Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-10-15

thority under existing laws; the insane;
penal and reformatory institutions the
Bennington battle monument, which he
thinks ought to be put up pretty soon;
the State military history: the State lib
rary and the death of Gen. Grant. The
message is an able statement of the con-
dition and needs of the State. and will
doubtless be of great value in guiding
legislation.
Gov. Ormsbee. in opening. urges upon
the legislature prompt and efficient ac-
ton on the subjects that demand atten-
ton at their hands. He analyzes the
report of the treasurer, from which it
appears that the resources of the State
exceed its liabilities by 1894 .2O5.92. The
reduction in State expenses that has been
effected in late years is cause for con-
graduation, he says; and he points out
where further progress in this direction
can safely be made. The corporation
tax law. under the provisions of which
the State raises the bulk of its revenue,
is in his opinion a wise and practicable
measure. The State treasurer estimates
that the revenue from this source the
current year will be about 5000, 600. lie
quotes with approval the portion of the
report of the inspector of finance relating
to the investment of the funds of savings
banks, and refers with special emphasis
to the inspectors recommendation that
the percentage of investments of these
institutions allowed in western farm
mortgages be reduced to 40 per cent.
Mr.. Ormsbee devotes much space to con-
sderaton of the school problem, saying
"After careful consideration of this
subject. | am compelled to conclude that
the trouble mainly lies in these small
schools that, so long as old district
lines are held too sacred to be disturbed.
the trouble must. from necessity. not
only remain with us. but increase rather
than diminish. And. Notwithstanding
the adverse expression of the voters of
the several towns. should fall short of
Il full performance of what | conceive to
be my duty should | omit to say that il
is my earnest conviction that adequate
and lasting relief can come only by an
adoption of the Clown System" or some
other system by which the same end can
be accomplished or arrived at. am not,
however. welded to this or any other par
ticular system, but | earnestly submit
that the importance of the subject is
quite enough to call forth your best eff
forts and unbiased action in search of II
remedy and in providing for an applica-
ton of it," The various State institu-
tions receive his careful notice. Deal
nor refers to the difficulties met with in
the enforcement of the law, and urges
the importance of efiecting change
for the better. He says: 81 do not
assume to myself that degree of Wis
dom requisite to solve these questions,
or to point the way to solution
of them, further than to call your attcn-
tion and consideration to the distance,
the shifting, the maneuvering, the display
of ingenuity and the escapes between
Il first and second conviction under the
law and to say, if it is the sentiment of
the people at large that this law, or the
laws on this subject, should be treated
and made to operate as prOhibitory law
in fact as well as in name, rather than to
ot,a To-, 81, Il 4
would be much nearer reached by so
amending the law that the penalty pro-
vided for a first conviction should include
Il short term of Imprisonment as well as
fine" Speaking on the subject of ag-
riculture, he commends the national
movement for the regulatian of inter-
state commerce. and suggests the need of
State experiment station at the agricul-
tural college at Burlington. The law
providing for State aid to towns through
which pass highways that are used by
oughfares is, he believes, liable to abuse
in its present shape, though he is per-
suaded that the general scope of
it should be preserved. Mr.. Orms-
bee goes over the subject of rail
road commission with great care. He
states his conclusions thus: Il beIieve
that the object and ends of further de-
sirable legislation can be best secured
through commission, and that the eXis-
tence of IA com mission invested with such
powers and authority as are given to like
boards in several of the States, Massa-
chusetts and New York for instance,
would go far towards curing or remov-
ing all real or fancied grievances. And
experience in other States has demon
strated that where competent commits
sioners, properly empowered, have made
examination as to alleged grievances.
and upon finding them real and well
founded, have made such recommends
tions to the railroads complained of as
the board deemed called for, there has
been, with rare exceptions, a prompt and