Morris tribune., 1883-01-11

Average rate for all pur-
poses. .............. 17.3 mills 1874 mills
change In the fiscal year 10 suggested blythe
state auditor and other officers. A habit thatihss
and disbursing money in December as of Novem-
Der, leads to delay of their reports for two or
three weeks. which might be avoided. But l think
1t desirable, now that The legislature meets bien-
nay, that the full reports Of State institutions and
officers should be furnished in print for the debers
ate consideration OF the members elect tuth earlier
than they can possibly be under the existing law.
The dates of making official reports should also
be similarly advanced. The law should be amended
SO that such reports as required to be made and
printed for the use OF the legislature, except that
OF the commissioner of statistics, need be made
only biennialy and on the years previous to regu-
lar sessions. recommend also that the regular
annual appropriations be hereafter made for fiscal
instead OF calendar years, your own provision in
1885
STATE INSTITUTIONS.
The various charitable, reformatory and penal In.
stituohs of the State present satisfactory record
as regards their management ard the results Rccoms
plished. An unmfstakable evidence of the rapid
increase OF our population is the fact that nearly
81! these Institutions have already reached the limit
ct their capacity, and asking at your hands ape
preparations for additions and enlargement.
STATE PRISON.
The inspectors of the State prison submit vol.
affairs of this institution The management of the
prison is highly commended and the record Of its
inmates as to conduct ard condition 10 represented
as very satisfactory. The total population at this
Time 1s 279, an increase OF twenty-five during the
past two years. The current expenses for 1881
were $40, 964 SO. and for 1882 $54. 972.65.
The earnings were $26.277.o4 and $30,952. 70
for ssl and 1882 respective ), most Of which was
credited to apply on purchase Of machinery under
the award of 1881. The warden estimates the ex-
penses for 1888 to be $50. 600 and for 1884 $685.
0OO and the earnings 900 and $35, 900 for the
same time
There has been expended during the past year
S3G 9lc 55 in construction of additional wall. for
which hhI an appropriation OF 100000 was made in
within the enclosure, $1,000, painting roof $3.50,
and premium for insurance 5000, for which there
was no appropriation and which fl presented in the
form of deficiency. The inspectors recommend
the wall. and s3c. 900 for the construction
Of 100 additional cells. There are but
most Of which will soon be occupied. The addi-
tonal cell 70 should be provided, land therefore
approve the recommendation of the inspectors In
this respect The completion Of the wall would
add greatly to the security of the prison. which. as
the population increases, becomes more of a neces-
sity. The expenditure might be made to cover a
the treasury to that extent. A committee Of your
body by personal examination can best decide as to
the urgency of this matter.
The prison enclosure will afford ample room for
500 600 cells about double the present capacity
1t will doubtless prove economy to the State to
concentrate the population OF this class in one in
stitutfon. where the cost OF management will but
slightly increase with its growth, until its full
capacity is reached. According to the inspectors
estimate. the prison can be made to meet all re-
quirements for ten years to come by increasing
its cell capacity to the limit allowed by
the enclosure, and without any increase of shop
room machinery. the labor Of the convicts can be
fully employed. Some of the gravest objections to
the location of the prison now overcome, though
at large cost to the State. It would seem to be the
part Of wisdom now to make complete as possible
the present institution, when 1t is confidently be-
lieved 1t will be placed on self-sustaining basis
REFORM SCHOOL.
The ort Of the board of managers of the Re-
form school shows gratifying record for the past
two years. The commitments to this institution
since its establishment in 1868 have been 573; Of
this number 225 have been in connection with it
during the past two years. and 1913 are inmates at
the present time. ask your careful consideration
Of the reasons urged by the managers for change
In the law regulating commitments, especially that
feature which provides for the maintenance by each
county Of the youth they respectively send to the
institution. The reasons that may have existed
IN the early history Of the school for
his discrimination In the maintenance Of ita
inmates hats lost much Of their force By the