Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-01-24
Governor Butler Frees His Mind.

Gov. Benjamin F. Buffers address
to the Massachusetts Legislature is a
remarkable paper, such as might be
expected from so remarkable a man.
1t is uncommonly long-we could
hardly crowd it into fifteen columns of
the Sun-yet there is not a superAu-
Gus word in it; nothing commonplace,
no nonsense. Gen. Butler had Il good
deal to say. He knew exactly what he
wanted to say it is twelve years since
he began to get ready for this mes
sage.
Brave, shrewd, patient, persistent,
clear-sighted, quick-witted, level-head-
ed, the bluff General goes right to
the heart of every question he touches.
From his Introductory reminder to
the fossils on the hill that he, Bena-
min +. Butler, is Supreme Execu-
tive Magistrate of the Commonwealth
to his concluding declaration that he
will not again be candidate for the
office, there is not an idea or sugges-
ton or recommendation that is not
inspired by an honest purpose to serve
the State of Massachusetts,.
Yet his message could not have Gre
ated a greater sensation in certain
quarters if he had proposed to paint
Bunker Hill monument green, or to
hang Frisbie Hoar for piracy. He
turns the whole system of State adj
ministration topsy-turvy with his UNI
pleasant facts and unwelcome advice.
Let us see what he tells the startled
inhabitants:
That Massachusetts has spent S22,-
078, $50 on a railway and tunnel en-
terprise that is not even now selfsup-
porting.
That by a capitation tax Massachu-
sets denies free and equal suffrage to
her citizens, and practically offers a
bounty from one to two dollars for
neglecting town meeting and staying
away from the polls;
That Massachusetts, refuses to 1884,
571 of her male citizens over twenty
one years of age rights and privileges
guaranteed by the constitution of the
United States; that her laws disfran-
chise sc per cent. of her voting popu-
lation; and that there are proportion
ally fewer voters in Massachusetts,
than in any other State in the Union,
north or south, except five;
That the present laws of Massachu-
sets in regard to registration are a
hindrance to honest voters in the ex-
ercise of their rights;
That in some parts of Massachu-
sets there is neither free ballot nor
fair count; and that a system of
sealed ballots is needed to protect the
Massachusetts voter from intimidation
at the polls;
That the 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 ac-
cepted by a majority of the women
voting at some general election direct
ly upon this question;
That the Massachusetts, laws regu-
lating naturalization, by restricting
the process to the Superior and Su-
preme Courts, operate to nullify the
laws of the United States, and that
the restriction should be 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 dispo-
sition will be discouraged by the pres
ent Commander-in-Chief;
That whoever is convicted of an at
tempt to throw a railroad train off
the track ought to be punished with
death;
That of the money spent by Massa-
chusetts on her reformatory, correc-
tional and pauper institutions eighty
seven per cent goes in salaries and
nerouisites.