Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-01-16
arATH uNIvrnsIrx

sity, OWING 10 largely Increased attendance, are
necessarily greater, and more room and accom-
inodations are required. While visiting the
/ institution observation convinced me that
utility was the aim In all expenditures, and il
the same policy Is continued, as l think IL will
be, every dollar you may grant will be care
fully and judiciously used.
! The University OF Michigan takes high rank
In The educational worl id, and exerts power
fui influence on the intellectual life or the
state and nation. ! commend its interests TO
your favorable consideration.
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.
The State Normal School is well organized
and managed for its especial work. and results
are satisfactory.
The state Board. of Education estimates its
needs at Sl0l,G0 for the next two years, rs
against slG2. $50 for the past two years. While
there Is an increase of students j think its
efficiency can be maintained without addi-
/ tional cost. Some additional ground and some
sewerage improvement are needed, but the
necessity is not imperative at this time.
SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF
The School for the Deaf is doing az satisfac-
tory work as any of our public institutions.
The class of children gathered there appeal
strongly TO our sympathy and should have
your substantial support. The board ask for
an increased appropriation over that OF the
past two years. In view OF the public demand
that taxation be lowered. think the material
interests of the school need not suffer II their
full request be not granted.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
have been unable to visit the Agricultural
College, but the State Board of Agriculture
have sent me their estimates for the next two
years, aggregating S&,6D. While this does
not seem a large sum for so important school,
the college has IA substantial endowment fund,
and If tie board can, without injury TO the
college, prune their estimates, the farmers Will
appreciate the effect upon their taxes. The
college is so near that trust your committee
will personally investigate its needs, and thus
be able TO do justice both to the college and
your constituents.
OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
/ commend also to your committees the In
terests of the School for the Blind and the Re
form School. Opportunity will cheerfully be
given for a full understanding OF their re-
spective needs. regret my inability TO visit
The State Public School, the Industrial
School for Girls, and the Soldiers Home, VIII,
/ trust, receive your earnest attention. am
unable to speak of them from personal
knowledge, but they belong to our system and
are Justly entitled TO their share of your atten-
tion.
AsYLUMs ron THE INSANE.
At the Eastern Asylum / met members Of
the other asylum boards, and the needs OF the
three institutions were discussed; IL was
| agreed that more room is required In all our
asylums. This seems imperative, unless some
plan can be devised TO relieve them or large
class of patients who are harmless but incur
able. IL is obvious that If this class We're re-
turned TO their friends patients who could be
benefited by treatment might be received. II
the present practice is adhered TO. the demand
I
cottage system will be far more economical
than tho multiplication OF separate insutu-
tons The reports submitted by the trustees
give full information, and the care OF our III
sane will require your serious consideration.
Michigan Is advanced in her treatment or
the mentally diseased, and one has only To
visit our asylums TO be convinced that these
unfortunate people receive every needed care
and comfort.
PRISONS AND REroRMAToRIEs.
The prisons and reformatories are among
our most important institutions, not Only as
regards the value of the plants and the char
policy which should control them. Successful
prison management requires special qualhca-
tons IN the warden and his subordinates.
Questions other than the confinement ana sup
port OF convicts are involved in prison govern
ment, and long study and familiarity with
criminal classes and their conditions are neces-
sary 10 lit men to deal 18th them wisely. Be
lieving that our prisons should have the best
executive and business talent obtainaoie for
their management, have elsewhere reconl-
mended that all our penal institutions be
placed under the control Of single board.
| This board should, so far as possible, be nol,
partisan, and should appoint the wardens ana
have general supervision OF the institution.
4 he wardons of our prisons are the only OH
GERS at the head of state institutions who are
appointed by the Governor. The other eXecu-
tive heads OF institutions are appointed by the
respective governing boards, and sound policy
demands that the prison appointments DC non
political.
All are agreed as TO the desirability OF ballot
reform, and or new election law is generally
| approved as a step in the right direction. The
booth feature gives every voter an opportunity
to be alone with his ballot, and absolute
secrecy is the best guaranty OF purity in cleo
tions. A practical test of our law has shown
that some amendments are needed TO render il
entirely efficient and satisfactory. suggest
the following:
.. Let the distribution or using of ballots
outside the booths be prohibited under the
severcst penalties.
clerks under the superV islon Of the party COM
Tittees, and be delivered by the county, clerks
- the inspectors of elections. Let the ballots
&c paid for by the state in all state elections,
and by the townships and cities III township
and municipal elections.
4. more expeditions metnod OF counting
5. / favor the Australian system. or some
modification which would render unnecessary
the use Of slips or pastors.
WAGON ROADS.
/ call your attention to the necessity for
some change in the laws relating 10 the high
ways of the state.
The condition OF all wagon roads last winter
was sufficient proof that our present system
of roGd making Is n waste OF time and labor.
Roads ordinarily the best were last winter as
/ bad as those on which little OF no work had
! been done. Good wagon roads all the year
round would be more To the general advan-
! tage, would add more 10 the value OF farms,
I
"A larger number of people than any other
| work for which public money is expended.
/ We claim to he practical people, but surely
/ ou' road building has been failure. a vast
/ al. cunt of labor has been annually expended
| W ca our roads for many years, but it has been
I done without system and without competent
/ supervision. AS resultrhe labor is largely
/ wasted and Yields no final Improvement. The
| establishment of n general system of road
4 making which would gradually, even If slowly,
result In permanent good roads throughout the
q state. would be wise and benencent REFORM
TAXATION.
! There is a general feeling among all classes,
4 but more pronounced, perhaps, among the
agricultural and industrial people, that public
expenditures have increased much more rap
| Idly than the ability of the people TO pay, and
! that our civilization is becoming very eXpen-
/ sve. Greater simplicity would better ACCORD
with the present circumstances and condition
/ of our people.
/ There Ia no desire To lower our standard OF
! civilization or I'M air the efficiency of our var
ious Institutions, but the people believe that
simplicity and wise economy promote, rather
than impede. human virtues and improve
uent. Our people are willing TO support gen.
erously those public expenses which tend to
the general welfare, but they also believe that
state taxes are TOO high, and that no public in
Anr "A l..au tu~ lats oil