The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1895-01-11
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
A SPLENDID PAPER, BRIMFUL
OF GOOD IDEAS.
Favors Convict Labor-Roasts ionia Prison
Management-How TO Prevent Strikes
Salaries of State ORlcers should be
Increased--Oppos ed to Special Munich
pol Charters.
pol Charters.

pol Charters.
Gov Rlch's message TO the legislature
was read before q joint session OF that
body, both the senate and house being
almost fully represented. The document
Is rema rkably clear and concise, and the
chief executive goes directly to the heart
of each and every item he touches upon.
The message Is as follows:
Senator's and Representatives:
In accordance with the provisions OF
the constitution of this state, submit the
following Information In relation TO the
condition of the state and recommends
lions in relation 10 measures deemed ex-
peCient:
As to Financial Matters.
on Nov. l, 1893, after the apportionment
of the primary school fund was made, for
the first time in many years, Michigan
| confronted an empty treasury. This was
not caused so much by increased eXpendi-
lures as 1t was by the failure OF the legls-
lature OF 1891 to levy taxes sufficient to
| meet what might reasonably have been
| contemplated would be the needs of the
| state, and while there was no direct au-
thority for hiring money, the railroads
were offered an inducement Of per cent
to advance their taxes due In January.
This was done by the Michigan Central
and Lake Shore * Michigan Southern
Railroads TO the amount or nearly S2O0,OOO.
| Through the First National Bank of De-
| troit an additional $4,000 was obtained.
| Owing TO this, on Nov. l, 1894, a similar
| condition of affairs presented itself, eX-
| cept that only $1,000 was then needed TO
| bridge over. Section g. of article ii, of the
| constitution provides that the state shall
not contract debts TO meet deficits in rev.
enue 20 aggregate more than $4,000 at any
| one time. Under this provision OF the
| constitution perhaps the obligation en-
| tered into may not have been strictly
| legal, but IL was a necessity in order to
| carry on the state institutions and general
| branches OF the state government, and
| was paid out Of the first money received.
| This provision of the constitution was
adopted more than forty years ago. when
| $4,000 represented more than five times
| that amount does to-day. 1t would seem
| TO me advisable to provide for so amend
| ing the constitution as, with proper re-
| strctions, to put IL within the power of
| the state to borrow money In cases OF ne
| cessity, rather than carry large balances,
| to be loaned at low rate of interest
| when not needed 10 meet the expenses
| Of government.
| Another reason why this power should
be given is that none OF our state institu-
lions are insured. nor should they be, but
in cases of fire there ought 10 be proyi-
| sion made for some authority, under
proper restrictions, 10 meet emergencies.
| Authority might be S!ven the boards OF
| control OF the several institutions. with
the approval of the board of auditors and
the governor, to borrow money on the
credit of the state and repair or rebuild
their respective institutions. This would
not only save calling the legislature to-
gether. but would guarantee a prompt
restoration OF property destroyed. In
other respects the financial AFFAIRS of the
state are in good condition.
There have been no calls for q change
In the tax laws of the state, the one
passed in 1893 proving very generally sat
isfactory 10 all interested. 1T Ia thought
hardly probable that odr people desire to
change the manner of disposing OF specie
taxes arisilS from railroads, insurance
companies and other corporations. The
present apportio. .ment proves of inesti-
mable benefit to the poorer sections of our
state, and provides for the maintenance
of schools Of better quality than would
otherwise be the case, and II goes to sup
port the only school Of which all the chill
dren Of the state can have the benefit.
! Under the head of railroad taxation the
governor sets forth that the Lake Shore
* Michigan Southern is paying under Its
charter provisions instead Of under the
| general law, but as the state is not q
loser by this, 10 action has been com
menCed against them. The Michigan Cen
trail has been placed under the general
laws in the matter. Of taxation and the
governor repeats his recommendation OF
TWO years ago that II possible some means
be devised for the abrogation OF all special
placed upon the same basis so far as tax
alton, supervision or other legislation Is
concerned.
University of Michigan, Etc.
Our state university stands not only al
the head OF our own educational institu-
tions but Is we'll up in the front rank of
universities in this and other countries.
BY providing the one-sixth Of a mill tax
two years ago the university has been
. placed beyond the need of further legis-
lative aid for years to come. He urges
the generous support OF the state Normal
school, and the AGRICULTURAL College, and
recommends In regard to the Michigan
Mining school that in view OF the add
tional burden II imposes upon the tax
payers Of the state and the fact that o
portion OF its students are from other
states those who attend the school shall
81 bear part of the expense necessary T.
| its maintenance.
Insane Asy1ums, Etc.
After showing that the Michigan asylum
for the insane, the Northern Michigan
asylum, the Eastern Michigan asylum, thC
Michigan asylum for dangerous and Grim
inal insane have combined capacity Of
3,I19 beds. while they now have 1884 in.
mates, the governor concludes that exist
ing accommodations Will prove inadequate
by the close OF the next six months, bu
thinks that the emergency can be me
through the completion of the new asylum
AT Newberry, the enlargement OF the
Home for Feeble Minded and Epileptic al
Lapeer, and the provision of a separat,
asylum LOT epileptlcS. For the institution
named at Lapeer the governor asks for al
appropriation for furnishings and the pro
vision OF additional accommodations.
-Mnintenance-Convi Labo
The state prison at Jackson, state hous
OF correction and reformatory at Ionia
ana branch prison at Marquette, consti
tuting the prisons of the state, continu
10 be n heavy burden upon the taxable
property of the state. The total cost O
Keeping the 1,SO6 prisoners, which was III
average number for the past two years
was S644,2'S 80. The cost over and abov
the earnings was $21O,Sl u. The cost a
jackson, where there was an average 9
Sl9 prisoners was I.6 cents n inmat
per day. At lonia IL was 81 0SS per daI
4 ana at Marquette 81 1871 per day. TN
net cost at Jackson was 1.25 cents per da
per inmate, at Ionia 50 cents, and q
Marquette COL cents. This shows a grea
difference in the cost OF keeping DR. soner
at the several prisons. Comparing Jack
son with Marquette. there would be man
things 10 the advantage of jackson. 4
the reduction Of cost. The executiv
expenses would be comparatively small
while the number of prisoners would
| LARGE The at