The state journal., 1885-01-10


ported. Real estate, whether farm lands,
or city property, is suffering to-day from
its onerous burdens, and the cry for its
relief comes 10 us from class in the COM
munity whose appeals should be carefully
considered-the owners of homes and the
tillers Of the soil The inequality of the
burdens borne by personal and real prop
erty is glazing and unjust. and IS, day by
day, becoming more and more apparent.
The adjustment of this inequality must
come sooner or later, for it is right
which those Disseminated against will
not cease In asserting, and the method
suggested may be practiced help towards
settlement ofan important controversy,
and the redress of a real grievance.
designate the Place W here Money Ought to
be deposited.
again call the attentio Of the Legis-
lature, as l did in my former message, to
| the wisdom of designating by law the
places ia which the Treasurer shall de.
posit the public moneys. The discretion
vested in the Treasurer TO select the
places of deposit Is a dangerous one for
him ard for the State. 1t subjects him
| to personal importantly, and admits OF
| favOritism and abuse. Especially should
| Inception of deposits with private bankers
| be prohibited. The financial management
! of the State should be based upon plain
| business principles, and there is no reason
why the public moneys should not be de-
| posted in such q manner TO afford equal
security and profit with like capital of
| individuals. The recent failures of bank
ing institutions having State moneys on
deposit under former Treasures should
be an admonitiOn to the Legislature OF
| the necessity for the passage of some such
| regulation.
Tho Work of the Pardon Board.
The work of the Pardon Board Is a
proper subject for public information as
matter affecting the administration OF
criminal justice. The exercise Of execu,
tive clemency is subject about which
| the citizens in the past have properly dis
PLAYED sensitive interest. | therefore
lay before you IN detail the action of the
Board of Pardons during the time the
present executive has been in office.
From February 90 1898, to date the
| board has heard and considered the cases
of IA persons. The crimes committed
| by these applicants for Clemency were:
battery 10, murder in first degree IL,
murder in second degree Z, arson 8, rob.
berry Z, rape 7, manslaughter 5, forgery 0,
embezzlement 4, conspiracy 4, bigamy 3,
entering with feloneous intent 3, abortion
2, receiving stolen goods 3. keeping
| bawdy house 2. horse stealing 2, uttering
false instrument to defraud, &c, 2, riot
/. felony i, libel /, violation of election
laws /, carrying deadly weapons l, sod
omy I, malicious mischief |, seduction !;
total IA.
sixteen of these cases were recon-
mended for Clemency, and were pardoned
by the Executive. The offeDses of which
these sixteen persons were convicted were
as follows Larceny 5, robbery 1, burg
larry /, arson 1, entering in night to COM
NIT felony 3, rape 2, violation of election
law 1, assault and battery and aggravated
assault and battery ..
The sentences of three persons were
| communicative for murder in first de-
gree from hanging to imprisonment for
life, and one for burglary and larceny, so
that the sentence expired at the end OF
| two years and four months from its date.
The remaining one hundred and twenty
five applications were refused.
The work of the Pardon Board
particularly calls for deliberate,
pains-taking, conscientious and in
| telligent action. Its duties are
of the most delicate, serious and respOn
sible character affecting the most vital
interests of the community. These re-
| Quirements, | believe, have been fully
met by the present board. In every case
recommended for pardon there have been
substantial reasons TO warrant the ex-
tension OF clemency, resulting either
from after discovered testimony, evidence
of mistake, or other adequate cause, sup
ported by the recommendation of the
local officers of justice. In cases refused
| there has been an absence OF sufficient
evidence of innocence or injustice to call
for the staying Of the enforcement Of our
criminal laws.
Better Care of the Insane Ought to be Pro-
| vlded for.
The law passed at your last session
for the supervision and control Of places
where insane persons are detained has
Justified the wisdom of its enactment.
The report of the lunacy committee es-
tablisbed by that act has demonstrated
that the charges of IMMUNITY and cruelty
to the insane, to prevent which the act
was demanded, were not without
foundation. The committee discovered
and investigated large number OF cases
of improper detention, some of which
disclosed the most distressing and revolt
ing circumstances Of cruelty and neglect.
Had the means of investigation at the
disposal of the Committee been greater,
there is no doubt that still more satistac-
| tOru roc11fo would houa hoon obtained
Unfortunately the Legislature neglected
to make any appropriation for the pay
ment of the salary of the secretary OF
the committee authorized by the act or the
expenses necessarily entailed in efectinG
the purpose the new legislation was in.
tended to accomplish. In calling atten-
ton to this omission | also desire to ex-
press the hope that the Legislature will
not only supply the deficiency, but ap-
propriate adequate means for carrying out
the humanitarian intent of the act, and
giving effect to the philanthropic purpose
and valuable labOrs of the public spirited
and worthy citizens who inspired and
| drafted it.
The subject of the care and treatment
Of the insane is one of growing impor
lance, and demands your most attentive
consideration None of the charities of
the State is more worthy and important.
The exhaustive report of the committee
on lunacy is commended to the careful
thought of the Assembly. 1t calls atten-
ton to the Overcrowded condition of
many of the asylums, makes suggestions
| for much needed amendments in the
LunacY Laws, and is full of facts and de-
tails that are of the utmost value, and
attests the thorough character and bene-
fetal work of the committee.
| The Public Charities.
The whole subject of the public charities
will claim large share of your attention.
Liberal as the appropriations have been