Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-01-18

material to the issue. / submit that safeguards
State against such abuses. As the State has to
pay the cost genera ally where, the question of its
payment is between the State and an Individual,
there is, I fear, a culpable indifference in many
respects to that economy in the creation of costs
which should be rigidly observed by officers and
parties.
the transportation Of prisonersto the Penitentiary
should be reduced. They are in many cases and
respects exorbitant. The details of charges for
such transportation as may be seen in the Audit
or's report, will fully corroborate this assertion.
As one evidence of the excessive cost. / am ad-
vised that for every two convicts generally
brought in pa rs) transported from st. Louis to
the prison, there is a profit of some 5 6g, above
actual expenses, to the officers for a service of
less than twenty four hours. rsf.
During the canvass some candidates for the
Office, of Collector of the Revenue. sought election
upon promises that if elected they would retain
only half of the legal compensation allowed by
law for collecting, and devote the other to some
public purpose; and whenever qualifications
favored, they were no doubt successful.
Such facts as these, in connection with the rea-
sons given for reducing the compensation for
other civil service, may justly authorize you to
reduce the cost of collecting the revenue to some
judiciOus extent.
1 feel sure that in these, and in such other par
ticulars as have been suggested in this message,
and in others which, may occur to your better
judgment, the current expenses OF the Govern
ment, with a limitation on extraordinary appro-
priations to subjects that demand present and
Immediate relief, can be retrenched. to such an
extent as to enable the Treasury to liquidate ali
indie. tedncss of the State to accrue during the
present biennial period. =
REVISION OF THE STATUTE LAWS.
The Constitution requires a revision, digest
and promulgatiOn of State laws of a general ma
ture, both civil and criminal, within five years
from its adoption. This revision must be made
by this or the next General Assembly. Itwould
be expensive and quite impracticable for a Leg
lslature to undertake it, and, therefore, l would
advise that three RevisOrs be appointed, to do
the work in vacation and make report thereof to
the next General Assembly. This has been the
practice heretofore in this as well as other States.
OF course persons especially qualified for such
labors should be appointed. They should be al
lowed the use of not more than two clerks. The
per diem OF Revisors and their clerks should be
fixed by law and the Commissions on Printing
directed to furnish necessary paper and sta
tionery. 1t should be an additional duty for the
Revisors to revise all local and special acts, af-
fecting the administration of justice, 80 as to
make them more uniform and to remove ambi-
gulties and uncertain meanings.
CLERKS OF CERTAIN COURTS OF
The elections and terms of clerks of Courts of
Record were authorized by section % of article 8
of the Constitution OF 1865. AS these provisions
are not continued in the present. Constitution. nor
their election provided for by any existing law,
it is a matter OF the highest public importance
that legislation on the subject should not fail of
adoption.
VEN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT.
Benton county comprises the entire circuit,
and the Judge receives the same salary that other
Circuit Judges do. That judicial labors in that
vicinity may be more nearly equalZed, counties
from neighboring circuits should be added to this
one.
SUPREME COURT.
Owing to the great cost of printing the dock
cts, about 5 200 a year, when in all probability
not more than one fourth of the cases would be
heard during the year, the law should be changed
to allow the Court to direct its publication frOEs
time to time as it may deem beat. AS this Court
has been consolidated ana its sessions confined
to the capitol, which does not afford sufficient
room and recommendation for the Judges, com
mittees OF the two Houses and State officers, it
becomes the duty of the State to build a Court
house with all necessary departments for their
use. 1t should be erected in the southeast quar-
ter of the Capitol grounds, three stories high
with q basement. and of light quality of stone
and color with those of the Capitol AMI Armory
1t should he commodious enough to allow of
proper sized Courtroom, q library room with
ample ca pacity Tor at least IS .0oO volumes, a
clerks office with fire. proof vaults for records,
ten Judges rooms large enough for health and
comfort, and a j%anitors room. Such a building
could be erected mainly with convict labor. An
appropriation would have to be made to cover the
e. pense of an architect and such necessary mate
rial as could not be supplied by this kind of labor.
In building such a house. the future of the State
and necessity of increasing at an early day the
Eumher of Judges, should be considered and de.
termine its architecture, capacity, strength and
completeness.
REGISTER OF lands.
This officer has been dillgent in recovering
from the General Government such indemnities
as the several counties have been entitled to un-
der the laws in regard to swamp lands. The
general result of the action of this department
may be seen in the following facts:
CASH
Amount received during 1875 and 1876. s AZ ,6SS %
Due on proofs made in 1876, but not
yet s,439 O
LAND
Land patented to the State during 1875 and
1876, !, 62S 800 acres.
Due on proofs made during 1875, for which 10,
cation certificates have been received, the
lands located and the. patents applied for. 1904
acres.
Due on proofs made during 1876, for which nc
certificates have been received, 13,45o 81 .1O(
NEW SELECTIONS.
Selections for which patents have been re-
ceived. $3.50 acres. Selections approved by the
Department of the Interior for which patents
have not been received, 81 ,57S acres
Selections submitted to this Department for
| approval, 50 81 90 100 acres.
All moneys collected have beea paid, and al
lands patented to the State have been conveyed
by the state to the proper counties.
A tariff of fees should be established for thiI
office, and the Register required to pay them in
to the Treasury monthly.
THE
This institution. cotti Iued under the manage
ment of the lessees to the 22d day of November
1879, when, from actual inability to conduct it
possibly even for another day, was surrender
ed to the Inspectors, since which time its disci
pline and management have been most excellent
and. perhaps, could not be improved upon. a
the time of the surrender, the State had only th'
walls, houses, and unclothed conyicts. An en-.
tire supply of clothing, provisions, bedding
furniture of every kind. machinery. tools, wag
ons, tears, and all other articles necessary anC
proper. for the management of the prison and it
labor had to I've provided. In the past two year
it has been greatly enlarged and improved. HI
principal additions and improvements have beer
the erection of a brick cell building, two storie
high, with a stone wall inclOsure, that will &C
commodate 1g6 female prisoners; a brick hospit
al three stories high, with a stone wall enclos
ure, that will accommodate 100 sick men
brick recefviRg ana dressing rooms TO
new convicts; a brick cell building
five stories high, that will accommodate Go men
new roofs on several buildings; extension ant
repairs of sewers; several large c%isterns; larg
addition to the chair chop, in the way of wall
ana floors, for use as a wagon shop; a brIcl
smoke-house, a very large brick ice house, new
boilers, smoke stack and water engine, a yer.
large amount of matchmaking, paving, curbin.
and tagging. The great want is employment TO
the c~onvicts. There is very little demand TO
such labor outside of the prison. Their
are several manufactures very sue
c~essfully employed, and every argument AM
inducement have been offered to those VINO con
template engaging in such enterprises at tn
present to take contracts for labor. This kim
of employment is the only hope of final success
in making the prison self-sustainiDg. The man
a4ement should never tire in canvassing for it
Outside engagements for labor result in yer
small profits. Fit were practicable. not a pris
oner should be allowed beyond the walls, 10