The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-01-17
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Concluded from first page.]
hoods Of the Eastern States with idle work i
men, many Of whom are earnestly seeking
opportunities for honest labor, and looking for
places to obtain it on the soil. Combinations
and active movements are taking place among
them, looking toward emigration, for which
various states Of the west and south are enter
ti1s id to th.t end the reports Of their recent
bountiful harvest. Can Minnesota. with such
fruits to exhibit, and with such need of people
upon her vacant prairies, afford to remain idle
while her competitors are active? Whatever
else Is necessary to build up prosperous
unquestionably to people its vacant places and
cultivate its idle soil. However rich It's natural
resources, II nothing be done toward their
prosperity cannot follow.
commend the matter to your favorable action.
BOARD OF PARDoNs.
Experience and observation of the deleteri-
GUS operation Of the usages followed in the
pardonlng Of criminals, induce me to suggest
the creation Of board of pardons to consider
and decide upon all applications for the release
Of prisoners. The disposition of those procur-
ing conviction to thrust the responsibility
upon the executive, the thoughtlessness of
Ggners of applications. and the appeals Of the
distressed relatives or friends Of the criminal
all strongly tend to a misuse of the pardoning
power. Subject to such influences it is diff
cult for one person, not destitute of sympa-
thetic feeling and engrossed with other cares,
to Judge impartially, where the demands Of
justice, the claims OF mercy and the good of
the prisoner, are all to be considered. Not
unfrequently those who are most clamorous
for the conviction Of an offender are the first
and most active for his release. They belong
to the emotional class who are most swayed
by exhibitions of feeling, and they cannot rest
It. When it Is considered that punishment for
crime is usually suffered more by the family
or friends of the criminal, than BY the criminal
himself, it should add to the considcra
lions involved in the question of his release,
FL Of which would be more likely to meet just
determination from several judges than from
one. Ithas been found to work well in other
States and I believe it worthy of a fair trial
here.
Your attention is respectfully requested to
the various details and suggestions contained
In the several departmental reports, as well as
to those Of the different State institutions not
here alluded to.
All these evince careful preparation, and
bear evidence generally OF due performance Of
duty, and all have been made with unusual and
commendable promptitude. By reference to
these various reports, it will be observed that
In addition to the regular current mainten-
ance, the following appropriations are asked
for:
Deaf, Dumb and Blind. ............... 10000
Un1verslty OF Minnesota. ............. G,OOO
Hlstorica! Soclety.......... S5UO
Hospital for Insane ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1850
:.r $19s.4ss
With reference to the first, I recommend
that instead of the full amount requested, such
au,n be granted as will supply the additional
accommodations urgently demanded and that
immediate action be taken for the erection of
another prison in accordance with the sug-
gestions before made. Respecting the other
requests, the condition of the State treasury
and the prior demands for the safe keeping Of
prisoners, care OF the insane, and other claims
Of Importance will tax your best judgment in
the discriminate disposition of our available
funds.
- eRAssHOPPER BOUNTY LAW.
At the last session OF the legislature an act
Was passed providing for the destruction of
grasshOppers by the payment of scale of
bounties for the catching Of the insects, at
various periods Of their growth, and also for
the destruction of their eggs. The appropria-
ttOn for this purpose was limited by the act to
100000, while subsequent act provided for
borrowing the money to meet the expenditure
thus demanded. These acts were approved
by me with much reluctance, and not until
had strenuously but unavailingly endeavored
to influence correction in the act first named
Of what deemed ill-advised provisions of a
serious character. Prior to any movement for
the practical operation ofthcse laws, received
numerous statements from authoritative
sources In all quarters of the infested regions,
demonstrating against the appointment Of
measurers, as contemplated on the ground
that owing to incalculable numbers of the in
sects the provision requiring the counties to
pay all bountics in excess Of the proposed
State appropriation of 100000 would virtually
bankrupt the afflicted counties. I therefore
deemed It proper to defer action for further
knowledge and consideration. Finding
upon calculation that IN equal distribution
Of the available fund would afford to each in
habitant OF the infested localities an average of
but forty cents, a sum too trifling in itself to
induce additional efforts for the determination
Of the pests, became convinced that the en-
forcement Of the bounty law would entail
upon counties already impoverished by insect
ravages burden of debt which would prove
more disastrous than the scourge it was intend
ed TO avert. therefore, againstthe wishes of a
few localities, but in compliance with vast
preponderance Of petitions from the people
directly interested, declined to make the ap-
pointments requisite for the practical ope:-
alton Of the law. The decision was justified by
tuS Ie0UAt3 lOFs III Gut AUSCuCc VI lIlaG concert
ed defence against the insects by bitches and
other protective means dictated by exper-
ieSee, I'll efforts induced by the proposed
State and county expenditures combined,
would certainly have been unavailing, es-
pecially where the destructive swarms were
most dense and where protection was most
needed from their ravages. The sum thus
saved to the State remains intact or rather
the contemplated loan was not affected, the
law In express terms specifying the exclusive
object for which 1t was to be effected.
SEED GRAIN.
An appropriation OF seventy-fye thousand
dollars was made at the last session to afford
loan Of seed grain to mortgaged and helpless
'iettms Of the grasshopper scourge. In con-
:equence OF the absence Of the requisite funds
as contemplated, the money was borrowed
from various banks upon the deposit and guar
anty Of the Auditors warrants therefor. The
result of this timely act was an addition of not
lees than 81 600 600 to the value Of the years
have been generally abandoned. l recommend
600 designed for the payment Of bounties, and
require the application of $4,000 Of the
amountto the payment of the Auditors war.
rants Tor seed grain which, as stated, now
await redemption in the hands Of bankers, and
that the remaining $25, 600 form part of new
fund to be provided for similar loan of seed
grain for the coming season, to such farmers
as auffered, irreparable damages from grass
hopper dopredati0ns. Farmers so disabled in
al portions of the ravaged districts have been
encouraged to prepare their devastated fields,
with the assurance that such legislative aid
would DO afforded them, and, with the strong