The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-03-15

Ing uuantity In State Polities
!. The lolloNing Is tho text OF The speech
delivered In the senate chamber OF this
tate recently by Senator W. ii. Pope on
Marshall, In advocacy OF the joint resoln'
tion ratifying the penitentiary lease
Mr. President
believe that every senator here will ac-
cord me the credit OF having pursued con
seryatiye course since | have been mem
Der Of this body. ! have not taken an ex'
treme view upon any question that has
come IN for legislative action. think that
the position occupy on the question now
before us for consideration is conservative
one. and if the views that | entertain are
odopted that in the end they will prove 10
he TO the best interests of Texas. This
question OF penitentiary management Is
one of great Importance TO Texas, ana an
must agree that 1t is an extremely
difficult one with which to deal.
The position take, is that it is impossible
Tor the state TO resume control of the public
prisons at this time, with justice to her
self. What then shall we do? Shall we
ADOPT the amendment of the senator from
Duyal, (Mr. Collins or the one offered by
by the senator from Shelby? (Mr. Johnstonl
The amendment OF the senator from Duyal
proposes to curtail the lease to term OF
sumption, because the lessees will not CON
sent to undertake the management OF these
prisons for SO short q time, as 1t is almost
self-evident proposition that heavy imam
ciaI loss must fall to their part
il they should undertake such an expert.
nent, and will here do justice TO some OF
the senators who favor resumption, by say
ing that they admit that the lessees can
not undertake contract for lease and
make any money out of it for the first five
or six years. Therefore, believing that the
inevitable result will be resumption II the
amendment OF the senator from DuYal IS
adopted. trust that the senate will vote IT
down. But do advocate the amendment
of the senator from Shelby, which limits
the term 10 ten years believe. II Is my
duty to do this in justice to the interest OF
Texas and in Justice to the able and faith
ful public servants who leased these pris-
ons. reierto the penitentiary board, COM
posed of Governor Roberts, Treasurer Lub-
book and Superintendent Goree. BY law
this board is given the power to
lease these penitentiaries subject to the
action OF this legislature.
j here say that the refusal OF this leglsla'
ture to ratify these leases will be nothing
more thana vote of want of contidence-a
reflection upon this board.
MT President, who has had the most
experience in reference TO penltentlary
management, our public servants who have
made these contracts or we senators VINO
have given it but little thought? At joint
session of the committees from both houses
every member of the penitentiary board was
present, and by invitation of these commit
tees each member addressed at length the
session in reference to these contracts. is
there senator here who can say that the
cogent reasons there given By each and every
member of the board are entitled TO no reI
spect? That we should ignore the argu'
ments OF Governor Roberts, Treasurer
Lubbock and Superintendent Goree? But
you who oppose these lease contracts do
not agree amongst yourselves in your
opposition. The senator from Anderson
(Mr. Gooch,) and the senator from Hood,
(Mr. Travlor) want the state TO resume
because she can by doing so and working
convicts as the lesses do, make money.
The senators from Dallas and Travis want
the state to resume for the purpose oil
treating the convicts humanely and making
their comfort sure. The senator from Cooke
wants the state TO resume because he heard
of convict being found dead in convict
car In north Texas.
Mr.. President, it is also claimed that the
leases were not let fairly; that the adver'
tisements did not disclose the terms
upon which the penitentiaries were
finally let. Now let us examine into this.
The board published notices in the New
York Sun, Chicago Tribune, st. Louis Re-
publican, Dallas HERALD, Galveston News,
San Antonio Express and Austin States
man. When the time came on i'll June TO
open the bids none we're found to have been
put in. vben n Thousand circulars we're
ent-cupuriT Various states to prison mana
srs, and correspondence opened by Super
intendent Goree with parties whom he
thought might bid, but when November
came was the situation any more promis'
ing? 1t IS true that, in
the meantime, II mean between June
and November 9th that one party from
Georgia had visited Austin to canvass the
matter, but he left, seeing no good thing in
il, and another New York man made an
effort to enlist some capitalists from his
state in behalf OF the enterprise, but failed.
Cunningham & Ellis, who had positively
declined to renew their lease were here in
November, but would not touch the enter
prise, and no one was found who would.
The board with the responsibility of doing
something were then confronted with the
danger OF resumption, and keenly feeling
formulated proposition for each of the
penitentiaries and submitted them to the
present lessees and contracts were made.
Now, il there was such hig money in these
contracts, why was il that the Georgia man
and the New York capitalists turned from
the consideration of the same and wanted
nothing W 40 With thenl We've not these
leases the best that could be done? / think
so, and / am influenced largely in this
opinion by the action of the board. /
would do violence TO my sense of justice If
/ were 70 repudiate their action. 1t would
be acting in bad faith 10 the gentlemen
who have made these contracts with
the states agents IL we rescind these con-
tracts. 1t was with difficulty that the
"a lr.ea H. l..a
bids OF these lessees, and II was nothing but
reasonable for the lessees TO expect the
Eighteenth legislature 10 ratify the con-
tracts. They have at great expense (par-
ticularly the Risk prison lessees) gone on,
believing that the legislature would ratify
the contracts, making arrangements 10
carry out their Oh jrations.
ton a ''bugaboo." Sir, tell you and every
senator here that IL would be a
ssd day for Texas If we re-
woke these lease contracts. tell
vou that n we fail 10 ratify these contracts,
resumption follows AZ n necessary sequence.
The highway is opened up for raids upon
the treasury, and then farewell 20 the cash
balance. Appropriation after apprOpria-
lion TO cover deficiencies in peniteDtiAry
management will have 20 be made by the
legislature from term 10 term, and we will
then. when II Is too late, zee the error Of
our way.
But il is said that The state could do bet
Ter now By reyoking these contracts
and entering into othen. IL is also
aid that these lessees are going 10 make
big money out Of their contracts. Mr..
President. who can read The terms OF these
contracts IN connection with the laws regu-
rfine them and can bot admit that the
essees should be allowed Q large margin for
profit. Section u, laws 1881, page - Il
uch q restriction thrown around the man
iremenf Of lessees that the mere
rhim 81 superintendent may
iesfrov The most valuable rights that
re Iessees have. This Law Though II was
Innece<sarvl has been embodied in the
-erv confrscis themselves.
Huf. NJ. President have some figures
bat two o. thrss other senators and myself