOnyict's
md all holes oi return to a viftuous life Con a
der the treatment OF the state towards this class
persons. II
youn, man is accused OF the comm sion Of a Z
time. lie is at OF &c arrested and thrust into q
re county jail. No person On behalf Of the
tate Nlsis him. save the iller to pass in his meals
lree times dav, and To lock him safely in his
III, or the States Attorney 10 inquire whether he .
-sheS 10 plead -ul4ty or mot guilty NOT 4 | ~
ok, not a newspaper does the State furnish him !
It'll which 10 While away the tedious hours Il the
er cut OF kindness provides reading matter for his
ri ouers, It's OF favor and not OF right. His as
ciales may he OF any degree Of criminality II
e common receptae lie for all accused Of the CON-
lssion oi crime within the county and awaiting
cir trial, as well as the place for punishme / Of
ose cOnvicted OF minor offences.
Ia dIn-iishted, il-ventilated room with moth
= TO DO, not even when transferred to the state
lsun Tor stie-keeping, on the order OF the Gov l.
nor, allowed 10 WORK, though requesting il he "
sses his days and ghts best he can brooding Ca
er his hard lot planningiways of escapeOr listen lei
= 10 the recital OF obscene stories, or the criminal
e and criminal exploits OF his associates And en
{ be Is not a convict. lie is only an accused | fro
ID this is the attempt Of the State prevent the
N ission Of crime, most frequently the offspring
ldelness, by compulsory idleness At length hs col
II led. II acquitted, he goes soured and hard az
ed; II conAleted OF a minor nfenrr hn b rsrnrn =