Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-01-21
SCHOFIELD'S MESSAGE
GOVERNORS FIRST WORD TO
THE LEGISLATURE
Recommends Board of Pardons-Al-
so Fair Methods OF AppOrtionment-
Revision of the Convict Labor Stat
The Message.

| board of pardons; an amendment to the
| constitution providing for fair systems
| of apportionment, and for a revision of
! the convict labor statutes. The message
| treats at length with the prosperous con-
| ditions of the States finances, and the
| educational interests of the State. No
| educational factor he says, "has been
more potent in making the school life at
| tractiye to the children and charging the
scope of their intellectual training than
| the excellent books to which access is fur
nished through the medium of the town
| ship library" An extension of the scope
of the township law is one of the chief
| recommendations The Governor advO-
Gates a board of pardons. The message
| says:
''The applications for pardons and COM
mutations have so multiplied as to render
| it difficult for the executive, with the 9TH
er duties devolving upon him, to give to
| each case the investigation and considera-
| ton which the exercise of so delicate and
| great a power demands. The power to
| grant reprieves, combinations and par
| dons after convictions, for all offenses
except treason and cases of impeachment,
is lodged by the constitution solely in the
executive. OF course this power cannot
be lawfully delegated to any other person
| or tribunal without amendment of the con-
stitution.
Recommends Board of Pardons.
| II am constrained, therefore, to urge
upon your consideration the wisdom OF
so amending the constitution as to create
a board of pardons, in which, in conjunc-
ton with the executive, or otherwise, this
power shall be lodged"
| With reference to prison labor, the
| Governor advises the adoption of the pro-
visions of the same act that was passed
| in 1894 by the Legislature of New York.
| He says:
| 1.-THE competition in the sale Of products
manufactured by convict labor in the
| State prison with the same products man
| ufactured throughout the State gives rise
! to an increasing complaint. This is not
peculiar to Wisconsin. 1t is not necessary
| for me to point out the injustice growing
| out of compelling honest labor to compete
with the forced labor of convicts. The
| subject deserves the utmost investiga-
ton and thought.
among the things to be considered as
| involved in the question of prison labor
are the necessity for SO directing the en-
| ployment of convcts confined in the yari-
Gus penal institutions that each convict,
when his term of sentence expires may
| have learned some trade, or otherwise
have fitted himself for earning an honora
| BILE living; the necessity dictated by hui
name impulses for giving employment to
convicts rather than allowing them to be
| idle; and the Importance to the taSpay-
| ers of making criminals self-supportine
rather than a perpetual burden upon the
| State. The first of these is the most i'm
| portant An attempt has been made i'll
New York to solve this difficult problem
| by constitutional provision, and the
| laws of that State may well be considered
by your honorable body when the subject
comes before you.
Convict Labor Competition.
''The Legislature of New York in 1894
passed an act upon the subject which
required all goods, wares and merchan,
| disc made by convict labor in any peniten-
tiary, prison, reformatory or other estab-
lishment in which convict labor is en-
ployed, in any State except the State of
| New York, shall, before being exposed
for sale, be branded, labeled or marked
hereinafter provided, and shall not be ex-
|
| State without such brand, label or mark.
The remaining sections of the act deal
with details, and prescribe severe pen
atty for violation of it's provisions"
+! In this connection reformatory for
first offenders is also strongly urged.
On the question of apportionment the
| Governor recommends a constitutional
amendment to prevent the evils of gerry
Wandering by the party in power.
| He says: 'It has seemed to me to be
| my duty to suggest for your earnest con
sideration whether the constitution should
| not be amended so as to more clearly de-
| fine the rules which shall govern the Leg
| islature in apportioning and redistricting
| the State into Senate and Assembly dis
| tricts; the manner in which this impor-
tant duty has been performed has given
rise to litigation and to charges for which
| there should be no possible justification.
Legislative Apportionment.
ssThe Supreme Court, in decisions over
turning two legislative appointments,
| has laid down the general rules governing
| the performance Of such duty, but under
! the constitution, even as so construed,
much is of necessity left to legislative dis
| erection.
1.-THE new constitution of New York,
carefully considered and adopted by a
| convention composed of many men of
great experience and ability, contains
some instructive provisions upon the sub
| ject, and the system adopted in Ohio may
be consulted with advantage. 1t certainly
| is possible to so amend the constitution as
to minimize the difficulties which now be-
set the work of apportionment. This is
important, both to conserve great pop
ular right and to prevent a growing popu-
lar distrust in the constitutionality and
integrity of legislative action upon the
subject, caused by these constantly recur-
| ring controversies.
| Certainly no political party should be
| permitted to take to itself any advantage
or power at the expense of the great prin-
ciple of proportionate representation in
| the Legislature, which underlies our sys-
tenn of government
The Governor advises the creation of a
| law commission to pass upon the validity
| of laws before their final passage; a bank
ing code bringing the State banks under
| the control of the State Treasurer; civil
| lo fo cf ho