52 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



REFORMATORY SCHOOLS. 



Then you have the Institution at Lansing for the care of boys and the 

 one at Adrian for the care of girls, saving them from becoming paupers 

 and possibly criminals. At these institutions they are given the rudi- 

 ments of an education and training, and after careful investigation are 

 sent out among the families of the State, where they will be in good 

 hands, and the State looks after them until they are able to take care of 

 themselves. Suppose you say nothing about the humanitarian aspect 

 of this question, from a pecuniary standpoint alone I believe the money 

 expended for these institutions pays a larger interest to the people of the 

 State of Michigan than any private investment which any of us are 

 making. 



Of the twenty institutions we have, each one is controlled by a bc,'ird 

 of citizens, appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate, for a 

 long term of years. These men give their services, being reimbursed 

 only for their actual expenses. When you consider that you are expend- 

 ing on these institutions a million dollars a year, and that this amount is 

 increasing; that you have never had a defalcation resulting from these 

 boards; that your money has been dispensed as carefully as private indi- 

 viduals care for their own investments, and that it is done without 

 reward — it is something that the people of the State of Michigan ought 

 to feel thankful for. There is one gentleman on the platform here 

 tonight, who has served more than his majority — something like twenty- 

 three years, on one board, and I was figuring it out today, that he must 

 have given nearly two full years of working time to the services of the 

 State, with no compensation except the feeling that he is doing his duty 

 working for the interests of Michigan. 



Then speaking again of the departments of the government. In addi- 

 tion to the constitutional officers that you have, there is a Commissioner 

 of Insurance; did you ever think anything about the value of his ser- 

 vices? You probably knew in a general way that there was such an offi- 

 cer, but did he ever do you any good? Let us see. Every prudent man 

 insures his place, and ordinarily he provides for his family in part at 

 least, by insuring his life. It is the duty of this Commissioner to see that 

 these companies fulfill their contracts, and it is so seldom that they fail, 

 that you hardly realize that there is any necessity for looking out for 

 your interest; but for that, no one can tell the loss that might occur. 



The Commissioner of Railroads stands between the railroads and their 

 employees. He has large powers and is expected to do justice. You are 

 not able to cope individually with the corporations, but I believe that the 

 corporations are in as good order, and are complying as fully with the 

 law in Michigan as in any state in the Union. But for this Commis- 

 sioner you might have a good deal of trouble. There are several others — 

 a Food Commissioner, a Labor Commissioner, and a Bank Commissioner, 

 who are very important factors in this government, in looking after our 

 interests. 



