Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-11-06

tions be maze 70 conform to the present
largely increased measure OF expenditure.
Railroad corporations now pay from two
to five per cent of their gross earnings;
transportation, steamboat and car compa-
MES two per cent; express, telegraph and
telephone companies three per cent; saw
ings banks and trust companies six-tenths
of one per cent on their deposits. | think
these corporations can be asked to contri-
butte one-fifth more than they now pay
without doing N an injustice
d. BILE TAXATION.
When the burdens of taxation are not
equitably apportioned there is just cause
of complaint. The taxation of real estate
and at the same time of the mortgage
indebtedness thereon, imposes double
tax which is clearly unjust Equity de-
mands that the 1mortgageor and the mort
gagee should be taxed according to their
respective interests in the land. have
been unable to formulate my own satisfac-
ton any statute by which it is practicable
to effect the needed change in our present
law, but it seems clear to me that If some
method could be devised to remedy the
evil, it would lift burden from the real
estate of Vermont, which can be removed
in no other way.
COURT EXPENSES.
This is a subject which the state auditor
has considered so fully III his report, which
you will have before you, that he has
practically exhausted it, The unpleasant
deduction from the figures given by him
is that this branch of state expense for the
past two years has been $4,000 as
against 100000 for the biennial period
ending July 81, 1888. The average an
nual expenditure in this department for
the first four years of this decade, 1880 to
1884, was only $40, 900. The auditor
points out specifically the causes for this
increase You will examine this matter
with that care which its Importance de-
mands, and / trust that with the data
found in the auditors report, and such
personal information and assistance as he
will be able to give you, you may find
some way to check this alarming increase
in the cost of our courts without impairing
their efficiency.
REFORM SCHOOL.
1t is unpleasant to communicate to you
any facts which seem to Indicate an UNI
warranted measure of expenditure in the
management of any institution drawing its
support from the state treasury. But, in
my opinion, one of the highest duties in
cunbent upon the executive is to carefully
ascertain all important facts touching the
management of our state institutions, and
communicate them unreservedly to You,
whether such facts are pleasant or I'M
pleasant. / have made as careful compu-
tation as the figures at hand would permit,
and find that the net expense, including
the expense Of trustees, for each scholar
cared for at the reform school has grown
from S115 in 1880 to S1S7 in 1899. The
exact figures are as follows 1880,
S115.S0; 1881, S119; 1882, S20710;
1888, SOS. %; 1884, S123.51 1885,
s165.35; 1886. S139.S6 1887, S13736;
1888, S142.13; 1889, S1S7.53. The ex-
expenses incurred in 1882 and
1888 were for permanent repairs. | am
pleased to be able to say that the figures
for the current year will show reduction
Of more than ten dollars per scholar as
with 1889. By reference to
the report of the superintendent, it
will be seen that more than 5S per cent
of the entire number of girls
we're of the ages of ID and Ia wears at the
time of commitment, and more than one
third of all commitments over eleven years
Of age were for gross lewdness. Statistics
show that in these cases reformation is
effected in only small proportion Of the
whole number. With no suitable facilities
Tor separating the girls according to their
offences, it seems evident that the result Of
his intermingling, viewed from moral
must be harmful The super
informs me that he does not see
low this association can be avoided with
he small number to be provided for, with
nut mourning unreasonable expense. The
highest average number Of girls in the
chool was q in 1888 There were II in
$50, 10 in 1887, and II in 1899, very like
y one-half OF these girls might have been
AIRED for quite as well at home, and the re-
nainder could be more satisfactorily pro-
ided for at some other institution, even if
coated out of the state. The s,perinten-
ent gives it as his opinion that the expense
er scholar, in the girls department is now
early or qnite double that in the boys de-
artment, or nearly one dollar per day for
ach girl cared for. / recommend that
areful investigation be made into the sys-
EN- upon which this school is conducted,
D the end that the expenses thereof may
e lessened, if it can be done without inter-
ering with the welfare of the scholars;
nd unless better method can be devised
Of caring for the girls, believe you will
eem it advisable to abolish this depart
tent of the school.
SOLDIERS HOME.
The directors of the soldiers home will
" before you a detailed statement of this
istitution. see no reason for anticipate
Ig an outlay on the part of the state in
tcess of 300 per annum, for each inmate
the home, for the United States govern
ent divides with the state the expense of
lpporting our veterans there until such
rpense reaches $500 per annum. | do not
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