The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1881-03-04

III . 49,
such repairs ~ are Of Immediate ncces
siiy, and In this connection / deem Il
but just 10 myself 10 say that the pres
cEt sanitary condition of the pcnjtcn-
liary may furnish a reason Tor "a more
liberal Use of the parlOning power by
the executive than would otherwise be
deemed advisable.
It l. mauifcs,ly unjust for the State
by the use of its convict labor, to enter
into cOmUctition with its honest lublI-
crS in those industrial pursuits upon
which they are dependent for a subsi>t-
cncc for themselves and their families.
1t is also undiSputIblc that the cm-
ploymcnt Of convict labor ia the ordi-
nary Industrial vacations Of the labor
ing classes of our people, tends largely
to degrade labor in The eyes Of the
world.
No policy can he moro unwisc in MY
opinion than thai which is calculated
to lender labor disrcputablc. The hon
est tOilcr on The farm, or In The shop Of
the humblcst artizau, should feel that
in all the essential characteristics of
true manhood, lac j. the peer of the
proudcst citizen in the iaHd. Any pol
icy which is calculated to place a Stig-
ma upon labor, even OF the humbleSt
character, i both mwisc and unjust.
As no material change can be eff
fccted in the direction Of convict la
Dor until after the expiration Of the
present lease, ! suggest to you the
organization Of a commission, com
mission, composed of practical mel of
intelligence, chosen from the various
pursuits in life, whose duty shall be
10 take this whole subject If convict
Labor and punishment into consider
alton, with the view of devising some
plan &c remedy the many evils COM
planned Of under our present system,
their conclusions to be reported ut the
meeting Of the next general assembly.
RAILROAD FEEIGHTs.
1t is a matter of frequent com
plant that our railroad companies, in
their charges for transportation of
freight, are accustomed to making
unjust determinations in favor of
through freight, TO the great injury
and oppression of our people who
may be interested in local freights.
Should these complaints prove to be
well founded, some provision should
be promptly made by law which will
protect the interests of our own citi-
Zcns. | do not regard the interests
Of our private citizens and of our rail
road companies as necessarily antag-
O%nistic, but rather, that there is q
community of interest between them.
The best advantage of each is to be
found in building up and developing
the resources of the country. Hasty
or i'll advised legislation upon a sub
ject at once so grave and complicated
as this should be carefully avoided,
and tho subject should receive at your
hands the patient consideration which
its imortance demands.
PUBLIC ROADS.
Your attention is called to the I'M
portance Of some more adequate pro
vision for keeping up III public high
ways. Our present system is lament
ably deficient, and utterly fails to
meet the wants Of the country. Dur
ing II large part of the year travel and
transportation throuh many parts Of
our State are effected with great diff
ficulty, and at times almost entirely
Suspended in consequence of the al
most impossible condition Of our
roads. The farmer who has produce
for market is compelled to keep it at
thereby losing the opportunity
Of placing it on a favorable market,
or else he must incur an enormous
expense in its transportation. In ell
Their case the result is that the pro-
ceeds OF his year Of anxious toll by
he lad hoped to better the con-
dition of those depending upon HIM
are, to use ~ homely expression, Sunk
in the mud The prospective i'm
who sees the condition of our
highways from October to May leaves
our State to select a home elsewhere.
The disadvantages of oGr present sys-
tenn as affecting the prosperity of our
people, to say nothing of their COM
fort and convenience, / simply in
calculable. Good roads are a public
benefit. They enhance the value Of
property Of every description, and
swell the tide of general prosperity.
All citizens partake Of these benefits,
and nonresident owners of property
in our State receive their proportion
through the general enhancement of
1t is therefore, ut common
Justice that ali property and persons
who enjoy the benefits should con
tribute a fair and just proportion of
the expense necessary for the mainte-
nance of good roads. Your grave
consideration of this subject is ear
nestly invoked.
(Ehe remainder Of the message
will be published next week.
cambridge Waterman: A man by