The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-01-12

or their families for all damages, except
| where the injury was caused by the careless
ness of the injured party. The companies
might also be required TO set apart a small
percentage of their earnings for the relief
of dependent families of employees killed In
the performance OF duty
INSPECTION OF OILS
The latest report of the State Inspector 81
Illuminating OILS shows that during tho
| year 1881 the fees collected for inspection
amounted TO SIS, 26l 20, while the total cost
of inspection was but s17, 2l8.34, leaving o
surplus OF 81, 043. Al to be placed In the
| State treasury. The collection Of this sur
plus by the State is practically the imposf-
| ton OF a tax on illuminating oils and should
| be abolished The charge for inspection
| should be reduced TO the actual cost, and q
| system of fees adopted which shall afford
| Inspectors who travel considerable distances
to inspect few barrels az much compensa-
ton as those who merely step out Of their
offices few minutes to test 1OO-barrel
| tanks
| EMIGRATION
| The Commissioner of Emigration Is by law
under the direction of the Governor, and the
expenditures of his Office are under the Gov
! ernor's control. / am satisfied that the Of
fice as managed, is a success, and justifies
its creation by the Legislature. IL has not
only secured a very large number of intelli
! gent emigrants from other States, but it's
| valuable array of facts and figures, wisely
|
nently calculated TO convince our enterpris-
ing and ambitious young people that Michi-
gan is undoubtedly the least desirable State
IN the Union from which TO emigrate.
| TAXATION
have received many letters from inteln-
gent citizens calling my attention to sup
| posed defects in the new Tax law, and il
| would seem that some OF its material pro-
visions fail TO meet the general approval.
| have not been able to give such attention
TO the subject as would warrant me in recon-
mending material changes in a law on which
SO much labor has been expended, at great
cost TO the State, and which is as yet un-
| tried
The advertising of tax sales should be con-
Quoted on business principles, and given to
of State tax lands has been generally con-
| demned as an unnecessary expense.
CONVICT LABOR.
| The matter of selling to contractors the
! labor OF convicts in our prisons should re-
ceive your attention. l do not think the
| State can afford TO conduct these establish
! ments in way that will injure the Industries
of the State. Manufacturers with large
capital invested in buildings and real estate,
! and who employ self-respecting mechanics
! and laborers, should not be forced into
ruinous competition with convict labor con-
trolled by contractors The prisoners
should, / think, be employed under the
prison management, and the goods manu-
featured sold TO the trade at fair market
rates Ii q percentage OF the profits was
credited to well-behaved prisoners, to be
paid them on their discharge, it would be q
motive TO willing labor and good conduct,
and furnish them means to begin life anew
with when their terms expire.
COMMISSIONERS OF LABOR
Railroads and insurance, corrections and
charities, education, agriculture and health
have been committed TO State boards, whose
valuable statistics and suggestions form a
basis for legislation. Paupcrs and criminals,
the fish that swim in our rivers and lakes,
and the cattle that craze in our fields, are
cared for by Commissioners appointed by
the State A large class of our citizens, and
who are seldom found in our halls of legisla-
ton TO speak for themselves, have no one
whose special duty ii is TO investigate their
condition and report what legislation
their interests. / refer to the
laboring class. The State of Massachu-
sets has Labor Bureau whose reports and
| statistics are eagerly sought for by all who
would study the labor question, and has
been the means of reforming numerous
abuses. / would recommend the appoint
ment of three Commissioners to be known
rs Commissioners of Labor, with authority
TO employ Secretary at tho expense of the
State / feel assured it would be the means
of placing much valuable information before
the next Legislature, and become an import
ont element in determining questions as to
the rights of labor that must sooner or later
BE settled by legislation
THE DISSECTION BIfI.
/ would call your attention to q law re-
quiring Superintendent of the Poor to for
ward the remains of deceased persons, who
would otherwise be buried at the public ex-
pense, TO Ann Arbor for the purpose of dis
section.
In the hour OF our bereavement, when
human sympathy finds its truest expression
in flowers, and loving hands bring their
floral tributes to deck the dear remains,
should dray bearing cotfin-shaped box,
marked @Ann Arbor," stop at our door, and
an officer armed with the authority of the
State claim that loved form, would we not
resist even to death the enforcement OF the
cruel statute?
have yet to learn that the inability to pay
for funeral indicates a lack of natural feel
ing. common struggle against adverse
fortune may have served TO cement ties or
affection, and the wood cross or simple roso
bush express as true devotion as was ever
chiseled in the purest marble.
In the poor-house in my own county arc
two aged couples whose path to the un-
known is frightened by their confidence that
the good superintendent will be more hu-
name than the law, and that their remains
will find resting place III mother earth,
and side by side / recommend that, If the
dissection, the selections be made on other
grounds than that of poverty.
FREE PASSES.
The acceptance of free passes on the rail-
roads by members Of the Legislature is OF
doubtful propriety. i do not say that the
vote of any member would be influenced
thereby when legislatipg on the subject Of
railroads; but at least one party has de-
nounced the practice in its platform, and
good men of all parties regard it with disfa-
vor. Its practical effect is TO materially pro-
long the session So long rs members can
go home weekly, not only without expense,
! but with n reduction of their board bills,
Saturday and Monday will be almost wasted,
and the session prolonged by several weeks
EARLY LEGISLATION
Nv experience in the State Senate and in
Congress leads Inc to ask You toe begin tho
work of enacting laws at an early day.
| There is much less danger of inconsiderato
| legislation by so doing than by leaving inn
| portant measures TO be crowded through IN
the last days OF the session.
| APPROPRIATIONS
Let not q false economy induce you to
| cripple any interest of the State. This Leg
islature, composed of intelligent and practi-
cal men, will not, i feel assured, adopt
penny wise and pound foolish" system Of
| appropriations The growing State of Mich
| igan, with many of its industries yet In their
/ infancy can not afford to adopt the