The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-18
AUSTIN LETTER.
Ghost, win Not Down--kepiy To some
Expressions OF Approval From scml-
Private source--O niciais, as ofnoisia. Must
stand the Test OF Rigid scrutiny, Etc.


mo. $751;
AUSTIN, March l5,-Ispecial Correspond.
ence ii notice In the Galveston News Of
this morning special from Dallas contain.
Ing interviews and expressions Of opinions
on tho penitentiary lease business with
several OF the leading citizens Of our
city, aud | am gratiiied 10 see the
very general condemnation OF the SEN
ates act Of confirmation. But | re-
gret exceedingly the position of Judge
George N. Aldridge, who. certainly when
no spoke, was not In possession OF the
iacts, ana did not give the subject due con-
sidefation. ] suspect, TOO hc was induced
ttoi, by his great yencration for the estima-
BILE men constituting tho penitentiary
board But he is frightfully astray
where he says 1.-THE cry against It was
huge bugaboo. The people opposing the
lease did not stop TO think, but caught up
the cry against IL because they thought
there was an enormous steal in IL, or some
thing of that kind. The Legislature could
not have done otherwise without aiming
direct stab at the men by whom the lease
was iet--three an honest men AS there are
in the state, Messrs. Roberts, Lubbock and
Goroe-and II there Is anything TO be made
by II the lessees are entitled to IL, IL IL q
pay by working the men inside, and the
setting aside of this lease would necosstate
putting u great many more men outside
the walls, In order that the state might not
lose by resumption"
take direct issue with him in his propo.
stions that "tbe people opposing the lease
did not stop TO think" but yet, Thought
there was an enormous steal in It," etc
The reverse is the case the opponents Of
laa. III ~. A..s a a. Ia.
much and 30 accurately that they dis
covered that the state in ratiyng that lease
was giving TO or swapping with a private
corporation some Sl,tOO,000 20 $200O,0O
clear net gain, OF the states money In ton
years time, for $50 900 year They thought
that II the state in 1877 could resume with
only $4,000, no machinery in the
walls, poor prison acoommoda
tions, etc, and yet make some
$4,000 yearly. u could resume In 1888,
when she has nearly $1,000, 900 in the treas
nry, when the pentcntiary is well supplied
with good machinery when the XVII.
legislature had appropriated some $50, 600
for improvements, when the. XVIII. lcgis-
lature proposes TO give the lessees $4,000
additional for further improvements, and
when everything inside tho walls il in good
condition. When no speaks about direct
stab at tho ponitentiary board" the reply
~, what then means the provisions
which require approval OF. executive ap.
pointments and nets by the legislature or
by the senator Are these meaningless OK
pressionsf Does refusal to confirm what.
ever IN executive does, requiring conllrma
ton, mean thrnsts aud stabs2 Then better
wipe out for ever the idle words. II the OK.
ecutive authority Is exclusive, thon let us
know 1t, and stop the further nonsense
about CONFIRMING certain Of HIS acts; and 40
too OF boards whose acts call for ratiicniion
Besides this, u is notorious and II " every
whore conceded, even by the board thom-
Ja)ves. that the lease made
Was not tho lease advertised. IT is motto.
r.ous, and Is conceded, that from the adver
tisement was the omission of all notice of
some 900 convicts hired out Mt SIG per
MONTH or so per month clear net, or $5i0O
total monthly, M M inducemcnt for further
and better bids. Is Tho Judge posted on all
this matter' Evidently not. As for "thc
state losing by resumption the reply is,
II the lessees can mako this 81 800, 000annu-
ally, with Mr.. Goree 40 Superintendent,
why shall the state, with tho same supcrin-
tendcnce, lose money Arc these tho only
men out Of population OF ., 900 O0pcoplo
with business sense enough to make any
money out of contract OF lease like this2
Has tho state not as much funds as Mcssrs
NubHlhNh'tni uilu IAillhl ~ ntI NIcull not
better Do their notes sell Mt $40 Tor the
$l00l Have they $1,000, 900 or over 81 900.
0O0in their treasury Ifso, then why call on
tho state Tor this proposed appropriation of
100000? Will the people answer these
questions IL the loasca before were
paying the state $4,000 per annum
without the machinery and buildings,
30 that in five years and two months they
paid Texas out Of the proceeds Of convict
labor some 1897 1888, how IL IL good con
tract for the state TO receive from lessees
now only $D,WO per annum, when the
prison force and available rcmunerative la.
Dor is now largely increased, and every year
increasing No fair mind accuses Governor
Roberts or Lubbock or Mr.. Goree with cor
ruption. Tho white Hover of stain.
less lives, heretofore their esouCheou,
Is as pure to-day IN the general es.
timation MS Is tho oamclin; but ARE
they infallibleF so, then way take bonds
from the state treasurer, for instance, one
OF that penitentinry boardp Why examine
by Legislative committee his accounts
The people, through their representatives,
reserve the great right OF supervision and
revision. fes, the opponents OF this strange
lease have indeed thought much and now
grieve deeply over the ratification by the
senate venture the prediction that IL the
house ratify u, the democratic party will
lose thousands and thousands of votes
ut the next general election, il indeed they
be not defeated by an opposing gubernato
rial candidate. All through this state 10.
day the political cauldron Is boiling and
seothing on account of this lease and some
other things, will state further, that IL II
were not for tho .grcat personal popularity
Of Colonel Cunningham, whom oyory mar
Knowing him personally loves deyotedly
and who Is persistent in his very
natural efforts 10 become possessed
OF this splendid inheritance, the leas,
would have gone overheard long ago, and
Its consideration not this length Of tim,
been tolerated. But Judge Aidridge, also
thinks that ifthere Is any thing 20 be mad,
out OF this lease, lessees are entitled to Il.
Can II be possible that the interviewer no
reported him aright' 1.-THE statc has beer
damaged by criminals, therefore fat con.
Tractors tractors should make fortune out Of this
Gus traffic In unfortunate hu,
mainly. This Is the logic of hi
position. The whole leasing system in, and
by which lessces drveto the utmost OF labo,
these poor criminals, Is abominablo and
despicable, and yet the Judge himself, So
good and humane man, says that lesseey
should make profit out OF their bone and
muscle and unhappy lot. cannot be
iieve u OF him. If tho state ha.
been subjected to costs Of Judge, Jury, los,
oiproperty, life or honor or peace and dig
nifty, by these criminals now sent 10 hard
labor, let none but the state receive re.
turn compensation, And be assured that
the state will ever bo moro humane, more
icniont and careful than those whose sole
|, Interest in the term of lease Is tho accumu.
hAion OF money. Has the judge "stopped
TO think" IL not will he,now "royisc his
Judgment on appeals about this "buga.
boo story"
r. w. Gocbol, druggist, OF Louisburg,
Kansas, says: II have sold 'Prickly Ash
bitters. for five years, and | have never
handled q medicine which gave moro uni.
yersal satisfaction. 1t Is fast becoming tho
family medicine OF this section. have
warranted dozens Of bottles and never Mad
one returned"