The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-10-17
A worse mudd

things necessary on the coal lands to be
purchased for penitentiary purposes, by
Jan. !, 1895, the date of the expiration of
the lease in order that there might be
place to house and employ the convicts.
BY the terms of the contract with the
East Tennessee Land company, tracks
were TO be built and completed last Feb
ruary so that time should be given to
make the arrangements for the
working of the convicts at the expiration
OF the lease. The business has been al
lowed to lag until the state is confronted
with the prospect Of 1900 or 1900 con-
victs in the main prison at Nashville,
which accommodates only about 500, TO
be kept there in idleness, In addition to
this the state has invested $4,000, in al
most worthless coal lands that are known
to be worthless among practical coal
miners. And to crown all the rest, the
commission has invited bids for the con-
struction OF a new main prison that will
cuSt more tIlaH INiCc tlt uDouut Va
money that has been appropriated.
Is there not great need Tor
some business sense in the administra-
ton OF Tennessee affairs? Can the state
stand such loose management as that?
Governor Turney's record as governor
consists mainly of proclamations. He
was so fond of that kind of selfglorifca-
ton that he has failed 10 attend properly
to mere business matters like the
penitentiary transactions. Pretty soon
the state will be expanding large sums in
feeding and clothing convicts who are in
idleness. Bonds to the amount of $780,
600 were issued, when Comp
troller Harris said that on
/ January next, the state would
have surplus Of $40OMO
which is more than the amount
that would be carefully expended in the
course of one years work in the peniten-
, tiary building. 1t is likely that there
will be bigger surplus at the
end of the next year than at the end
D of this, so that there was no occasion
t to increase the states debt, unless the
mossbacks expect to be able to repudiate
half of il some time in the future. No more
E glaring proof of incompetency in our state
A government can be imagined than the
. management by the Turney administra-
! ton Of this penitentiary business. The
t only answer made by the governor and
g his whoopers up is that II. Clay Evans
= was born in Pennsylvania AT the pace
that has been set by these incompetents,
J. it would be years before the state would
o be able to house and work the convicts.
: In twenty years no money has been ex-
\ pended for state improvements except
IS the amounts that have been expended on
insane asylurhs, yet taxes have not been
n reduced though property valuations have
y grown. They are now increasing the
public debt and wasting large sums. To
d all of this the answer comes: "Clay
d Evans was born in Pennsylvania"
The Knoxville Tribune devotes a coll
il umn of editorial matter to comment on
e the alleged preference of " Clay Evans
for imported" republicans. To prove
~ this preference the Tribune cites the
d cases of Maj. Wills, postmaster at Nash
re vile, John Ruhm, district attorney, and
a. Carter Harrison, marshal of Middle Ten
~ nessee. Mr.. Harrison was endorsed by
r, Judge Houk and Congressman Alf Taylor
ID as well as by Mr.. Evans Wills and Kuhn,
l. whose appointments were secured by the
y, influence of Evans, were the only SIM
Of ported republicans that were given places
re of Importance. Mr. Evans influence with
ct the administration brought the appoint
e. e. ment OF Hon. S. W. Hawkins, as district
,e attorney for West Tenn ssee, Hon j. w,
y Brown, marshal for that district Col, D.
a. A. Num-, collector of internal revenue fol
10 Middle and West Tennessee, Gen. W w
is Murray, as Judge of tie court OF land
v claims, Col. W. C. Upton, marshal Of
e East Tennessee all natives of tennessee
~ With the exception of Memphis and
Of Nashville every postoflice of any import
to ance in the state, the selection of post
y, master for which came through Evans
80 influence was filed by native
Is southern republicans We men
of ton these things merely to show the petty
r, efforts the supporters of the 'Sag'
70 OF VOLTS Crag" resort TO in the hope o
to arousing prejudice that will get some
es votes for the said Sage. The editor o
nj the Tribune has enough of the mossbacl
c ~ venom in him to blind him ito the fac
lis that the republicans don't inquire where
Mt a man was born before they give hin
,h their support. The imported" citizens
III Tennessee has, no matter where the.
he come from, Maine, Georgia, Louisiana o.
ne Wisconsin, are mostly men Of enterprise
~ They have come to US because they be
,s lieved Tennessee good place to live
al because they believed il good field 10
le their energies and because they though
ne our state offered great possibilities fo
or the future, as it does, il the prejudices tina
of the Tribune and other Bourbon organ
es seek to keep alive can be removed from
ID our state politics. What the republican
,n 4" can and do boast OF is that the fedora