New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-05
GnHERN0R RuTLER,S MESsAGE.

Governors messages are not usually classified
under the title Of popular literature, but the one
which General Butler sent to the Massachu-
sets Legislature yesterday is an exception. 1t
will be read from beginning to end by nearly
the entire population of the State, and by
thousands of people outside the State. No
more readable public document has been issued
anywhere for many years. In Massachuse It's
its pernsal will excite conflicting emotions.
That large class of citizens mostly young, who
voted for the General just to see how the old
man would act as Governor " will be delighted
with it. 1t attacks the time-honored institutions
of the Old Commonwealth with the reckless
abandon of Butler stump-speech. Indeed. 1t
is largely stump-speech OF great ability dis
guised under the digni6ed name of message. 1t
is thoroughly Butlerish throughout with all
that the term implies. Yet il is a strong and
able document. No man can read it without
being convinced that its author has devoted
much study to the questions he discusses, for
upon all of them he shows a firm grasp and a
knowledge both wide and exact. He Is not
always judicial, and he magnifes minor points
in order to make striking presentation of his
side of the case on few subjects he palpably
PLAYS the demagOgue; hut when all this is said,
it must be admitted that no tells great deal of
truth which his immediate predecessors have
lacked either the courage or the inclination to
utter.
The message is long, and if published in
FULL would occupy two pages of THE TRIBUNE.
We give very full synopsis From this it will
be seen that the General devotes great deal Of
space to an energetic and striking presentation
of his views on the present method OF admins
terng the charitable and correctional institu-
tons of the State. His figures and deductions
are convincing and seem to show that rad
zeal and speedy change is demanded. He shows
that over 70 per cent Of the sum appropriated
for the support of paupers and cOnvicts is ex-
pended in salaries that the cost of supporting
one pauper, which In the five years between
1859 and 1868, inclusive, was 20 cents a day,
had risen in the five years between 1877 and
1881, inclusive, to AZ cents a day; that the
State Prison, which in the years between 1868
and 1S73, inclusive, was self-suppOrting. earn
ing in the latter year 1913, 422 AZ net income
for the State has not been self-supporting since,
but in 1881 cost the State loss of $685. 13 81.
These are strong figures. The General supports
them with many remarkable statements and
revelations. He charges that the many abuses
I'm the management Of the charitable institu-
tions are due to the present system of giving
absolute control and permanent Office to Boards
or Commissions, which by ingenious legislation
have been placed beyond the control of the Ex-
ecutive and the people and can only be reached
by the Legislatures abolishing them. On the
subject of Board management his observations
are extremely interesting, and if all he charges
can he substantiated the continued existence of
some of the Boards will be little less thar the
perpetuation of public scandal.
One of the abuses growing out of this Board
system furnishes the General with an excellent
chance to get in a blow at the professional Civil
Service Reformers and he improves it hand
sOmely. In one Of the pauper establishments
there have been employed for many years
from four to seven persons all belonging to the
same family. all drawing salaries ranging from
$1,000 to $4,000 a year, besides the living
expenses of all of them and all being connec-
tons by blood or marriage of the Superintend-
emit. The General cites this and other in
stances Of the same sort, and ccngratulates the
Commonwealth that zone branch of what is
.known In political circles as Civil Service Re-
form is, and has been since 1879, in most full,
sefiicient and thorough operation in this Com
monwealth. aud that is. fxedness Of tenure OF