Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-01-10

eT 5 llCt0SeS, edJlUI uOuSt lsCCHocSp duu
billiard licenses, which now goes into
the State Treasury, could be left in the
treasures of the various counties
whence it comes, and would to that eX-
tent, relieve the people of the local
taxes for the support of the courts, and
for other county uses.
The prosperous condition of the pub
lie schools is reviewed and moderate
aid for Normal schools is favored, and
the suggestion offered that the Or
phan schools be continued to 1885 at
least
With reference to the Reformatory
at Huntingdon, the Governor says:
1.-The construction and maintenance of
such an institution may be regarded as
part of the settled policy of the State.
1t is the only public building now be-
ing erected by the State. The Eastern
and Western Penitentiaries will, upon
its completion, be largely relieved of
inmates who are now crowding their
capacity. 1t will be wise and true
economy to provide for the complete
erection and equipment of this institu-
ton, and to make the necessary appro-
priations therefore not for present ex-
enditure-but to be applied to build
ings, the designs of which must now
be settled upon; the uses of which are
now to be contemplated, and the parts
of which are to be treated, at last, as
a whole with unified purpose run
ming through it.
The next reference is to the two pen
itentiaries, describing work on the
Western and plan of conducting the
Eastern. ain neither of the penitenti-
aries in this State" says the Governor,
"has there been an attempt yet made
to administer them on the vulgar,
wicked, unworthy consideration of
making them self-sustaining. In
neither of them has it been forgotten
that even the convict is a human be-
ing, and that his body and soul are not
so the property of the State that both
may be crushed out in the effort to re-
imburse to the State the cost of the
scanty food, and, at the end of that
term, what then is left of him be dis
missed, an enemy of human society"
Referring to the Reform School at
Morganza the message says: 1.-The
discipline was found to be firm and
parental. 1t is a pleasure to assure
you that after making, in company
with a number of other gentlemen quail
iged to Judge, an official inspection of
several similar institutions in several
of the States, which had received ju-
dicious approval from persons familiar
with the appliances needed in such
schools, we found our own school at
Morganza easily and decidedly the
superior in discipline, comfort and eff
iciency to any we had seen. The di-
rectors and superintendent of this in
stitution deserve commentator for re-
storing it to condition of the greatest
usefulness"
In discussing the five insane hospi-
tails in the State, the Governor, disa-
vowing any criticism of their manage
ment, says:
at is admitted that in so vast
scheme of charity, there is q want of
system and unity in administration,
which needs legislative action. There
ought to be uniform charges made
against township and county authori-
ties by all the hospitals, to prevent
what the board justly call "a pernicious
spirit of rivalry and underbidding, end
ing in lowering the standard of inst
tutional care, aud finally bringing it
down to the level of the ordinary
almshouse,' Provision should be made
for transferring patients from the over
crowded institutions, and, if need be.
the whole system of districts broken
up. Above all, the Legislature should
hit upon some general principle upon
which appropriations are to be made to
them for maintenance. Otherwise, the
undue urgency of some one institution,
or the combined ingenuity and persist
ence of all together, may lead either to
an inequitable distribution of your
bounty on the one hand, or an utterly
one on the other. Such a
uniform rule it will not be hard to dis
cover"
The important section devoted to the
topic Of life insurance is as follows:
"The magnitude of this interest may
be estimated by the fact that in the
year 1880 and 1881 the regular life
companies of this and other States au-
to do business in Pennsylva-
MIA received premiums from their busi-
ness in this State amounting to $l0,- !
4S8, ,83G. OF this sum $3,O25,109 was
received by companies of this State,
and 81, ,35S, 696 by companies Of other
States, upon which last-named sum a
tax amounting to 1921, ,768 SO was paid !
into the State Treasury for the privi
lege of doing business in this Common
wealth.
During the same years companies
under the laws of this State |
to insure lives upon the assessment
plan, received, in premiums and assess
ments, the sum of So, 500,98 upon
which no tax was paid to the State +;
and paid for death claims the sum of
s., 959,3O2 The balance of s., SAL
6S7 was appropriated by these COM
panies to agents, officers and expenses. |
Most of these companies engaged, with
out warrant of law, in business of a
purely speculative character, and entire
were demoralized by their
nefarious operations, The evil attain
ed such magnitude that it was found
necessary to institute legal proceedings
for their suppression, which was hap
PLY accomplished through the instru-
mentality of the proper authorities.
1t is to be hoped that this impressive
lesson may not be lost or forgotten, and
that it will in the future deter the pub
lie from placing their trust in methods
of life insurance, or specious substitutes
therefor, which are without solid
foundation in morals or mathematics !
"The act of 1878. establishing an In