Morris tribune., 1895-01-16

The total amount Of the funded and the
unfunded debt of the state, less cash in the
sinking and redemption funds, was, on the
LIST day of August, 1894, the sum of 81, S92,-
1878, of which sum $500, 900 were Mime
sofa revenue and building bonds, primarily
issued to cover temporary overdraft upon
the general revenue fund. These bonds
draw per cent interest and may be re-
deemed at any time. In view of this fact,
and of the large surplus in the general
revenue fund, concur in the recommends
ton of Treasurer Bobleter that legisla-
tive appropriation be made out of the gen
eral revenue fund, sufficient to pay these
bonds; and that the law providing for the
levy of redemption fund to liquidate
these bonds be repealed. | also concur in
the recommendation of Treasurer Bobleter
that section 6, of chapter ISL, of the Gen
eral Laws of 1891, providing for the annual
levy of forestry fund tax, be repealed
and that in lieu thereof direct appro-
priation be made out of the general revenue
fund sufficient to meet the requirements of
the timber culture law.
In view of the large surplus in the gen.
eral revenue fund, it is evident that con-
siderable reduction in the levy of taxes
for general revenue purposes is warranted.
I accordingly recommend that such levy do
not exceed the sum of one and four-tenths
of mill on the dollar of taxable property.
There are at the state prison cells and
ample room and accommodation for $50 con-
victs. On the 10th day of December, 1894,
there were SGT convicts in confinement, of
which SO were sent us by the United States
government, for which the state is paid at
the rate of 40 cents a day for each man.
The time of most of these federal convicts
will expire within the next two years, and
if we deduct their number from the aggre-
gate it leaves only Asa chargeable to the
state, and with this number there would be
amply meet and cover the probable increase
in our prison population during the next
two, and perhaps three years.
At my suggestion, contained in special
message, the legislature Of 1893 applied the
parole law, and the so-called reformatory
plan to the state prison. Two years of ex-
perience and observation have demon
strated the wisdom of making this change.
1t relieves the executive of much impor-
tunity, 1t makes prison discipline less
harsh and rigorous, while fully as safe as
under the former system; IL affords the con-
vict an opportunity to ameliorate his con-
dition and to commute or shorten his time
by his own efforts and merits, thus placing
the man who is without friends upon a !
footing Of equality with those who are
better favored in this respect; and in addi-
ton to all this it seeks to provide him en- |
ployment and to look after his welfare In
that most critical period of his life-the
time Immediately succeeding his discharge. |
The manufacture of Irvine at the prison, |
while 1t has entailed no direct loss, has in
directly been of great benefit to the agri- |
cultural interests of the state. At the |
time the enterprise was initiated, the price |
Of binding Irvine was high and had been |
enhanced by the manipula- |
lions of great Irvine or cordage trust. |
The prison Irvine has been of a good |
quality, has given satisfaction to the farm |
ers, has been furnished to them at near |
COST and has been one Of the chief means !
Of reducing the price of Irvine S3 per cent |
below the rate existing when our people |
we're at the mercy OF the great Irvine trust. |
At the time the machinery for our Irvine |
plant was purchased, the state, owing to |