The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-01-05


He said In substance:
On November I. 1913. after the npportionment
OF tho primary school fund was made, for the
nrst time In many years Michigan confronted
an empty treasury This was not sed so
much by incre sod expenditures, as II was by
the failure OF tho legislature OF 1891 70 levy
taxes sufficient 20 meet what might reason
ably have been contemplated would DO
the needs OF the state and while there
was no direct authority for hiring money. the
railroads we're offered an induccmcnt OF per
cent discount from November 20 January
following, 70 advance their taxes due IA jan
uary. This was done By the Michigan Central
and Lake Shore Michigan Southern rail-
roads 10 the amount OF nearly 500 OO0 Through
the First national bunk Of Detroit an addl-
tionul 6l00t0) was obtained Ovlag 20 this, on
November 1. 1874, similar condition Of affairs
presented itself. except that only $4,000 WAS
then needed 60 bri &c over Section B. OF arti-
clio "a Of the co stitution, provides that
the state shall not contract debts 10 meet dcn-
cts IN revenue to tggrcgatc more than
OC0 &C any one time. Under this pro-
vision OF tho con titution. perhaps the oblga-
Aon entered into may not ave been strictly
legal. but 10 was o necessity, In order 20
carry on the state Institutions and general
branches OF tho state government and
paid out OF the FIRST money received This pro-
vision OF tho constitution was adopted more
than forty years ago. when $50 COO represented
moro than five times that amount does to-day.
IL would seem TO me advisable 20 provide for
restrictions 10 put II within the power OF tho
state to borrow money In cases OF necessity,
rather than carry so large balance IL may
ronscnably be presumed that the people have
90 pay az least six per cent interest Banks
usually pay thrco per cent on state deposits
while IL Is desirable 20 have enough ia the
n state treasury 70 meet all legitimate demands
upon it. IL IS very undesirable 20 carry largo
~ balances. to be loaned nc low rate Of interest
~ when not needed 10 meet tho expenses OF gov
ernnent
Rairoad Taxation.
by act no l7g Public Acts OF 1923 the Mich
igan Central railroad charter was amended so
as to place that road under the general law for
tho purposes OF taxation by tho provisions OF
the charter this act could not become opera
tive until accepted by the company. which II
did on the Cd day OF February, 1904 1 desire
20 renew my recommendation OF two years ago
that n possible some means be devised for tho
abrogation OF these old special charters. SO
that all our railroads may be placed upon tho
Same basis 80 far as taxation ana supervision
and other Legislation Is concerned
AsyIums for the Insane.
The substance OF tho following facts aud
recommendation Is taken from a paper read
by DR.. w. M Edwards. medical superintcnd-
ent OF tho Michigan asylum, before the Joint
A. asylum boards nt Traverse City, November -.
" 1894 The recommendations seem so practical
and reasonable that indorso them.
"At present tho Michigan asylum for the In
sane nas 1,iT0 beds and liza inmates. Tho
Eastern Michigan asylum has OSO beds and
zoos ilmatea Tho Northern Michigan asy-
lum has 900 beds and ss2 inmates. Tho Mchi-
gan asylum for dangerous and criminal Insane
has 1919 beds and 207 inmates. The Wayne
county asylum has 800 beds and S3 inmates.
According TO these figures there are In
our public asyuins BID beds and S0sf
inmates. In tho principal state asy-
lums there are 32e0 beds and 3l0i In
mates. leaving q, unoccupied beds For ten
years past tho average annual Increase
in the number admitted TO tho state asylums
has benn about i05, 50 that there IS to-day
provision for less than the average number OF
inmhtca who would normnlly 10 admitted "a
the asyiums within the next six months AZ
tho now upper peninsula asylum cottages arc
being constructed 20 accommodate dominates
These cannot DO opened until the legislature
makes an appropriation for furnishing, 80 that
at the best all the available room for paaents
will bc theoretically occupied before this In
atltution Is opened, though there may be- on
account OF geographical conditions some
vacancies ne the Eastern Michigan asylum
Even wish tho upper peninsula asylum opened
for use next summer previous conditions
would warrant the statement that oil the Dcd'
for tho insane will be filled"
Tho new asylum nc Ncwbcrry IS we'll alonl
towards completion. md Will accommodate ~
patients An appropriation for furniture vii
DO REQUIRED before the institution can receive
any patients. Additions to this Institution
will need 20 10 considered In connection viii
tho accommodations ~ the asylum and th'
new home for feeble minded 40 Lupoor WINE
accommodations for this unfortunate clas
must be provided. IL should only De done a
fast as absolutely demanded.
THE Increased accommodations Afforded b.
tho new asylum might be augmented. az min
imum expenditure. by cnlarglng the home 10
feeble minded and 'cplicp;ic ~ Lapecr' 80 ina
the cplicptics at present In our state asylum
may 10 transferred 20 that institution. Their
Is a growing tendency In the United states =
make ncparatc provision for the colonizatio
OF cplieptics The benefits TO be derived iron
the separation OF the cpilcptics from the Ia
sane are two fold. rs each class Is Improved
A. Epilcptcs can be better trcuted alone an
treatment can lie more regular ana sysiemntl'
Proper restrictions In diet can DC maze whe
Il affects tho entire class, without excitin
icalousics with tho better classification
there can be given that special kind Of care re
qulrcd at all times, and especially OF night
prevent suhocation."
Cost OF Maintaining state Prisons.
The state prison. ut Jackson. state house {
correction and rcformGtory at ionia, an
branch prison at Marquette, constituting IN
prisons OF tho state continue 70 be heaV
burden upon tho TAXA Die property ~ the stat
The total cost az keeping tho 1900 prisoner
which was tho average number for the pas
two ycnrs wns (oHGS90 Tho cost over an
above the earnings was t2oSi.ie The CO.
NJ Jacobson, where there was an average OF y
prisoners was si.o cents Ter inmate per On.
Al Ionin Il wua loss per day and nc MAJ
auctte ef.t3.t per day The net cost at Jaci
SON was icb cents per day per inmate !
fonln 80 cents ana az Marquette 0oi cent
This shows great difference IN the cost
keeping prisoners az the several prisons Con
narinr Jackson with Marquette. there wou
be raay things 10 the advantage 81 Jackso
In the reduction Of cost The executive o.
pcnacs would DO comparatively small, Will
the number OF prisoners would DC very ihrs
The conditions nc Jackson have been niue
better than ~ Marquette, although there H.
boon portion OF tho time more than i0V ia
mon nt Jackson because no employmel
could bc found for them ~ Marquette "
executive oxpcnscs are comparatively hrg
a. the number Of Inmates cared for 4 Unite
and owing 20 the rigorous climate and al
.ance from supplies, the expense OF heepii
prisoners there n larger Comparing Joeks'