The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-01-15

II felt the birth Of an idiot or imbccila To be
relieved Of the care Of suoh child might save
watchful and heartbroken mothers from I'M
timely grAvos-victtms Of mothnrly devotion 70
their unfortunate onsprtng. i trust yoq viii
vide for the care Of this unfortunate class In
State institution
y.o..o, ana our Son,s Pn,so oin..,, toward ZACH
other very much the relation OF rival manu-
featuring establishments. and should, think,
be both placed under one Board OF Prison Com
missioners. One Is regarded as place Of pun
ishment, the other rs ''reformatory. and yet,
from the character OF the offenders admitted TO
each, 1t would be difficult TO determine which Is
ened Offenders are committed to IoniA to minRle
with those who have been committed from
full prisoners for their first offense sent to the
State Prison At Jackson. 1 think under
q single Board both prisons would be
/ think, be empowered TO determine In
which prison criminals should be kept.
In this way. by weedipg-out process,
Prison. and juvenile offenders, and those who
do not belong TO the criminal class at all, but
are suffering the consequences OF single act
committed In q moment OF passion OF under
circumstances of great temptation, would find
more fitting place In the reformatory az lonfa-
i am satisfied that an Advancement OF this kind
would be better than the present system or
leaving the final selection OF prison in the
hands Of the Circuit Judges. most OF whom seem
70 use no discretion at all in the matter. 1
think the Wardens OF our prisons should be APP
pointed by the Board OF Prison Commissioners,
not by the Governor, and should hold their or
of prisons should be appointed by the Wsrdens,
subject to the approval of the Prison Commits
sioners.
PRISON LABOR
The system OF contract labor In our prisons
should. think. be abolished. The articles
manufactured should be sold at the full market
price, the convict and family or dependent rela-
tives receiving the whole or such part of his
earnings as the Prison Commissioners may deem
just. On this latter point feel very much In
earnest The applications for pardons, which
occupy so much of a Governors time,
reveal the fact that in most instances some
person outside the prison Is really suffering
more than the convict himself. The prisoner
IL comfortably housed and clothed, has regular,
wholesome, and abundant food, and all
needed medical attendance. while the depend
emit father. mother, wife, or children are de-
prived OF most of those comforts. Under the
present system. II sentence il to be imposed on
the party to suffer, these dependent ones should
be brought into court and sentenced to lose the
services or him who should provide for their
wants and to be deprived OF the comforts, II
not necessaries Of life for the period prescribed
by law. do not think the question of making
our prisons pay their expenses should be a chief
consideration in their management, nor do
wrong doing OF the son. husband, or father, to
appropriate his earnings, making those inno-
cent ones that God has committed to his care
the principal sufferers by bis crime.
The fees Of sheriffs and constables for convey
ing prisoners under sentence to the prisons ut
Jackson and Ionia are now paid by the State.
Numerous complaints have been received from
all parts of the State In regard to the exorbtant
and illegal fees charged for such services. Bills
have been regularly presented and paid claim
ing more mileage than by the usual route. An
extra day, not moment of which was spent In
conveying the prisoner or returning, is charged,
and the expenses supposed TO be incurred over
night by the Introduction Of an extra day-in-
GLIDING supper. lodging, and breakfast-are
charged to the State, making in some cases
nearly double the legal fees. Such bills are
sworn to as q correct account OF services rem
dered the State The wardens of the prisons
have also called my attention to the unnecessary
multiplication OF guards and trips. A Sheriff
will invite his acquaintances TO a number equal
to the number of prisoners TO be con-
veyed on jnnketing trip to Jackson at
the expense Of the State. An officer will
convey three meek tramps, anxious TO win
ter at Ionia, at three trips, when they might
jusu as well have been taken ut one time. The
rehensible and d shonest practices is considers
BILE. 1 am disposed, however, to regard its
demoralizing effect on officers to whom are in
trusted the execution of the laws as the most
"robbing the State by perjury. and yet when
false accounts are sworn to, and payment re-
ceived from the State do not know how it can
well be designated in milder terms. Several
plans have been proposed to remedy the evils
complained of. think the best plan will be to
make the conveying of prisoners under SEN
tenoe to the prisons of the State charge against
| the counties from which they sent. The
Boards Of Supervisors will scrutinize more care
| fully and intelligently such bills than can q
State officer who knows but little OF the facts
and will l think, put stop to the abuses com
MINERAL STATISTICS.
| The office of Commissioner Of Mineral Stats
| tics is, think. of little practical use to the
| State. He publishes annually book of nearly
| 500 pages, giving the history and workings of
f, each mine for the previous year; work of much
labor, but as believe, of little interest except
TO those operating the mines or dealing in min
| ing stocks. After sending to the mining COM
| panies such copies as were recommended by the
| Commissioner, believing that the remainder
should be got before the public somehow. l or
\ dered quantity to the executive Office at Flint
Ny persistent efforts TO give these books away
hrve not been crowned with any remarkable de-
gree of success.
/ recommend that the office of Commissioner
! of Mineral Statistics be abolished, and a COM
missioner Of mines be appointed, whose duty Il
shall be TO exercise supervision on behalf of the
| State Of all mining operations; to see that the
safety OF the miners Is secured, and that every
| precaution is used to prevent avoidable acci-
fere where human life might possibly be i'm
periled: with authority TO compel tho closing Of
mines where they can not safely be worked the
rejection of unsafe machinery, and the use of
! such machinery and apparatus may seem
| necessary to protect the miners from all avoid
able danger. Besides reporting such brief sta
| tistcal summary OF mining operations IA would
bs of general interest, 1t should be his duty to
| report all casualties among the operatives and
| their causes. i commend the matter TO your
| thoughtful consideration.
TAX LAWS.
| The tax law Of 1882 fails 70 provide for the
| sale of lands for delinquent drainage taxes. The
| drainage act OF 1881 provides that such sales
shall be made at the same time. place, and man
| ner as lands are advertised and sold for other
taxes The provisions of the drainage act OF
| 1881 and the tax law of 1882 do not harmonize
| and IL Is, l believe, generally conceded that
there Is now no legal method of collecting delin-
1 quent drainage taxes by sale OF lands. This is
| an important matter. and should receive early
consideration.
The tax law of 1882 seems to have been care
! FULLY planned to give purchasers at tax sales a
! good title cannot bat think that the rights
| OF landowners. who, through poverty, igno-
| rance, or careessness. have allowed taxes to 90
unpaid, should have received more considerations
| BY a single act of careessness on the part OF
the poor man. or from lack of knowledge a
| speculator may, Mt the cost of n single years
| tax. obtain a good title TO the family home
| stead think the privilege Of redemption for
| n series OF years by paying the taxes and n
penalty amply sufficient to compensate the
| speculator for his investment should be pro-
vided for.
The salaries paid to our State officers and the
| Judges Of the Supreme Court are a disgrace TO
| the State The salary OF every State officer
should be sufficient to compensate him for the
work performed and responsibility assumed
and for all the expenses incident TO his official
position. With our present salaries no man OF