Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-09
coveroor Buffers Message.

Governor b. L. Buffers message is a
sockdolager, both to the breyity-loying
press of the country and the sleepy, half
paralyzed Republicans of Massachusetts.
The New York Sun says the message
would fill fifteen of its columns, and yet
there is not superfiuOus word IN 1t; that
the "brave. shrewd, patient. persistent,
clear-sighted. quick-witted, level-headed,
bluff General, goes right to the heart OF
every question he touches. and that the
message could not have created greater
sensation in certain quarters if the Gov
ernor had proposed to paint Bunker Hill
Monument green or to hang Frisble H0ar
for piracy. Here is the Suns synopsis OF
some of the most important points taken
by the warlike Governor:
That Massachusetts has spent S22,0ls,-
ESQ on railway and tunnel enterprise
that is not even now self-supporting;
That by a capitation tax Massachusetts
denies free and equal suffrage TO her cltl-
Gems. and practically offers bounty of
from one to two dollars for neglecting
town meetings and staying away from the
polls;
That Massachusetts, refuses to l64.51l Of
her male citizens over twenty-one years OF
are rights and privileges guaranteed by
the Constitution Of the United States; that
her laws disfranchise 36 per cent, OF her
voting population; and that there are pro-
portionately fewer 0tersin MASSACHUSETTS,
than i'm any other state OF the Uhloh' Nor'h
or South, except five;
That the present laws of Massachusetts IN
regard to registration are a hindrance 10
honest voters in the exercise ofthelrrlghts;
That in some parts of Massachusetts
there is neither Il free ballot nor 1air
count: and that a system of sealed ballots
is needed to protect the MASSACHUSETTS,
voter from intimidation at the polls;
That desire of Massachusetts women
to vote should be practically tested by a
law allowing them to vote like men at
municipal elections. the law to take effect
when it shall be accepted by majority OF
the women voting at some general cleo
ton directly upon this question:;
That the Massachusetts laws regulating
naturalization. by restricting the process
: to the Superior and supreme Courts,
operates to nullify the laws of the United
states. and that the restriction should he
repealed:
THAT there is snobbish tendency
among officers of the Massachusetts,
militia to ape the airs of officers OF the
/ regular army. and that this disposition
/ will be discouraged by the present Com
/ mander-in-Chief:
/ That whoever is convicted of an at
tempt to throw a railroad train OIL the
/ track ought to be punished with death;
That Of the money spent by Massachu-
+ sets ON her refOrmat0ry, correctional and
I pauper institutions 81 per cent goes IN
/ salaries and perquisites:
/ That the cost Of supporting every sane
/ and insane pauper of Massachusetts i
I double what il used TO be and what 1t
ought to he:
That the so-called charitable and re-
: formatOrv institutions Of Massachusetts
! are nests of extravaganza and scandalous
abuses;
That the School for IdiOtic and Feeble.
/ Minded Youth ought to he wiped out OF
+ existence since well-fed, Well-cared-IOl
+ idiot is a happy creature. while an IDIOT
/ awakened to his condition is miserable
one:
That a State prison convict ought to he
I allowed to work off portion of his sen.
tence every month by diligence and good
behavior-say. ten days OHt OF every thll.
ty. as the highest reward of merit; and
that certain percentage OF MS earnings
. while i'm prison ought to be invested fol-
his benefit;
That the insane who have chance OF
! recovery should be kept in other institu.
tiOns than those which contain the violent
or the hOpelessly mad;
That each of the institutions now GOV
, erned bv. boards should be put under the
control of some one competent man, di
rectly responsible TO the Governor;
That in place of the present system Of
/ executive government by irresponsible
commissions. the Governor and Councl
should have power to summon witnesses
and take testimony in regard to abuses II
| the administration of State affairs, rs vel
as power 10 apply the remedy;
That at least One-third of the office
holders of the State should he cut off as
/ superfluOus, and that the salaries of the
/ remainder should be reduced at least one
half. Il will undertake. says General
/ Butler. to carry on the needed business
of the State with the reduced number Of
officers. and. if the present officers resigl
/ their places which most of them Will not
do on account of the reduction OF then
salaries. | will till their places witt
equally good and efficient incumhents, Sc
lected and appointed under the most care
fully prepared rules OF competitive eN
aminatlOn;
That the tax eyaders and tax shunner'
Of Massachusetts ought to he pursued
with a vengeance, and that Taxation
should be lessened by ab0lishing unneces
sarv offices and cutting off useless eXpen
ditures:
That the Legislature might help 10 re
duce taxation by shortening its sessions
That railroad accidents caused by over
worked employees should be prevented by
a law against working railroad employs
more than ten hours Il day;
That the boosted educational system o.
Massachusetts is far behind that Of many
other States-in fact, that she is the nine
teenth State of the thirty-eight in respec
/ of illiteracy. while there are only two
States which expend more money PEI
capita for education. General Butler
finds that of 50, 100000 which the State eX
ponds for education. 81, 1925 goes tol
Salaries of teachers. He finds that the
pay Of the male teachers of the highe
grades and of the fancy branches Is dis
proportionately large. \ special class o
pupils is taught music, drawing, physlol
ogy, physics. botany, zoology, geology. as
tronOmy. chemistry. psychology, Greek
Latin, French, and German, while the spell
ing book is banished. ''Our school money,
he SAYS. lis diverted eXtrayagantly from
the many TO whom it does belong to the
few to whom it does not belong"
OF these and other topics of less mpor
lance General Butler treats with grea
fulness and unfagging common sense
Massachusetts in the year 1883 is blessed
With Governor with brains and hack
! bone