The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-24
A SPEECH.

an Able Fight on His side of the Cues
tion.
Mr.. President
shall oppose the amendment offered by
the senator from Cooke, because It's adop
tion would authorize the state at any time,
without notice, TO annul the lease and re-
aVme the charge and control Of the penn
tsn'lariss.l Hts adoption would virtually be
sdsapproval 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
ia a few days they might be deprived OF
any or every benefit TO be derived there
nom and subjected TO heavy losses.
do not wish to annul but TO ratity the
contract in It's modified form. And why do
favor its ratification Because as a repre-
sentative OF the people II is my duty, and
seould be my highest aim and greatest de-
are, TO do that which believe would be
most beneficial to the state, and from my
standpoint my honest convictions are that
10 ratify will be the best interest of the
state. The past experience of this state in
its attempts 10 control and run the peni-
Tertiary on Its own account, have shown
that it was q magnificent failure, and so
far as have been able to get in
formation upon the subject, every other
state that has tried IL has found that IL has
4 hugh elephant on hand that consumed
FAR more cash than IL brought in receipts.
Then II IL has been thus in the past why
will II not be so at present aud in the iu-
turep IL has been the proclaimed policy of
the democratic party, and Is part OF It's
InQtfprul and IN ln tln universal de
sire of the people that AS many of the con
vicis 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 lst day Of Janu-
airy, 1856, 600 more have 10 be placed there,
(which number cannot be reduced, thus
within three years, placing 1900 with the
prison walls, and IL is said that 100 is all
that the prisons have capacity to hold.
Then, sir, this contract accompllshes 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-
iT, and believe that with all the lights
they had before them, they were much
more competent Judges OF what
was best 10 be done than
those who have had no connection or bust
ness experience with the prisoners. To 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,
sel..sustaining. Even the profits arising
from outside hired out of c0nyicts, will not
basuflicient under the state management to
pay the expenses OF those inside The les.
sees under this contract have to pay all ex-
penses OF every character, and then pay TO
The state, annually, net profit for rent
From the estimates made by those
Who are informed upon the subject,
Y the state resumes, there will have
TO be an appropriation of 100000.
70 furnish the necessary supplies to com
mence with, land you may always add
twenty per cent TO all estimates of ex-
pense). Take this amount with tho appro-
pr1ation already made to build branch of
the luuatc asylum and the other appropr.
atoms necessary TO run the state govern
ment, and you will not have cent of that
cash balance OF which we 80 proudly boast,
hut 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
volvcd in debt, her bonds instead of bear
ing a premium as now, will be under par,
Instead OF reduction Of taxes the people will
be groaning under heavy and oppressive
taxation.
Now, sir, having given my views upon
the subject, | will notice some of the OBJ
jections made by the opponents of the Joint
resolution.
LIST. Some OF the opponents oontended
that the contract was not fairly made, be.
cause they say the proposition to lease was
not advertised in all its minuta. The evil
dence is that for months before this contract
was entered into, the proposition for bids
was not only advertised in several of the
leading papers of the state. but of several
other states The senator from Cooke, w.
q, Davis, complains that man all the way
from Tennessee, Is one Of the leesses. II
such be the case we would be pleased
70 know how the gentleman from Tennes-
see was so wise as to know this contract
was to be let, If 1t was not sufficiently adver-
tised. IL he found out the particulars
IN relation thereto, Others by exercising the
same exertion could have obtained like in
formation.
The objection Is also made that these les
sees have the power to hire out these con-
vlcts, and thereby they will have to endure
hardahips and endanger their health by OK
nosure TO the inclemencies OF the weather.
comfort OF these poor convicts. must
confess that l have no such sickly senti-
mentality about me, while would have
them treated as human beings, and not as
lrutes. Yet at the same time as conyicts.
Who, by their own actions, have brought
trouble upon themselves. These senti-
I. mental senators forget that the horse thief,
while proving around Of nights through
hest and cold, stealing the horses of the
honest man, who In sleep Is seeking rest
from the labors OF the day, ara exposing
themselves TO the inc!emency of the weather
aud endangering their precious health.
The farmer who, with his wife and chill
dreu, has toiled and labored through
the year 70 make a crop of cot
ton, with N the proceeds of which
be expects to buy some OF the necessaries.
aud perhaps few Of the comforts of life for
himself and family, goes to market and
sells his produce. on the way home the
highway robber meets him in the road, and
~ the musxle Ola p stol, makes him give
up the fruits Of his years toll, the wife and
children are deprived Of their expected new
clothing, their hopes ARE disappointed their
necessities are not supplied, and their anti
c,pated comforts are denied them, all gone
yes, gone into the hands of the nice gen.
uenlan who is too good to work, but ready
TO rob the honest laborer OF his means and
squander II in dissipation, and then, when
csughtin the act and convicted, have and
n be entitled TO the sympathies of tho peo-
N PA because he has to labor for the state an,
thereby endanger his health t?).
Were you to send to the courts of heaven
aud gather from fountain, hands full of
tears, that have been shed by the angels of
that bright abode, over the vices OF this
sinful world, you could not, even with this
pure liquid, be able to was the stains
from the blackened, crime,stained
souls OF these criminals, Further have
no tears TO she'd, no sympathy to waste
but FOR those from whom they have stolen,
Those whom they have robbed, those upon
h Xhpm their outrages have been committed
Il those shall all my tears be shed, and Mi
M u sympathics be enlisted.
4 Unjust now notice an objection or two
made by the senator from Travis, t'TcrrelI
aus then am done. Hc says there is M
( provision made anywhere In the lease no.
1tting any convicts whatever to be con.
N ned within the prison walls. This, sir. Il
n \ afteChniCal Ouibble--a plav unnn 90 "a,