The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-09

lessees, to have the races practically kept apart
Whenever it can be avoided snail insist that
whlte man and colored man shall not be
fastened TO the same chain The state has no
right TO require or allow the humiliation or
degradation of q convict beyond the immediate
penalty of the law. No criminal, however
guilty, ever sacrificed his right to the protection
OF his virtue and his moral manhood.
earnestly press upon your consideration
such action as will justify the further separ-
ton OF convicts, as far as may be, according t.
The grads of crime. This, of course. cannot be
sought In violation Of the contract entered into
with the lessees
Under present conditions many violators of
law. not specially hardened I'm crime, are con-
hned Cor five, ten or twelve years, as the case
may be, anu placed under most dangerous moral
influences, without any special restraint pro
Vlded by the state. At the expiration of the
different terms of service, these convicts, edu-
Gated IN the methots aud means OF all kinds of
crimes, are turned loose upon society to make
disorder, lawlesSness and violence of which they
had no knowledge OF conception at the begin
ming Of their terms.
II must be understood that our peniteutiary
Is the gathering together of TIE states most
abandoned people, and that the moral influence
OIL sucn an assemblaSe, upon one Young in
crime, IS most fearful in It's tendencies. Our
present system of iudiscriminate confinement
and mixing Of cOnyicts in one common stock
aue, without moral restraint. is but a school for
crime, maxi g Tor society, when set at liberty
educated criminals instead of useful citizens.
Under this system, it is a matter of doubt If the
state could not better afford to allow petty mis-
demeanors to 90 free OF punishment rather
than have its people educated to higher crimes
If the best ends of the government are served,
the general assembly should provide such sepa-
ration of convicts as will not further degrade or
make more depraved the criminal, or destroy
his chances Tor usefulness or vlrtuous living.
REFoRMAToRY.
For misdemeanor convicts l would especially
urge reiormatory by the state.
The peculiar condition of our society, leaving
some classes of our people without proper
parental control aud the restraint of home 10
nuence, allows many petty violations of the
law, by those of tender years, that should find
some wholesome restraints under reforming in
fuences
The object of all punishment is two-fold.
FIRST, to prevent crime; second, to reform the
criminal undertake to say, that, in many
instances, our present system does not effect
ually accomplish either purpose On the con
trary, it increases crime by hardening the
criminal 1t is far more in harmony with good
government to prevent crime than TO punish
the criminal.
CoDGFY THE LAWS.
The government Of the penitentiary and the
management Of the convcts would be much
more etfectual il the general assembly would
authorize the laws governing the system to be
codited. The regulations could be much more
readily understood by the lessees, those in con
troll of the camps and the state officials, as well
as all citizens who may desire to know some
thing of the management of the system.
JAILs.
A matter imperatively demanding the atten-
ton of the general assembly Is the condition Of
the county jailS in this state. Niolators OF law
are oftentmes confined six months year in
jail awaiting trial or sentence. In many in
stances, they become so hopelessy diseased
that they are made invalids for life, or they are
turned over TO the lessees q burden to them
and great care on the hands Of the
the PENALTY Affixed to the law. ADD the state ae
permits q great wrong done when such treat
ment goes unpuniahed These evils are CON
mon and they should be remedied An add
tional officer attached to the penitentary de-
partment, whose duty it shall be to inspect and
report the condition of the iails Of the state
under regulations for the care and well-being
OF inmates, would serve the good of these un-
fortunate people and save the name of the
state.
DELAYS IN THE LAW.
] again call your attention to unnecessary de-
lays in the enforcement of the criminal laws of
this state. Such delays occasion and provoke
violent disorder. Furthermore, delays, long
continued. bring upon the people heavy bur
dens In the way Of taxation for the maintenance
of criminals and the expenses of the courts.
recommend such changes in the law as will
allow all bills of exceptions in criminal cases TO
be governed, in all respects where applicable,
by the laws and rules now in force In reference
TO bills of exceptions in cases of Injunction and
that the supreme court be required to give
| inal cases, and that IL be given power, if the
case is affirmed TO order the sentence of the
| lower court to be executed. If the case is CAPT
/ tai, and the accused is sentenced to DEATH re-
quire the court TO fix the time and place Of exc
cution. and order the sheriff to execute the sen
| tence. IL the sentence in the lower court is
| confinement in the penitentiary, require that
| the supreme court order the immediate eXecu-
ton of the sentence, and so in misdemeanors
The disposition of criminal cases is certainly
\ as important to the good order OF the state as
| the disposition OF injunctons. Let there be an
| end of this delay. ct the taxpayers of the
S ..4 be freed from these unnecessary and
! buIdensome Jail fees and court expenses, and
| then the penalty will follow the violation of
| law swift and sure. AS the law now stands a
| criminal can be tried and convicted in Atlanta
| in January. He has thirty days In which to file
| his motion for new trial He then has as
| much time as the court will allow aim before
his motion is decided and after this has forty
five days in winch TO file his case IN the supreme
| court. The spring term Of that court is then
| over, and the case is put on the docket for the
| October term. and heard by that court some
| time in the fall or winter. SO it takes about
| twelve months from the time of conviction be-
| fore the criminal is ressntenced in the superior
| court. These delays are not the fault of the
courts, but of the system heretofore provided
| by the legislature.
WESTERN AND ATLANTIC RAILROAD COMMISSION.
| herewith transmit the decision Of the com
mission, appointed under resolution TO create
| a commission TO consider the claims between
the lessees of che Western and Atlantic railroad
and the state of Georgia" with my approval OF
| the same.
Under authority given me ito fix the sum to
| be paid as compensation" TO said commission,
before the commission entered upon its work,
| stipulated 81, 500 as the amount TO be paid each
| member,
By the further provision of this resolution
| authorizing the governor to employ such coun-
sci to aid the attorney general in conducting the
| investigation upon the part OF the state as be
| might deem necessary. | employed Hon. Cliff
ford Anderson at a fee of g., 500 and Hons. John
| /, Hall and W, Y. Atkinson, at fee of 8, 900
| each.
| ton, authorizing all other expenses incident
to the investigation and disposition Of this mat
! ter - to be paid by the state, the commission
| employed q sergeant arms a stenoRrapher
and porter These salaries were not fixed by
the commission.
| recommend the appropriation Of a sufficient
SUN of money to pay all the expenses of the
con. mission, together with the accounts for
printiLc made by the commission.
At an early day l will transmit the report of
the state school commissioner and accompany
ing recommendations together with some mat
ters pertaining u other departments of state.
Many important interests are to be considered
at this session OF Ia general assembly. The
people look confidently to your diligence and
wealth. Throughout the and there is a degree
of unrest and dissatisfaction. The masses are
carrying heavy and increasing burdens, un-
justly placed upon them by oppressive mo-
nopolies that created and maintained by
high tariff taxes and hnrtful I'm. ncial legisla-
ton. The crop prospect in this state Is not
promising or favorable. A failure Ia our agri-
culture means a shock to all our busi'ess in
terests, and the people are not now in condition
to carry any increased taxation.
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