Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-01-21

expires, may have learned some trade, or other.
wise have fitted himself for earning an honor
able ItYlng; the necessity dictated by humane
impulses for giving emp loyment to convicts
rather than allowing them to be idle; and the
import ance 70 the taxpayer of making crimi-
pals Self-supporting rather than a perpetual
burden upon the state. The first of these is the
most important. An attemDt has been made ID
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.
While considering the effect of convict-Iaoor
competition in our own state prison with prod
uctS manufactured in the state, it may not be
unwlSe to consider whether legislation should
not be enacted to protect the manufacturers
ana LABOR OF the state against coInPetltlon WITH
similar products made by the convIctS of other
states. The legislature of New York IN 1891
passed an act upon the subject which required
''aH goods. wares and merchandise made by
convict labor in any penltenIlary, prison, re-
formatory or other establishment in which con-
Wet la Dor Is employed in any state except the
for sale, be branded, labeled or marked
as hereinafter provided, and shall not be
exposed for sale IN any place within this
state without such brand, label or mark" The
remaining sections of the act deal with details.
and prescribe severe penalty for violation OF
its provisions. As the act deals with interstate
commerce, 1t goes as far, probably as the legls-
lature can lawfully go in the exercise of the
police power of the state. l recommend the in
vestigation by your body, either through one of
your committees or through the board of control
of the results of the system adopted in New York
and other states Such an Investigation may
very well be fruitful of good results. l COM
mend the whole matter to your best thought and
attention
The applications for pardonS aud commuta-
tions have so multiplied as to render 1t difficult
for the executive, with the other duties de-
yolyIng upon him, to give to each case the In
vestigation and consideration which the cxer-
else of so delicate and great lower demands.
With the lapse of years and increase of popula;;
ton it is not likely that these applications VIII
diminish, either in mum Der or Importance.
The power to grant reprieves, combinations
and pardons after conviction, for all often.
ses 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 trl-
bunal without amendment of tue constitution.
l am constrained therefore, to urge upon
your consideration the wisdom OF so amending
the constitution as to create board OF par
dons, in which, in conjunction with the eHecu'
tive or otherwise, this power shall be lodged.
APPoRTIoNMENT.
1t has seemed to me to be my duty to suggest
for your earnest consideration whether the con-
Stitution 81 lild not be amended so as to more
clearly Gu-ue the rules which shall govern the
legislatu~t IN apportiOning and redIStrIctIng
the state .Hto senate and assembly districts. l
have no reason whatever to doubt that the pres
ent law is constitutional one, but the manner
in which this important duty has been per
formed the legislature fga nst f ha;
years to litigation, to threats of litigation, and
to charges and counter charges, for which there
should be no possible Justification. The SUI
preme court, in decisions Oyerturnlng two leglS
lative appointments as unconstitutional ha:
laid down the general rules governing the per
Torrance OF such duty; but under the cODstltu
ton, even as so cOn,t ued, much Is of necessity
left to legislative discretion. There Is no power
conferred by the constitution upon any one OF
the branches of the government of greater OF
more far-reaching importance tn an the leglsla
tive power Of aDpOrtluning and redlstrlctlng the
state. However carefully such a measure may
be prepared, it is, so far as experience ha;
shown, too much to expect that ma
jOrlty or more of one hundred anC
thirty three persons, whatever political
party they may belong to- will be able to con
slider il and enact it uninfiuenced by partisan
bias, lpcal interest or selfish purpose. The new
Consultation of New York, carefully considered
am adopted by convention composed OF many
mel of great experience and ability, contain:
some instructive provisions upon the subject
aud the system adopted in Ohio may be con
suited with advantage. 1t certainly is possible
10 amend the constitution as to minimize the
difficulties which now beset the WORK
of apportionment. This is important, both
to conserve a great popular right ano
to prevent a growing popular dis
trust in the constitutionalty and integrity OF
legislative action upon the subject, caused by
these constantly recurring controversies. Ger
taiDly no politicel party should be permitted to
take to itself any advantage or power at the ex
pense of the great principle of proportional
representation in the legislature, which under
Les our system ofgoyernment