434 



ILLINOIS. 



such property has heretofore been compelled to bear. 

 Whenever, for purposes of State revenue, the pro- 

 posed code withdraws from those local powers sub- 

 jects of taxation, it also, in consideration of such with- 

 drawal, relieves such subordinate localities from con- 

 tributions of revenue to the State, and to a larger 

 amount than has heretofore been received by such 

 subordinate localities in revenue from the subjects of 

 taxation thus withdrawn. I desire in this connection 

 further to call the special attention of the Legislature 

 to the provisions of the proposed code looking to the 

 divorcement of the State from local taxation, by pro- 

 viding for the direct payment into the State treasury 

 of all the taxes assessable, from corporations of a ^cm- 

 public character, and prescribing the method for the 

 ascertainment, levy, and collection of such taxes pe- 

 culiar to the subjects of taxation to which they apply- 



The system recommended dispenses with the 

 necessity for a State Board of Equalization ; 

 but contemplates a State Board of Tax Commis- 

 sioners, on whom it devolves important duties 

 as to the supervision of the entire revenue sys- 

 tem of the State and its enforcement. 



Penitentiaries. The prison at Joliet continues 

 self-supporting. In addition to necessary and 

 permanent expenses, the commissioners were 

 able, out of receipts from contract- labor, to 

 make many needful repairs and improvements 

 on and about the buildings and grounds with- 

 out impairing the $50,000 contingent fund. 

 The discipline and health of the convicts have 

 been maintained at a high standard. 



The prison at Chester is of the same charac- 

 ter with the one at Joliet, as to treatment, dis- 

 cipline, reformation, and labor of convicts ; but 

 it is uncompleted. There is an annual aver- 

 age of 1,583 convicts at Joliet in 900 cells ; and 

 at Chester in 400 cells thsre were, on Oct. 1, 

 1886, 741 prisoners, and on Dec. 28, 1886, the 

 number had increased to 785. There has been 

 great improvement at Chester in several re- 

 spects, but particularly in its financial manage- 

 ment. The last General Assembly appropri- 

 ated $28,000 for buildings, and the whole sum 

 has been expended as provided for. With ref- 

 erence to the employment of convicts, the Gov- 

 ernor says : 



Effort was made under the law of 1867 to adopt the 

 contract system. After two attempts, and failure in 

 both, to obtain satisfactory bids for convict-labor, the 

 State-account plan was resorted to. For a while it 

 seemed success might be possible under it. I have 

 no doubt, however, that the general temper prevail- 

 ing at the time, as to better treatment of criminals, 

 directed more attention to the humane provisions of 

 the law than to its financial character. All were hop- 

 ing for a marked decrease of crime under a more en- 

 lightened liberal treatment of prison criminals. It 

 soon became apparent that, however much the crimi- 

 nal was benefited, the State was losing and crime 

 increasing. An experience of four years of loss to the 

 State, until finally such loss amounted to several hun- 

 dred thousand dollars, induced a change from the 

 State-account to the contract plan. This system has 

 been strictly adhered to ever since. At Joliet, where 

 it has been fairly tested, it establishes the fact that a 

 State may safely extend to a convict all the benefits 

 of humane treatment, good cells and beds, abundance 

 of heat, light, good, healthy food, cleanly and com- 

 fortable clothing, the opportunity to see friends and 

 communicate with them, to enjoy the privileges of 

 books and the ministrations of religion, and at the 

 same time by reasonable labor relieve the people of 



the State from taxation to maintain its penitentiaries. 

 The adoption of the constitutional amendment at the 

 last general election in our State prohibits the Com- 

 missioners of Penitentiaries, or other reformatory in- 

 stitutions, from letting by contract the labor of any 

 convict confined within such institutions. 



Plenro-pnenmonia. The Governor says: 

 You will notice, in the annual report of the Board 

 of Live-Stock Commissioners, that prior to September 

 last it was thought contagious pleuro-pneumonia had 

 entirely disappeared from the State. The supplemen- 

 tal report, however, discloses an alarming extent of 

 affairs in connection with that pest. The board, with 

 the means at hand, has dealt vigorously with the dis- 

 ease, and seems again to have it under control. Large 

 expenditures of money became necessary to meet the 

 critical conditions which have existed from Septem- 

 ber up to the present time. The evidences submitted 

 in the supplemental report establish, I think, beyond 

 reasonable question, that contagious pleuro-pneumo- 

 nia exists to-day in Cook County ; that it has prevailed 

 there since September last to an alarming extent. 



Soldiers' and Sailors' Home. The act of 1885, 

 for the establishment of the Soldiers' and Sail- 

 ors' Home, has been carried into effect. The 

 commissioners appointed under the act select- 

 ed a site for the Home in Adams County, near 

 the city of Quincy, on the bank of Mississippi 

 river; a beautiful and commanding location, 

 well adapted for the purpose. The trustees ap- 

 pointed under the act have substantially com- 

 pleted the Home. The plan contemplates a 

 main or headquarters building, and a system 

 of cottages, each one a home for 33 soldiers. 

 On the 20th of October the Home was dedi- 

 cated. It will be ready for occupancy as soon 

 as the necessary appropriations shall be made. 

 Provision is made for the comfortable accom- 

 modation of 264, and. temporary accommoda- 

 tions can be provided for about 150 additional 

 inmates. 



State Charitable Institutions. The sum of $!,( 

 000 annually will be required for these instil 

 tions for the next two years. In addition, $800,- 

 000 will be asked for purposes of enlargement 

 of capacity of the respective institutions, and 

 other special appropriations amounting to about 

 $700,000, a total for two years, for ordinary 

 special purposes, of $3,500,000. 



RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS. 



The amount of all funds in the State treas- 

 ury, Oct. 1, 1884. was $8,902,511 



The receipts from all sources from Oct. 1, 1884, 

 to Sept. 30, 1886, inclusive, were as follow : 



General Revenue Fund $4.CC6,443 85 



State School Fund 2,164.,739 49 



Unknown and Minor Heirs 1 

 Fund 2.4T1 00 



Local Bond Fund 2,757,686 fffi 



$9,591,342 



Total $13,498,853 



The disbursements from Oct. 1. 18S4, to Sept. 

 30, 1886. inclusive, were as follow : 



General Revenue Fund $5.180,440 51 



State School Fund 2,132,083 87 



Unknown and Minor Heirs' 



Fund 579 13 



Local Bond Fund 2,779,038 56 



$10,042,142 



Balance of all funds in State 

 treasury, Oct. 1, 1886 $3,451,711 



Railroads. Fifty-eight roads made reports in 

 1886, showing 9,44 i miles of main track and 



