Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-01-17

|
not think the State can afford to col
duct these establishments in a wa
that will injure the industries of tn
State. Manufacturers, with large car
ital invested in buildings and real es
tate, and who employ selfrespectini
mechanics and laborers, should not b
forced into a ruinous competition wit
convict labor controlled by contract
ors. The prisoners should, l think
be employed under the prison manage
ment, and the goods manufacture
sold to the trade at fair market rates
If a percentage of the profits wa
credited to well behaved prisoners, t.
be paid them OH their discharge, j
would be motive to willing labo
and good conduct, and furnish then
means to begin life anew with whel
their terms expire.
COMMISSIONERS OF LABOR.
Railroads and insurance, correct
ions and charities, education, agricul
ture and health have been committed
to State boards, whose valuable sta
tististics and suggestions form basis
for legislation. Paupers and crimi
mails, the fish that swim in our river:
and lakes, and the cattle that Craze
in our fields, are cared for by Commits
sioners appointed by the State. A
large class of our citizens, and who
are seldom found in our halls of legis.
lation to speak for themselves, have
no one whose special duty it is to in.
vestigate their condition and report
what legislation is necessary for the
protection of their interests. l refer
to the laboring class. The State Of
Massachusetts has Labor Bureau
whose reports and statistics are eager
ly sought for by all who would study
the labor question, and has been the
means of reforming numerous abuses.
l would recommend the appointment
of three commissioners known as the
Commissioners of Labor, with author
ity to employ secretary at the ex-
pense of the State. l feel assured it
would be the means Of placing much
valuable information before the next
Legislature, and become an important
element in determining questions as
to the rights of labor that must SOON
er or later be settled by legislation.
THE DISSECTION BILL.
/ would call your attention to law
superintendent of the poor
to forward the remains of deceased
persons, who would otherwise be bur.
led at the public expense, to Ann
Arbor for the purpose of dissection.
In the hour of our bereavement,
when human sympathy finds its truest
in flowers, and loving hands
bring their floral tributes to deck the
dear remains, should dray bearing
a coffin shaped box, marked Gam
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?
l have yet to learn that the inabili-
ty to pay for funeral indicates a
lack of natural feeling. A common
against adverse fortune may
have served to cement ties of affection
and the wood cross and simple rose
bush express as true devotion as was
ever chiseled in the purest marble.
I recommend that, if the State must
continue to supply subjects for dis
section, the selection be made on other
grounds than that of poverty.
FREE PASSES.
The acceptance of free passes on
the railroads by members of the Leg
islature is of doubtful propriety. l
do not say that the vote of any men,
Der would be influenced thereby when
legislating on the subject of railroads;
but at least one party has denounced
the practice in its platform, and good
men of all parties regard it with dis.
favor. Its practical effect is to ma
terially prolong the session. So long
as members can go home weekly, not
only without expense, but with a re-
duction of their board bills, Saturday
and Monday will be almost wasted,
and the session prolonged by several
weeks.
In relation to the tax printing swim.
die, Governor Begole says: The adj
vertising of tax sales should be con-
Quoted on business principles, and Civ
en- to the lowest bidder. The recent
advertising of State tax lands has
been generally condemned as an un-
necessary expense.