Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-01-16

subject of appropriations are well known. an
u Is unnecessary to elaborate them at IN
time. The people Of Wisconsin are both alb
and willing TO pay all taxes levied for nece
sary aud legitimate purposes, but they inst
that the same rules of prudence and econom
shall obtain in public affairsth wise men u.
in the conduct of their private affairs.
EDUCATION.
The reports Of the state superintendent an
OF the boards Of regents of the university an
normal schools viii be laid before YOU in du
time, giving full information as to the progress
and present condition OF our public educa
tlonai system the reporl of the regents of th,
university being accompanied by an able ane
| interesting report by Professor w. w. Dan.
iels, concerning the tornadoes of last NAV.
1t does no. need that should commend
these reports to your most earnest and care.
ful consideration. Whether viewed in regard
to their transcendent Importance or their i'm,
mense cost, the schools of Wisconsin Justly
| occupy most prominent position in public
| affairs. In addition to the amounts realized
from the trust funds. and the amount paid for
| tuition, textbooks and other school expenses.
the sum of $2,06l, 1852, or more than one
fourth OF all the money raised by taxation for
i al pun poccs, SUcS W THEIR support
believe that our. university, normal
schools and the public schools proper, as well
as the universities, colleges, academies and
the many other excellent private schools NOT
supported by the state, are improving from
year to year, that they were never in better
condition or doing more effective work than
now. ! would not have their capacity for
usefulness in the least decreased. On the
contrary hope to see it enlarged !, but that
It may be so, and our present system retain
the public confidence, it is indispensable that
economy and wisdom should characterize all
expenditures.
sincerely hope that the Textbook COM
mission appointed BY the last legislature nav
be able to present for your consideration some
feasible plan for securing uniformity in text
books throughout the state and greatly reduc
ing their cost; and that you will be able to
afford the people very material relief in this
direction.
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS,
The managers of the school for bows at
Wankesha report the whole number of bows
in attendance during the year to have been
OFT, the average attendance $50, aud the
number present at the close of the fiscal year
4i9. The expenditures for the year amount
to $4S, 72l AZ. The expenses of the current
=
$ll 1925 will be received from counties and
the balance of 1874, 900 they ask to be appro.
priated by the legislature
Attention is called to the overcrowded con-
dition OF the buildings and it IS very evident
that unless in some way relieved provision
must be made for more room. The managers
estimate that with the funds and material on
hand and an additional appropriation of Sl8,.
000, two additional buildings, with capacity to
accommodate 100 boys can be erected and
furnished
have no official report from the managers
of the industrial school for girls in Milwaukee.
but am able to saw from personal knowledge
that the appropriation made last winter has
been most iudiciously and economically ex.
pended. The city of Milwaukee has conveyed
to the state most eligible site, containing
nearly nine acres, for the location of the in
stitution, and a structure in every way adap-
ted to 10 wants has been erected thereon, and
is now nearly or quite ready for occupancy.
DEPENDENT CHILDREN.
There are now in the Industrial School tor
Boys, about one hundred boys, sent thither
not because they have committed crime, nor
because they are incorrigible, but solely be-
cause they have no home, and there is no
other place for them except the poor house.
II is not the best policy to send such children
TO an institution of that character The true
place for them is in families; but for various
reasons it seems difficult to find places for
them from that school,
For this class of children the state of Mich
gan has provided distinct state school, which
has been IN operation nearly five years, and is
accounted one of their most successful chart
ties. l should very reluctantly approve any
measure looking to the creation of another
state institution in Wisconsin, requiring the
expenditure of any considerable sum of money
even for so worthy purpose as the one now
under consideration 1t will be remembered,
however, that Ex-Governor G. C. Washburn,
with most commendable liberality and philan-
thropy, last winter rendered to the state as
free gift, his elegant and eommodious resi-
dence at Edgewood, near this city, and the
grounds connected Herewith, some fifty acres
in extent, to be used as an industrial school
for girls In view of what had already been
accomplished in this direction by an associa-
ton of ladies in Milwaukee and the reasona-
BILE expectation of the future success of their
plans with very limited aid from the state, it
was not deemed expedient to accept the gem
erous offer for the specific purpose designa-
ted, but Joint resolution was adopted accept
ing it for that or such other purpose as might
be approved by the donor, and | have been
given to understand that if it shall be the
pleasure of the state to accept this property
and establish there a school for dependent !
children, it will be conveyed to the state for
that purpose.
Believing that such an institution NAV be |
made the means Of accomplishing great good, |
by rescuing the children for whom it may be |
designed from lives of idleness, pauperism and |
crime, and from thus becoming progenitors of
long lines of paupers and criminals, and con-
cedng the necessity for the erection of addi-
tional buildings at Wuakesha unless that
school can be in some way relieved, I COM
mend the whole subject to your careful con
and wise judgment, and shall cheer
fully cooperate with you in carrying forward
any measure that may be determined upon.
STATE PRISON.
The number of convicts confined in the
state prison, September 80, 1878, was 346;
the highest aumber during the year was 500,
and the average 337, an increase of AZ over
the average for the previous year. The num-
Der received during the year was 2l3 and the
number discharged including two deaths and
one escape l67. The receipts from all source
es were $76,743.l0, and the disbursements
S65,08S 85 The estimated expenditures for
the year ending September 80, 1879, inclu-
ding the completion of work in the north cell
room are S5l. 73Sl5. The current earnings
of the prisoners are about two .thirds of the
current expenses, but the deficiency will be
supplied By collections on accounts of sales
of chairs aud wagons.
You should not in any degree relax a prop
err legislative scrutiny into the management Of
the prison because it does not apply for an
appropriation. The recommendations SUBJ
mitted by the directors and wardens should
receive your early and attentive considera-
ton.
Reflection, study and personal observation, |
have led me to believe in the expedieucy of |
most radical change in the law relating to sen> |
fences. This is not the place even if time |
would permit to argue the question at length. |
Both the law and the judges are too lenient 10 |
dealing with professional criminals. Many |
times the sentences pronounced IN such cases |
are but little better than travesties upon JUS |
tee, and do not tend to beget respect for the |
aw on the part of the offender or any one
else. The opposite extreme is sometimes |
reached and the sentences are made too Sc
vere. Many of these cases come before the
governor on applications for pardon. which it
8 difficult to deny, notwithstanding it is diff
cult to deny that every pardon granted in such
eases tends to weaken the public confidence |
n the law aud its administration. The ine-
quality of sentences Is another most serious
Evil to which attention has frequently been