The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-03-29
A SPEECH


ti0n.
Mr. President
shall oppose the amendment offered by
.be senator from Cooke, because It's adop
ION would authorize the state at any time'
without notice, to annul the lease and re-
sumo the charge and control Of the peni-
tentiaries.i Hts adoption would virtually be
a disapproval of the lease. for no man, or
set of men, who are responsible and have
any business capacity, would accept con
tract that at the very outset, requires the
investment of thousands OF dollars, when
in few DAYS they might be deprived OF
any or every benefit TO be derived there
from and subjected to heavy losses.
| do not wish TO annul but to ratity the
contract in its modified form. And why do
favor its ratification? Because as rerre-,
sentative of the people it is my duty. and
should be my highest aim and greatest de-
sire, to do that which believe would be
most beneficial to the state, and from my
standpoint my honest convictions are that
to ratify will be the best interest OF the
state. The past experience Of this state In
its attempts to control and run the peni
Tertiary on its own account. have shown
that il was magnificent failure, and sc
far as ! have been able to get in
formation upon the subject, every Other
state that has tried it has found that 1t has
hugh elephant on hand that consumed
far more cash than it brought in receipts
Then if il has been thus i'll the past, why
will 1t not be so at present and in the III,
ture? 1t has been the proclaimed policy OF
the democratic party, and is part OF its
platform, and seems to be the universal de-
sire of the people, that as many of the con-
yicts as possible, should be confined within
the walls of the penitentiary. Under this
contract 800 of them have to be placed in
the walls now, and by the list day of Janu-
ary, 1886, 600 more have to be placed there,
(which number cannot be reduced), thus
within three years, placing l,4OO with the
prison walls, and it is said that ,4OO IS all
that the prisons have capacity, to hold.
Then, sir, this contract accompanies the
wishes and desires of the people IN that
respect =.
The penitentiary board say the lease is
the best thing under the circumstances that
could have been done for the state. place
great confidence in their statements, and in
their honesty of purpose, and in their abil-
itv, and believe that with all the lights
they had before them, they were much
more competent judges OF what
was best TO be done imam
those who have had no connection or bust
ness experience with the prisoners. no re-
fuse TO ratify, simply forces the state to re-
sumo the care and management OF the same.
This, | contend, would be ruinous to the
state. The prisoners within the walls are
not now, nor will they be for years to come,
Even the profits arising
from outside hired out of convicts, will not
be sufficient under the state management TO
nav the expenses of those inside. The les
sees under this contract have to pay all ex-
penses OF every character, and then pay 10
the state, annually. net profit for rent.
From the estimates made by those
who are informed upon the subject,
if the state resumes, there will have
to be an appropriation of $5OO,OOO.
to furnish the necessary supplies to COM
mence with, land you may always add
twenty per cent. to all estimates of ex-
pensej. Take this amount with the appro-
priation already made to build a branch OF
the lunatic asylum and the other approprl-
atoms necessary 10 run the state govern
ment, and you will not have cent OF that
cash balance of which we so proudly boast,
but a heavy burden in the way of taxation
will have to be heaped upon our people to
meet the deficiency. The state will be in
yolyed in debt, her bonds instead of bear
pg a premium IS now, will be under par
instead of reduction of taxes the people will
pc groaning under heavy and oppressive
taxation.
Now, sir, having given my views upon
he subject, will notice some of the OBJ
ections made by the opponents OF the joint
resolution.
LIST. Some of the opponents contended
hat the contract was not fairly made, be-
,ause they say the proposition to lease was
lot advertised in all its minutia. The evil
fence is that for months before this contract
vas entered into, the proposition for bids
vas not only advertised in several of the
eading papers of the state. but of several
,ther states. The senator from Cooke, w.
}. Davis, complains that man all the way,
rom Tennessee, is one OF the leesses. IL
uch be the case we would be pleased
o know how the gentleman from Tennes-
ZEE wa. so wise as to know this contract
vas TO be let, if it was not sufficiently adyer-
i.ed. II he found out the particulars
q relation thereto, others by exercising the
anne exertion could have obtained like In
ormation.
The objection is also made that these les
ees have the power to hire out these con-
yicts, and thereby they will have TO endure
lardships and endanger their health by ex-
,osure TO the inclemencies Of the weather.
They have great regard for the health and
confess that / have no such sickly senti-
about me, while | would have
hem treated as human beings, and not as
,rutes, Yet at the same time as convlcts,
Who, by their own actions, have brought
rouole upon themselves. These senti-
mental senators forget th.t the horse thief,
While proving around of nights through
eat .nd cold, stealing the horses of the
Ionest man, who in sleep is seeking rest
rom the labors of the day, are exposing
TO the inclemency OF the weather
nd endangering their precious health.
The farmer who, with his wife and chill
rem, has toiled and labored through
be year TO make a crop. OF cot
on. with the proceeds OF which
e expects TO buy some OF the necessaries,
nd perhaps a few of the comforts OF lie for
Imself and family, goes to market and
ellis his produce, on the way home the |
ighway robber meets him in the road, ana |
/ the muzzle ola p stoi, makes him give
p the fruits Of bis years toll, the wiie ana
hildren are deprived Of their expected new |
Iothing, their hopes are disappointed, their |
ecessities are not supplied, and their anti
pated comforts are denied them, all gone
YES. gone into the hands OF the nice gen |
eman who is too good TO WORK, but ready |
, rob the honest laborer Of his means and |
auander Il in dissipation, and then. when
,ught in the act and convicted, nave ano
E entitled to the sympathie. OF the PEG,
le, because be has 30 labor for the state ana
hereby endanger his health 90.
Were you 10 send 10 the courts OF heaven
I'D gather from a fountain, hands full OF
,ars. that have been shed By the angels OF
,at bright abode, over the vices Of TINS
nful world, ven c luld not, even with this
nre LIQUID, be able 70 was the stains
ON the blackened, crime-siained
uls Of these criminals. Further / have
D tears 10 shed, no sympathy 70 waste
M Tor those from whom they have stolen.
hose whom they have robbed. those upon
ham their outrages have been committed,
n those shall all my tear be shed, and al
y sympathies be enlisted.
y must nov notice en- objection o. two
,de bv the senator from Travis. l1errel),
II then am done. He says there IL no
DIVISION made anywhere In The lease re-
Airing any cOnvicts rhstever - be con
bed within tine prison walls. IBIS ~,
.~rfka1a-a nIaU mn0n MnFue