The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-03-06
MISSISSIPPI MATTERS.
TIE PENITINTIARY LEASE AND
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE
A Contrast Of Reports That Leaves
q Painful Impression Of Mis-
management, at Least.
looEEEsroxDESoE OF THE ArrEAL. /


Memphis APPEAL has an immense cir
culation in Mississippi and always
takes a lively interest in every public
measure that .appertains 10 the pros
perity Of her people, and Is always
battling for constitutional government
in its primitive simplicity.
Matters are being uncarthed at
jackson, the capital city, which are
invoking the attention OF taN-payersall
over the State The question OF
constitutional convention being called
is earnestly demanded, and why any
Democrat can be opposed 10 such
convention is beyond the ken OF hui
man understanding. Our present
constitution is defective in many re-
spects 1t was passed by carpet-bag
aliens, not in harmony with, or sym
patty for, democratic institutions
All OF our Judges, chancellors and
county superintendents OF education
are appointed under the present con-
stitution, and should be elected by the
people and made amcnable directly to
the people.
An elective judiciary is in strict ac-
Cordance with the genius of republic
can institutions, and is the plan
adopted by most Of the States, all Of
whom have a pure, learned and in
corruptible judiciary. Our present
constitution needs modifying and
changing in many other respects TO
suit the demands of an Intelligent
popular opinion We hope this mat
ter will be pressed TO successful ter
mination.
During the canvass last summer
many whisperings, mutterings and
misgivings were entertained as to the
mismanagement and gross derelictiOn
of duty by officials in the enforcement
of contracts between the State and the
penitentiary lessees.
II. @. Fairman, editor of The Lantern,
charged that the lcssccs, on their con
tracts with the State, then owed large
sums of money to the State, which
charge inculcated not only the lessees,
hut also all those State officials whose
duty it was 10 have the contracts en-
forced
On the 22d day OF July, AID. 1885,
by card in The Clarion, Fairman was
denounced as u "wanton, malicious
and miserable liar and scoundrcl,' and
in some card the lossees say unequiv-
ocally that "on the LIST December, 1883,
we made q settlement with the proper
authority of the State and paid all
sums due the State TO that date, and in
same manner in 1884, and also offered
certificates to such statement as fol-
lows, tO-wit:
Mclniston, the present Superintend-
ent of the penitcntiary, said. The
lessees have paid all balances due the
State up to December A. ID. 1884"
Catching, Attorney-General at that
time, says: "Irhe lessees made full
settlement of all sums due under the
law and their contracts up to Deem
Der, 1884, Gen. Adams, the Revenue
Collector, certified that she had ex-
amned statementsof lessees, and finds |
that balance due the State under said |
contract up TO LIST of December, 1884 !
has been paid into the State Treasury,
the original of which receipt is now in
the hands OF lessees"
With such testimony Fairman was
squelched, and the statement anthem
ticated by the certificates was regarded
by the public as complete refutation
OF the charges.
But now examine the Governors |
message 10 the Legislature, January, !
A. ID. 1886, in regard with the settle
ments with the lessees of the peniten- |
tiary, IN which he says, most positive |
" and clearly; ain the year 1885 | |
SD,ro,,ol a; La co,tro,t, l.o,,o,, =, - |
improvements TO the amount Of $27,.
4l9 AZ, which was credited on the lease
for 1884, and the balance of $l2, 100 5S
due on the lease for that year was, on
December 10th, 1885, paid into the
Treasury and in the same message
he says that n similar settlement was
made with the lessees for the year
1888, and on the 3lst of December,
1884, the balance due ON the lease for
that year tlSS3) was ppid into the State
Treasury.
Now, here is shown a contradiction
in terms If the Governor is correct
N lis message, then in July, AID.
lbab, the lessees owed the State for
Me whole year 1884 and for half of the
yesr l8th, for they never settled for
year 1894 until December, 1885, and
McQuiston, Catchings and Adams
were terribly imposed upon when
they gave their certificates, and, il
they were correct, then the Governor
in his message was wrong aud unin-
formed. I'.
The majority report of the State
Senate Committee on Penitentiary
and Prisons, submitted February Is,
1886, confirms Gov. Lowry's state
ment in his message as 10 time OF set
Elements and an indebtedness due by
the lesseosin Jnly, AID. 1885.
Again, the Governor in his message
to the Legislature in 1884 states that
''there Is no further need OF extensive
improvements during the continuance
of the present lease which lease was
in force untifJanuary, AID. 1887, and
recommends'"thai $4,000 be a limit
on expenditure for repairs in any one
year." and yet his message OF 1885
shows that he approved contracts for
repairs end improvements by the les.
sees for the sum Of 5i,762 ~ expcnd-
ed for the years AID. 1883 and 1884.
In compliance with his recommen-
dation, the Legislature of 1854, to
which the message was directed, gave
the Governor, together with the Super
intendent OF the Penitentiary, the
power 10 allow "any necessary repairs
or improvements actually needed
and, in the face of the recommenda-
ton, has allowed the large sums above
named, of which the Superintendent
Of the Penitentiary, in his report to
the present Legislature, says; "Thc
improvements made during the past
two years within the walls have been
very considerable" Does not this
look like a dereliction OF duty on the
part of our State officers, and that the
management Of our State penitentiary |
needs overhauling. The Hon. F. NJ.
Boone, State Senator from this district, |
is the chairman OF the Senate standing |
Committee on Penitentiary and Pris- |
ons, which has made very laborious, !
exhaustive and convincing report to
the Legislature, clearly showing mis-
management, inelficiency and loose
ness in the management of the same.