St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-10-11
Gov. Proctor's Message.

Gov. Proctor's Message.
Gov. Redfield Proctor was sworn into
Office on Thursday afternoon, and de-
livered his message in person. As we
have not room this week to give it en-
tire, we print a synopsis with extracts,
which will give very good idea of this
excellent state paper. The message is a
plain and direct discussion of state ad-
ministration
The state is practically out of debt,
having in hand the cash to meet the
last OF her war bonds on the LIST of De-
cember. but the governor is careful, in
connection with congratulations on this
subject, to give veIy cOgent reasons for
the practice, not only of strict economy
in app OPERATIONS, but of decided re-
trenchment in the ordinary expenses,
which have nearly doubled since 1860,
without any real increase in population
or valuation of property. The judicial
expenses of the state have so largely
increased as to make the suggestion of
the message on that subject, especially
timely and important, and ought to
make a cheaper and at the same time a
better and more effective administra-
ton of the law, a matter of immediate
and serious attention. He calls atten-
ton sharply to the cost of petty litiga-
ton, and says that ''the verdicts of a
term of court often fall far short of the
expenses of the term to the state. No
further comment on court expenses is
needed" he adds in italics. 1t is com
nlatnt fhnt ayfan1S ha-a,,l Al
"If parties were compelled to bear n
larger share of the expenses of jury
trials, it might diminish the amount of
petty litigation, and lead to more refer
ences under the statute, and do no vio-
lence to the cause of JUSTICE
The governor commends the savings
banks, not one of which has suspended,
although they have over SS,0OO,OOO on
deposit against s 100000 in 1860, and
have scarcely any state supervision. He
recommends general savings bank
law, the restriction of the character of
their investments, and tax of of
per cent. on deposits, in lieu fall other
taxation. We notice the objections he
urges to special legislation, though it is
Il vice which can never be wholly eradi-
Gated except by constitutional amend
ment, as accommodating Legislators will
generally be persuaded OF wearied by
importantly into granting special fa-
vOr, unless the organic law prohibits it.
Doubtless Gov. Proctor's experience as
IA legislator disclosed to him the evils of
this practice, and the difficulty in re-
moving it except by constitutional
amendment, and it is to be hoped that
his suggestion will result in so far arOus-
ing attention as to induce the next leg
islature to prepare a new amendment,
the present legislature not having the
power to do so. The legislature has
voluntarily bettered its ways in this
respect, and the number of private acts
in 1876, was less than half that in
1874.
Gov. Proctor reviews the condition of
state institutions briefly, and finds it,
on the whole, satisfactory. He shows
the spirit and intelligence of reform by
condemning unequivOcally the practice
of filling the state offices from among
the members of the General Assembly.
He says:-
They are great business enterprises,
costing the state large sum yearly,
and should be conducted in a business
W. bOSut
the best judgment, technical knowledge
and experience that the whole state af-
fords, and to fill these offices in any
other way is an expensive mistake.
They are, however, too often distribut-
ed as personal or political rewards.
This is the very essence of civil-ser-
vice reform, and so is the following
sharp thrust at the commissioner of the
insane:-
The commissioner says, in commence
ing his report, that he has not complied
with the law, and that it is impossible
to do so, "withOut you pay your own
expenses" The pay has not been re-
duced, nor the duties increased, since
he accepted the office.
The subject of divorce is touched
upon in response to very general de-
mand from the whole state.
The message is, as might be expect
ed from governor of Vermont, sound
on national finance. 1t looks for re-
vival of business prosperity, where
only it can be looked for, in the patient.
honest, fruitful work of the people, and
not in legislative projects or fiat money.
There is warm and hearty commenda-
ton of President Hayes civil-service
reform, as fOllOws:-
The earnest efforts of our national
executive to remove the civil-service.
from the arena of politics; to secure a
better administration of the business af-
fairs of the nation to establish higher
sense of official duty, and to insure the
same standard of conduct in public,
which governs men in private life, must
be productive of much good. This
course cannot fail to accomplish great
direct results; to exert salutary influ-
ence upon all state and municipal gov
ernments, and to give healthier tone
to the whole political atmosphere. In
support and approval of such beneficent
measures, all true lovers of their eoun-
try can heartily unite.
The warm expression of sympathy
for the plague-stricken South shows