The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-01-01

f and that road which depends solely on Stat
and county subscriptions, and is undertaken
with money borrowed thereon. ebticing n,
other capital, must be of problematical sue
cess.
There is an attempt to make it appear
that this investment is a contract; that tn,
company receives it as grant! Is it
grant? Are we giving this sacred funt
away?
Or the contrary, the State accepted il
with the understanding that it would moi
do so. She is honor bound not to do so.
We can but invest it. 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. 1t
is required to give securities, and additional
securities may be demanded at any time.
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 plighted 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.
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 to 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 of the
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-
Legislature, which alone may be able, by
legislation. to save the people from the ad-
ditiOnal taxation the further payment of the
subsidy may impose, or to obtain security |
beyond question.
EDUCATION.
Neither arguments nor statistics are nec-
essary to make known the great extent of |
illiteracv which exists in the State. 1t is as |
much the duty of the State, it would be |
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. |
have been locked up as 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-
tional school-houses, the employment of
the best class of teachers, aud 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
every child: But, unfortunately, ignorance,
with its lack of appreciation, too often re-
fuses to take advantage of the educational
opportunities which are presented. To
this obstacle, laws should be en-
acted and enforced requiring The attend
,nce of every child for a limited period of
lime each year. Money and labor can never
,e more benefcially expended in the inter-
st of education than now.
pKNITENTIARY.
The total number of convicts in the PEN
Tertiary, as shown by the register, is.;...5l3
The average number within the walls during
The number leased out.......,...............37
The number received in 1874..............236
The number received in fundamentally
Deaths in 1873. Sn...............33
The number of serviceable s....-.....175
While it is admitted that e only proper
,lace for convicts is within the prison walls,
has compelled the adoption of a
5olicy which takes the larger portion with
tut the walls. 1t will be observed that while
he total number of convicts is 513, the
lumber of serviceable cells is 175. The safe
Keeping of this number of prisoners, in such
contracted quarters, could not be compata-
de with humane treatment Furthermore,
10 sufficient means has been provided for
he useful employment of so large num-
,er within the walls,
The cost of keeping SO many idle prison
RS would aggregate, during the year, tens of
thousands OF dollars.
This want of Accommodations and employ
nent forced the leasing out of hundreds of
he convicts, whereby the State has been
relieved of the expense of their support,
clothing and guarding, and received, in ad-
lition, small compensation for their SER
vices. The convict however, who is work
ing on levees, railroads, cultivating
cotton, receives much less severe punish
ceive when it consigted him to the narrow
limits of the prison. That the convicts
may be retained within the walls in the
future, the number of cells should be in
creased and suitable machinery purchased,
before the expiration of the present lease,
four years hence. At the present time all
the labor saving machinery, in use in the
prison or owned by the State, does not
exceed in value $500. Last year large
and substantial building was erected, which
is well adapted for cotton factory. 1t
should be filled with machinery. To in
crease the accommodations for prisoners,
the foundations of an addition to the Peni-
has been laid. l Recommend that
appropriations be made for the purchase of
machinery, and also for materials for the
completion of the new building.
INSANE, BLIND, AND DEAF AND DUMB
ASYLUMS.
The management of the Insane, Blind,
and Deaf and Dumb Asylums has been en-
inently successful during the past year.
To increase the capacity of the Insane
Asylum, and meet the numerous demands
for admission there by the unfortunate, an
appropriation of $4,000 was made by the
last Legislature. and expended during the
year in the erection of an additional wing to
the Asylum. The appropriation was very
and economically expended, the
greater part of the labor being performed by
-ict, from, tho Potaitapt 10