The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-01-05
BUTLER INAUGURATED.
Sharp and Vigorous Inaugural
Address.
A TERRIBLE BLOW TO MAs5ACHU-
SETTS CONCEiT.

BosToSS, Jan. A. In recent years no inaugura-
tlon ha- been so populary attended Governor
Buffers at the st to House TO av. Hours before
the time for him to appear the halls and passages
were croWned, so that motion difficult and the
throng overfowed down the broad steps and even
into the Common. he jo MT convent for inaug-
uration oucurred ia the House of Representative
which was packed. 'ver an hour was consumed by
p pelminaries and the crowd which could not get in
gradually dispersed
At half past IL o'clock the supreme judicial court
entered, followed by General Butler dressed in an
evening suit carrying gold headed cane and wear
ing his usual buttonbole bouquet. He walked up
the aisle and sat at the speaker'a desk amid the
applause of his friends Distinguished guests fol-
lowed and soon the House was packed to the last
inch.
Among those present besides State officers, we're
Colonel y. A. Plimpton, manager of Buffers cam
paign in SS2, Colonel Jonas Il. French his mama
ger in 1877, Hon. Marshal P. Wilder, President
Eliot of Harvard, Ex-Governor Banks Collector
Worthington, John X. Tarbox, Mayor Palmer of
Boston, Major Haggerty, Judge Thomas Russell,
Hon. A. O. Woodworth. candidate for lieutenant
governor with Butler in 1876.
When the guests and crowd we're all in President
Crocker OF the Senate administered the oath aud
Governor Butler signed his name to the oath. The
instant he did his friends applauded both in the
galleries and on the ,or, and few seconds later
common.
secretary Pierce thens made proclamation that
General Butler had been installed as Governor and
warning all people. especially the State officers to
take due notice thereof.
Renewed applaused followed this declaration.
as Lieutenant Governor.
Governor Butler was then presented formally to
the legislature and proce to read his address
GOV. BUTLER's ADDRESS.
In his inaugural address Governor Butler first
calls attention to the financial condition of the State
a. shown by the treasursrs statement He men
tons the fact that the Hoosac tunnel and Troy and
Greenfield roads are In such condition as to be nom
supporting and inlimates thai this and other mat
ters per- aiming to the finances of the State will be
made the subject OF special message to the egisla
ture here after.
The question of suffrage is considered at length.
In his opinion capital tax should be paid as the
S1ty t6 Of Gize9 p but mot suffrage
franchisement. Poll taxes should be ass ssed by
ci les and towns for theit proper benefit only and
not s State and county tax, and change in the
law to that effect is recommended. The desirability
of establishing free suffrage to all citizens at as
early day as possible is urged, and authority quo
ted to show hat his is right and immunity guar
anteed by the constitution Of the United States.
Some notifications ofthe registration laws are sug
gested
1he right of suffrage in women is affirmed A
constitutional amendment is necessary to secure the
full right for women to vote for all state aid
tonal officers, aud the question whether that
amendment should be made should be lett to the
womea themselves to determine. 1t Is suggest
that law be ssed allowing women to vote under
the same regulations as men in uuiepal elec tiOns
which law shal take efectwhen it shall be accepted
by the majority OF the women voting at some
ae recommends that municipal and State cleo
tons be held the same day and that said day be a
legal MONDAY.
repeal Of the restriction of naturalization to
thr supreme and superior courts only is recommend
ed.
Governor Butler allndes TO complaints made as
to delays OF justice This he says is not the fault
of the courts but of the system of juri diction
der which they act. He proposes to give his views
OF the hangs and alterations of this system to the
legislature in another communication.
The only criticism he makes upon the militia is
that OF late there has beenan attempt to make their
discipline too mueh like that of the regular army,
which disgusts militia with the service and ac
counts for the fewness of the numbers who appear
for camp duty. He promises to remedy this so far
as he is concerned.
He recommends an act providing that any person
convicted Of wrecking shall suffer heath, and
condemns the practice Of stock gambling specu-
latons upon the necessaries of life oifense at
common law though rarely prosecuted.
The affairs OF the various reformatory, correc-
tonal and pauper institutions of the state COZ
sdered, and attention is called to the dsproporion-
ate amount of tie salaries TO all The other costs
The present statutes virtually place the Of
thes institutions beyond the of executive in
reference. The executive has no power to correct
abuses, even if kD wn and fiagrant. Extrayagance
is charged by Governor Butter and guI es are given
10 show that the cost to the tate for the support
the inmates of hese institutions is considerably '
greater than that Incurred in county institutions of
the same character
Inregard 10 the State prison affairs he asks
whether insubordin ation or sui enness among con
Vlcts might not be prevented or reduced by legsla-
ton by providing that every prisoner by steady and
efficient work and obeyi-g all rule and regulations
NAV work off portion OF his sentence every north
rules counts. He believes this would do more to
prevent insubordin 4tion an outbi eak than guards
solitary cells or other punishments. He ALSO asks
might not a certain percentage of the prisoners
earnings be invested in fund on be giventhe prs-
oner when discharged, to art him in The world
again, this perceH age to be enlarged when the prs
on becomes sefsupporting? If the legislature Will
approve this experiment the executive will give all
needed support
VI the industrial school for girls the Governor
says Il has outiived it's usefulness" OF the school
for idiotic aud feeble minded youth he says ''Give
ulsrlx
not school. well fed. well cared for idiot is
ha Ply creature; an idiot awakened to h condition
m serab Une."
He recommends the classification of he insane in
arious asylums and presents as matter for legis
lative con>de alton the fact that the doors of in
sane es ablishmeuts, private well as public. open
uog ther easily isward and with too great diff
fcuty outward in the reception and discharge of in
mates
of the State is recommen ed; also, that provision
be made for the appointment of purchasing officer
for al State supplies in the interest of omy.
He adviser as a measure of "eyil service refo m''
that at least one-third of the paid officials dol the
business of he commonwealth who are not imbed-
ded in th- constitution and car not be reached by
law. shoud be cut off by stringent enactments Of
law and the salaries of the remainder reduced on
the AVERAGE az least one-half in amount Of emolu-
ments travelling and official expenses. These lat
ter terms are fruitful source of abuse
Upon the subject of taxation he says: ''If all the
property in the state could be reached and ptopr-
tionately take, even if our expendi ures were not
essened our taxes would be ed9ced one half, they
now bel nearly equal to one-half the income re-
ceiveg upon perfectly safe investments in public
stocks One of the best methods to lessen taxation
is the strictest eco omy in making appropriations
for public expenses whether for tate county city
or town. Abolish all unnecessary Offices and paid
employees + the State. Cut off all questionable
expenditures
panies as against home companies in the matter of
taxation is referred to as subject for legislative
inquiry.
Legislation is suggested Whereby no empoye of any
steam railroad shall be obliged to work more than
TIN hours in any one day, except in emergency.
Other notifications of the laws defining the liab-
ty OF railroad corporate for injury to their en-
ployes are recommended.
pom the subject of education, after asserting
that salaries are as rule much too large he says
''Restrict the branches taught in the primary
schools by law specifically to spelling, reading
nrafarsbs 81 tha ntsd geoggapny,
these shall be taught upon the same system to the
same grade OF schools IL ever common school in
the commonwealth. When The scholar can show
that he is we'll grounded in the elementary English
branches. then let him be admitted to a school of
higher grade where he shall be taught bookkeepi 9,
| algebra, geometry, the rudiments of The Latin and
French languages chemistry, physics with natural
philosophy in rudimental degree, and there COM
mon school education should stop When by this
system of schools we have brought Mass achusetts
from her present position to be the first state in the
Union in the reading and writing of hr citizens,
here will be somebo " here doubtless compe-
te NJ to advise what is best 10 be done -
In conclusion Governor Butler says: 81 have pre-
sente0 tae result of best thonght upon the top
les occurring to of interest to you and The dis
cussion of which would benefit the State The time
has not been possible to to give them needed
care, classification and condensation. 1t has been
my endeavor to exclude therefrom every partisan
consideration. have every iniucement and no
temptation to do rwise, for mu3h desire that
my Suggestions shall have weight with all of you.
FROM my recommendations no personal advantage
can come, for now and here declare that l have
neither wish nor intent again to ask the sutfra-
of the people of he ealth for the posi-
tion hold. for which high honor am filled with
the most profound sensibiity. 1t is both my pleas
ure and duty to give year of he best energies
| of my life to the service of the commonwe wealtn,
/ thereby to pay an honest penny of my graft ude
Governor Butler read his address in that styl,
/ whi has become familiar in his public speech
/ es. Frequent touches of sly humor enlivtned it
and the applause as interspersed profusely as
ever in stump speech. Off hand interpoa ions were
made. Speaking OF the abolition of the poll tax as
| qualification for suffrage be interected the
| words, land such men as Harvard Students
The argument for woman suffrage literally
| applauded. When urging reforms in various de-
parments he said that fortunately the military was
| under control of the ecommandeT-in-cbief, thrust
Of grim humor which caused side shaking laughter
| His earnest recommendation of the de tth penalty
tor pc sons attempting to wreck or actually wreck
| ing aircad trains was applauded and there an
| other outhurs, of laughter when he said of the
expenses for salaries of charitable and pauper oc
| ials impaired with the st for supporting the
| poor and the insane thaie the eel larger thar
| the house" He hit the fam manag meht Of