Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-01-15

near that i tfuct your committee VIII person
DO Justice both to the college and your consti-
tuehts.
commend also TO your committees the I'M
terests OF tho School for the Blind and the Re-
form School. Opportunity viii choerfully be
given for a full understanding OF their respect
I've needs. regret my inability to visit them
The State Public School, the industrial School
for Girls, aud the Soldiers Homo WILL trust,
TO speak OF them from personal knowledge. but
they belong to our system and are Justly en-.
titled to theft share OF your attention..
ASYLUM Fen rIiR INSANE.
At the Easterh Asylum met members OF the
other asylum boards. and the fieeds OF the
thres institutions were discussed. IL was
agreed that more room is required In dll our
asytums. This seems impefatiye, usiless some
plan can be devised, to relieve them OF Q large
class of patients who DIRE harmless but fncura-
ble 1t is Obvious that II this class were re-
turned to their friends patients who could be
benefited by treatment might be received. II
the present practice is adhered to, the demand
tage system will be far more economical than
the multiplication OF separate institutions
inform@tIon' and the care Of our insane viii
require yotir serious consideration.
Michigan 10 advanced id her treatment OF the
hietita J diseased, and one has 6lt TO visit our
asyluf1is 20 be CONVINCED that these unfortunate
pe0ple receive every heedcd care and comfort.
PRIsb, s AND REFcRMAToRIFs.
most Important institutions, not. only as re-
CARDS the value Of the plants and the character
OF their work, ut also as rel ards the policy
which should control them. SuccssHui prison oa1
the warden end his subordina,es. Questions
other than tie confinement and support OF con:
long study aud familiarity with Grim
inal classes aud their conditions are
necessary 10 At men TO deal with them
wisely. Believing that our prisons shouldthave
the best executive and business talent obtain
sble fer their meDagement have elsewhere
fecofnItiended that oil olf penal institutions be
biabed Under the cohifo1 OF single board
This board Should, so far as possible, be non;
pR tisan; and should appoint the wardens ana
have general supervision OF the institutions,
The wardefs OF our Prisons nfe the only officers
at the head of stats institutions, who are ap-
pointed by the Governor. The other executive
heads of institutions are appointed by the re-
spective governing boards, and sound policy
demands that the prison appointments be non'
poll tcal.
All are agreed as to the desirabflity OF ballot
reform, and our new election law 10 generally
| approved as a step in the right direction, The
ys: s%
| is the best guaranty Of purity IN elections.
| practical test OF cur law has shown that some
| hmendmefits arc Needed to re hdef It entirely
sfficient aid satisfactory. 1 suggest the fOf
/. Let the Idw apply to all elections.
9. Let the distribution or using OF ballots
we're at penalties.
s. lei The ballots be printed b,y the equity
ess G SSa ef 81 s O coGg gAs ssrS
| the inspectors Of elections. Let the ballots be
paid for by the state in all State elections and
by the townships and cities In township and
4. A more expeditions method of countiiiG
| should be adopted
modification which wou render unnecessary
the use OF slips or pastors.
WAGON ROADS.
coll your attention to the Necessity fer some
| change In the laws relating to the highways oi
fhe cor diiion OF ali wagon roads last winter
was suffeiefft proof that our present system of
foadmaking IL q. waste 81 Time and labor
1 Roads Ordinarily the best were last winter as
bad ds those OH which little or no work had
Rofind S would be mote q the general adystitSee
| would add more 10 the value Of farms, and yield
comfort, convenience and profit 10 lateei
| putt1ber OF people than any other work foI
which public money Is expended. We claim tc
be practical people, Lpt surely our roac
building has been failure A vast amount Of
labor has been annually expended upon oui
roads for many years. but It has been. don,
without system and without competent super
| vision.
Asa result the labor is largely wasted ant
| Yields no final improvement. The establ shmen
OF general system of roa i-making which would
gradually, even II slowly, result In permanent
| good roads throughout the State would be a wis
and benefcent reform.
| TAXATION.
fhefe 10 q general feeling among all classes
| but N Ore pfdnouhced; berhaps, among the agd
| cultural and Industrial peopleI That public ex
| pend lures hdve incfeased thpeh m5fe rapidly
than the ability OF the 70
| Greater simplicity would better accord with th
present circumstances and condition OF oul
| people.
civilization or impair the efficiency OF our vari
Gus institutions, but the people believe tha
than impede, humep vi,tues and improvement
puf peopl, Are willing, to, support generousl!
th9se public exp, iises which teiid to the genera
welfare, but thot also believb that State take
dro tao high ana that n6 public institution nee,
suffer ~ less TAX wds levied. Taxa. ion ha
steadily increased teaf by year, while the abili
payers the farmefs. has diminished. Their
should be an { fort made 10 reduce taxation
The demand that only careful and heedful ex
penditntes be authorized is imperative anC
should be needed. :.
Youf Own wisdom and experiences will suggest
ways and means Of afordfng relief but / cal
attention to some feat res Of our ptesent sys-
tenn which seem to me to fteed corrcc ion.
Our system Of Stdte taxation needs I
thorough revision for the ptrpose OF equalizint
the assessment on the two classes OF property
that subject to specific tax and that subject L
local taxation. Every industry. business, anS
property interest should bear its just share o
the burden OF taxation, but, under our presen
| system, that vast amount OF property wh1ci
pays a specific tax pays at least one-half les
10 Snec and @ add
ing TO the burden Of those least able TO pay, an'
favoring the corporate wealth OF osr state.
Another just cause OF complaint Is that mucl
| property il now exempt from taxation whicl
ought not to escape. There seems TO be no goo,
reason why property owned and used by rail
road mining, telegraph and tel'phoii9 a con- ,,,,1
poses should be exempt from general taxation
doubt the rolicy Of ekempting any propett
nriVieees to any elSss affords Ia ST eau SO Of com
plant to the masses, 1 commend this sublec
OF exemptions to your careful consideration.
taTor return HD I TO he county sSstsn for the co
lection OF delinquent tAxce, Ibelieve 10 wonl
be less expensive and more efficient than tn
present system, which is. In my opinion, cum
n each county were required to pay TO tn
State its proportion OF the ktate tax, and the
S s% o sSo q OF s P besTs
large saving to the State would follow, and
would II AXE the officers OF the townships an
counties moro watchful Of their duties in se'
ing that the tax is properly aud legally laid. an
the enforcement OF the law would be more Gel
tain.
have your attention Is the taxation Of real e
, tate on which there is mortgage incumbranc
Justice to the owner OF the real estate forbid
levying tax on larger interest than he ma
have in the land, got for various reasons it ma
be difficult to ascertain his exact interest. A
agree that tho mortgage is evidence OF propert
. gagee should, between them, pay taxes 9
+ the full value OF the property. Cal
fornia has statute under which u
land. and such proportion Of tho tax 40 raid /
the Indebtedness bears TO the assessed Walt
becomes q legal set-on against the mortgas
, | As our law stands, the owner OF the land pay
tax ON the full value, be his real interest grel
. | or small, while the mortgages, who is usual
tho better able to pay, either escapes taxation
1 | or pays another tax on the same property.
| the mort Qnoee Is n non resident Of the state