The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1885-01-22


crease Of o0nyluis, There can be no
doubt that y ref r,n In some shape II
Dscessary. There avs sOino ofiensts fOr
which "a lower vTada Ut punishment
should be adopted. The wisdom ~ al
lowing inries 81 lniliet the PENALTY NJ
confinement iu Tho penlientiaiy for lie,
for deliberate murder, N not apparent.
Tho man v IN wilifully takes lie should
no longer In permitted u annoy s0siety
or gavernment
Looking Ia tho lessenng OF this mum
bor of cOt,, let's In the penitentiaIios, |
agNin suggest tho hrcASsity for a house
OF cOrrec lion, IN which might lao con-
fined boys aud others, rendered harm
less by reason ofago 90 other conditions.
Tho peniientiaiies can only house
about l,600 convirls, while wa have on
hand 2,63a. Very large expenditures
will be required DefHe all eonyicls can
be paced inside the walls.
III In questionable whether the act oi
the eighteenth Legislature prohibiting
tho use at cuuvics On public works was
either wise or constitutional. There IL
no sound reasoning la the idea that con-
yicts come in competition with what Is
termed honest labor, when worked out
ofthe walls. II Is cortfin that they are
engaged outside al tho walls
In labor that free men
will not do, and thai when placed
Ia the waits thoy must he put at trades
that will force them into competition
with free and honest labor-industries
that are not now, hut those now In oper-
alton throughout the world. Persons
who psep through enclosures or win
dows, or who use line field glasses a.
shock themselves, may be shocked NJ
tho sig,lt III cunNic,s at work, and yet II
is sale TO say that % per cent. of those
who 20 Ia the vicinity of the penitentia-
ries or convict camps visit them. How
ever. when IL can ha done with due
regard u olhor interests, there Is nc
doubt but thut inside tho walls Is the
proper place far cnnNicts.
Article 10, section ~ Of the constitu-
ton clearly co1tcmplHtas that conNicts
may 10 employed on public works, and
tho law above referred 10 is of doubtful
validity.
The present hoard has managed To
make the Vcnii uliuries self sustaining,
but IL has boon mainly through the
wages derived from outside labor and
the striclest economy. Great credit Is
due To- the officers OF the two peniten-
tiaries for the faithful manner in which
those institutions have been managed.
Although the present executive re-
questsd the eighteenth Legislature To
designate the class of labor for convicts
TO be employed in, it only placed one re-
stric;ion on their employment. and that
Is elsewhere referred 10 in this paper.
Hence the force then employed on rail-
ways was allowed TO remain, aud others
have been hired ia the roads, on farms,
and to shop owners in the buildings,
from time to time, tho state In all in
stances, retaining entire control OF the
convicts.
CLAIMS AGAINST THE FEDERAL Gov
EREMENT.
IN ri
law passed by tho eighteenth
legislature, organized and ap-
pointed number of clerks
to audit and arrange the claims under
the rules prescribed. Prior to the ad-
jourulnent of the last congress the board
dispatched Maj. A. j. Dorm TO
Washington with about 100000
of additional restrictions inn
posed by the federal authorities these
claims were reg stered and withdrawn.
This subject il fully presented in the re-
port OF the adjutant-general, to which
your attention isinvited.
STOCK INTERESTS.
In view OF the fact that nearly all the
states are establishing quarantine sys-
tenn to guard against The introduction of
diseased stock, and to, prevent possible
damage, we should adopt some system
to protect our stock interests.
PUBLIC EXPENDITURES.
1t is due to the people that q thorough
Investigation should be made into the
organization and operations of each de-
partment of the government, with q
view of determining whether methods
may not be suggested that will lessen ex
penses and at the same time insure good
service.
CARRYING OF ARMS.
On the 18th day of April, 1884, issued
a proclamation, withdrawing the whole
territory of Texas from the list of from
tier counties, and extended the law pro-
hi biting the carrying OF six-shooters and
other small arms, to all parts of the
state. Itcannot he denied that the pen
al,y for The violation of the law regu-
latfng the carrying of arms Is too small.
No one who is evil disposed hesitates to
run the risk of being fined, while peace
able persons, against whom evil Is med
itated, will, as a general thing, obey the
law, and are placed at great disadvan-
tage l recommend all increase OF the
penalty.
Some of the departments lave sys-
tenn of fees that adds to the general rev.
enue handsome sum, ana it ls sug-
gested that other departments and
offices might also be made to contribute
likewise, without Inconvenience to the
service. 1t may be iound, upon inveSti-
CATION, that it would be better to pay
salaries instead OF fees to some.
THE ALAMO.
Under the authority of act OF the
eighteenth Legislature, purchased the
Alamo properly in San Antonio.
There is no one authorized to take
charge of and control this property, and
have had it locked up to preserve it
from being despoiled by thoughtless
persons.
Some veterans might be given charge
of it, under such regulations as the two
houses might think proper to prescribe.
The reports of the various officers
who are required to report, which have
not been specially mentioned herein,
are also herewith respectfully trans
mitted for your consideration, from
which much valuable information can
Respectfully,
JOHN IRELAND,
Governor.
Eight thousand copies of the message
were ordered printed.
Mr. Peacock moved that each senator
be permitted to subscribe for fifty cop
les of any daily paper containing syn
opsis OF the proceedings.
Mr.. Pfeuffer offered substitute, pro-
viding that each member be furnished
with fifty copies of the Legislative
Record.
After considerable discussion, in
which Messrs. Jones, Douglass, Calhoun
and Johnson favored Pfeuffer's PROPOSE
ton, and Messrs. Shannon, Pope, Ter
rell, Getzendaner and Randolph OPP
posed, it was Withdrawn and Mr.. Pea
cocks motion prevailed-yeas, II; nays,
Is.
Adjourned till 10 O'Clock to- morrow.
HOUSE.