Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-01-19

NciN o'iuii oooShiDlNi eNiiN ~ w S''~'
upon you to make provisions for the
safe-keeping and disposition of our
convicts. There seems to be an inn
perative demand for the removal of
the prison beyond the limits of the
city of Nashville. If the lease is
discontinued it will be necessary to
enlarge the prison to three times its
present capacity, as there are about
1880 prisoners and accommodation
only for $50. 1t would be better,
therefore, to determine the question
of removal at once so that the
necessary buildings may be erected
upon the new site. The present
property will be very valuable if its
use as a prison is discontinued, and
the price that might be realized
would 60 far towards paying for a
new site where land is less valuable
and erect buildings sufficient to
safely keep the entire number. The
arrangement of the cells within the
prison as it now exists is deplorably
lacking in sanitary precaution, and if
the prison is not removed common
humanity demands complete
remodeling of the wings. There
has been much public criticism
of the lease system, and while there
are doubtless some grounds for OBJ
lection inherent in such disposition
and use of the states prisoners, l
have yet to hear of feasible plan for
utilizing the labor of convicts that
is not subject to the objection that it
brings convict labor in competition
with free labor. When that problem
is solved we will have reached the
millennium of prison management.
These matters call for gravest con-
sideration, and their settlement will
require the combined wisdom of the
legislature. | can only recommend
that you make such disposition ofthe
convicts of Tennessee as will put
them least in competition with free
labor. / am Of opinion, however,
that nothing better can be done than
to release the prison for term in Or
der that fair and intelligent consider
alton may be given to this perpleXing
question looking to its final settle
ment."
The governor cOmmendS the man.
agement of the prison for the past
two years. Referring to the pardon
ing power, he says it has been
subjected to much unwarranted
onslaught. He says his Office is over
whelmed with petitions for pardons,
and he recommends the institution OF
a board of pardOns. He especially
recommends the establishment of a
reform school for criminal children.
Concerning the public school sys-
tenn, the governor urges every
possible aid and encouragement to
improve and perfect it. He recon-
mends appropriate legislation to
enforce the law requiring the ele-
ments Of scientific agriculture to be
taught in the public schools. He
also advises some action that will
insure a closer collection of poll taxes,
of which 100000 is lost annually,
and to require trustees to more
carefully appropriate to the proper
purposes moneys collected for the
school fund.
The governor congratulates the
state upon the improved condition Of
the University of Tennessee and it:
present satisfactory and effective
management; commend5 the princi
pal, DR.. Charles w. Dabney, and
invites the general assembly tC
examine into the merits Of the
institution and afford it such aid as
may be just and right.
He favOrably refers to the annua
session of the National Educational
Association to be held in Nashville
and suggests such action by thaSegis
lature for its promotion as may bt
necessary and wise.
He commends the rapid advance
ment of the State Normal College, lad
vises the usual appropriation, and, il
view of the possibility Of its becoming
the nucleus for the central southern
normal institution, provided for il
the will of the great philanthropist
recommends that its name be changed
to Peabody Normal College. He al
50 calls attention to the request of tn,
Baltimore Peabody lnststute, that thu
state bonds held by that institution
be placed on a par with the bond
held by other educational institution
and recommends "whatever is Just il