Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-03-10
THE ST Arh's wnlrG ELEPaANr.

Outside the land Issue the most per-
picking of problems before the Nine
teenth legislature IL that which results
from penitentiary difficulties. 1t IL
not the question Of management that
arouses such grave approximations in
the legislative breast, because boards
may come and boards may so but
'mebody can always be found ready
To assume the responsibilities OF peni-
Tertiary control. The financial prob
lem Is not so easily adjusted, however,
and this is the stumbling block now to
be removed. With monthly defic-
iency OF about 5000 TO meet, and no
prospect of improvement until fall,
matters are growing serious, and the
slender thread upon which hangs the
general revenue balance Is not calcu.
lated to relieve the anxieties of the oc-
casion. Having determined upon q
poll y, the sum Of which is TO keep the
convicts
INSIDE THE WALLS
es far as possible, the present emergen-
cy is thought about by failure To
solve the problem Of making chem
self sustaining while so confined. The
fact Ia already becoming painfully evil
dent that II this policy Ia TO be adher-
ed to, larEe appropriations are
necessary for the development OF man
ufscturing industries by convict labor
aud the inaccessability of both the
penitentlaries causes the legislature TO
shrink from such appropriations, even
IL here were no difficulty In the way
upon the score of financial embarrass.
ments There troubles
HAVE LED 10 A SUGGESTION.
which, although IL may appear some
what eXtravagan' upon its face, Is still
extremely plausible, especially as eX.
perience has already proved that moth
Ing can be more hazardous than fur
Their exp riments at Huntsville and
Rusk. Ii is simply stated; that convict
labor should be utilized in railroad
building on the states account. The
advocates Of sucn proposition point
to the fact that Georgia owns her
principal railroads, and Its revenues
almost pay the entire expenses of her
state government, thus greatly lessen.
Ing the burdens OF taxation. They
say that there is an abundant opening
in Texas
FOR PAYING INVESTMENTS
in railroads. aud AS they would cost
the state no hing save the mainten-
ance OF the cOnvicts the dividends must
necessarily be very large The roads
could he handled for sufficient
amounts 10 pay for the iron and roll
ing stock. and thus the state be en-
abled to go into railroad construction
on an extensive scale without hardly
a dollar Of outlay. AS large number
OF the convicts are now
A DEAD EXPENsE,
he cost OF maintenance would he but
little more than at present, especially
when the investment Of hundreds OF
thousands of dollars In unreIuunera-
tive industries Is considered. Another
argument used in favor OF such poll
cy Is that II would be an inyalua-
bic factor In developing the
state and by invading the public lands
their enhanced value would return ten
fold all expenditures, The difficulties
OF the present situation lead 10 the be.
lief that the abandonment OF the ex-
listing policy is absolutely necessary 10
relieve the state OF n white elephant
II unreasonable proportions, and In
the breakup It need not be surprising
II the idea Of railroad building oh
| tains.