The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1876-01-05


other capital, must be of problematical sue
cess.
There is an attempt to make it appear
that this investment is contract; that the
company receives it as grant. Is it a
grant? Are we giving this sacred fund
away?
/ On the contrary, the State accepted it
with the understanding that it would not
DO SO She is honor bound not to do so.
We can but invest il. And the invest
ment in this road should not put the State
under obligations to it. more than she would
be to the United States, or other States, were
the funds invested in their stocks.
The road can regard it but as loan. l.
is required to give securities, and additional
securities may be demanded at any time.
And were the law relative TO this railroad
defective in no other particular, it would be
incumbent on the State, as its least duty, to
demand full and sufficient securities.
1t is asserted that by repeating this law,
the reputation of the State. not now too
good, will be still further Injured. The re-
peal of unwise and unconstitutional laws, in
the interest Of the whole people, and in
harmony with the previously plghted faith
OF the State, must be far more to her credit
than it would be to let such laws stand,
pregnant, as they are, with so many evil
consequences.
! l also call your attention to the case of the
Vicksburg and Ship Island railroad. This
road received, over two years ago, upon the
construction of eleven miles, State subsidy
of $4,000. The road neglected 10 pay the
interest due on this sum as required by the
law. Little, If any, progress has been
made on the road since the completion ofthe
first eleven miles. Because OF, or deviation
from its charter, the payment of additional
subsidies has been suspended, and the queS
ton practically, as to such payment, is be-
fore the courts. A compromise has been re
QueSted by the road, but as large amount
of money is involved, | have deferred ac
ton. DrpfprrinU bmit the ease the
Legislature, which alone may be able, by
! legislation, to save the people from the adj
ditiOnal taxation the further payment of the
subsidy may impose, or to obtain security
beyond question.
EDUCATION.
Neither arguments nor statistics are nee
esSary to make known the great extent of
, illiteracv which exists in the State. 1t is as
much the duty OF the State, as it would be
to It's advantage, to effect speedy change in
this particular. Much has been done al
| ready, but the State is more capable at this
time, since the amendment of the COnstitu
ton. to extend its aid and fostering care.
, BY that amendment moneys which would
otherwise have been locked up as a perpet
ual fund, can now be applied to educational
purposes, year by year, as they are received;
This will permit of the building of addi
+ tonal school-houses, the employment of
+ the best class of teachers. and the extension
of the periods of Instruction.
The prosperous condition Of the finances
of the State is such that, with the slightest
, effort school facilities can be extended to
I every child. But, unfortunately, ignorance,
with its lack of appreciation, too often re-
? fuses to take advantage OF the educational
i opportunities which are presented. To
: overcome this obstacle laws should be en-
I acted and enforced requiring The attend
ance of every child for limited period of
+ time each year. Money and labor eau never
o. be more beneficially expended in the inter
= est of education than now.
PENITENTIARY.
t The total number of cOnvicts in the Pen
5 itentiary. as shown by the register, is....5l3
7 The average number within the walls during
the
: The number leased Out......................3I
}. The number received i'll 1S74...............23t
: The number received i'll 1S75...............31-
o Deaths in
l. The number of serviceatl9 cells............17t
q While it is admitted that the only proper
!, place for conviCts is within the prison walls
" necessity has compelled the adoption of &
Is policy which takes the larger portion with
# out the walls 1t will be observed that while
S, the total number of cOnvicts is 513, the
= number of serviceable cells is 175. The safe
IS keeping of this number of prisoners, in such
n contracted quarters, could not be compata
BILE with humane treatment. Furthermore
! no sufficient means has been provided To-
~ the useful employment Of so large mum
70 Der within the walls.
" The cost of keeping 50 many idle prison
is ers would aggregate, during the year, tens o
n thousands of dollars.
d, This want of accommodations and employ
a. ment forced the leasing out OF hundreds
r the convicts, whereby the State has beel
ty relieved of the expense of their support
clothing and guarding, and received, IN al
so dition, a small compensation for their SCI
- vices. The convict however, who Is Work
~ ING on levees railroads, or cultlvatIn
it. cotton, receives much less severe punish
it's ment than the law intended he should re
he ceive when it consigned him to the marrow
lie limits of the prison. That the convict
nd NAV he retained within the walls III tn
lie future. the number of cells should be II
he creased; and suitable machinery purchased
before the expiration of the present lease
i no four years hence. At the present time a
re the labor saving machinery, IN use IN I'll
ur prison or owned by the State, does III
exceed in value $500. Last year Lars
.ct and substantial building was erected, whiC
to, is we'll adapted for a cotton factory.
e. should be filled with machinery. To /
'ty crease the accommodations for prisoner
er, the foundations of an addition to the Pen
ty tontiarv has been laid. / Recommend tn
III appropriations be made for the purchase
IN machinery, and also for materials tor t
N completion of the new building.
Ih INSANE. BLIND, AND DEAF AND DUE
tx ASYLUMS.
Sga The management of the Insane, Bin
iIo and Deaf and Dumb Asylums has been Ell
on inently successful during the past year
ce- To increase the capacity of the lnsa
aid Asylum, and meet the numerous deman
lch for admission there by the unfortunate
Ak concentration of S25, 900 was made by
iasP legislature. and expended during
Die, wear in the erection OF an additional wing
SEQ "a the Asylum The appropriation was We
LEI L + iudiciously and economically expended,
u ~ ~ greater part of the labor being performed
viii conyicts from the Penitentlary.