The Monticellonian., 1895-01-18

 ardice would quail before the danger and we would have no mob murders. Accordingly I recommend that it be made the imperative duty of the governor 10 summarily remove from office any sheriff who allows prisoner in his custody to be taken from him by mob. Since writing this I see Gov. Jones of Ala bama, has made the same recommendation. That 1t should have been suggested by the perience of both of us adds strength to the ar gument. Surely no patriotic citizen of our state desires that Arkansas shall take backward step in the great march of civilization. The na- tional government has attested the high char actcr of our laws by enacting them in body tor the government of one of the territories. Let our state now take the lead in suppressing mob murders
 PENITENTIARY.
 Although the new penitentiary system Is merely experimental and has had trial un der very adverse circumstances, enough is known of the results to yindicate it's vast su- periority over the old regime
 That in a christian and civilized community, convicts, however criminal, should be turned over to the tender mereies of sefshness which was interested in securing from the prisoner the greatest possible amount of work, with the least possible amount of expense, thus offering premium upon cruelty, should result in such horrors as that of Coal Hill and others of less notoriety was to be expected and was disgrace that no amount of maudlin sentiment or false notions Of economy could hide. Nor was 1t a matter of surprise there fore that the convicts were turned over to the state by the late lessees in a state of rags and filth and the prison itself in a condition of di liquidation, and filthy as to menace the health Of the entire city.
 IL required several thousand dollars of the appropriation to clean up the premises clothe the prisoners and repair the penitentiary. The convicts wcro turned over to the state so late in the season of 1893 that we found dihi- culty in hiring them out. We have tried three experiments one of farming on shares, one ot hiring the conyicts for work In coal mines and one Of hiring the conyicts to work in coal mines, farm and railroad work. While our eighteen months work will yield a profit to the state over and above the amount appropriated, yet the share crop experiment has proven the least profitable, owing, partly, to the low price of cotton. As a result Of our experiments would recommend that the state purchase a farm near tho city of about 5.00 acres, upon which to work those convicts who are fitted for no other than farm work. and upon which to produce all the provisions necessary for the maintenance Of all the state institu tons, in cuding the penitentiary itself; that certain long-term prisoners be worked inside the walls, making clothing, boots and shoes and hats for all state institutions, and that the remaining prisoners be worked either on public highways, in coal mines on railroads In this way the penttCntlary may De made pfoutaDte. but Ho system will prove very successful under the present law, which divides responsibility among many as to destroy well nigh all re sponsibility.
 All success of any plan which may be adopt ed will depend upon the superintendent and financial agent. To require the governor, at torney general and secretary of state to look after the details in the management Of such m institution, is to require them to do work which is neither profitable nor practicable. If the financial agent and the superintendent are not practical business men Of exper1ence in handling large affairs, failure will bo the nee essary result. The selection Of these officers should be taken from irresponsible board and given to n responsible governor. and te render his responsibility complete he should have tho power of summary removal As to whether tho superintendent has faithfully dis charged his duty, or the financial agent has conducted the large purchases and sales neees- sary for such institution iudieiously 1t is impossible for me to decide for the very reason that my other duties forbid the necessary su- pervision. The General Assembly must inYes= tigate this through it's appropriate committees. The damage done by the recent cyclone will appear in the report of the Superintendent.
 CONVICT FARM
 The foulest blot upon the fair name of our state is the convict farm under existing laws. Men are tried for trivial offenses a single Of. feDse multiplied into several in order to pile up costs and fees, and the convict sentenced to a state Of worse than slavery for indefinite period; in nearly every instance far beyond the demands Of justice. I have among the files of my office a petition for the pardon Of one of these victims of this species of outrage, signed by the very courts by whom he was tried and convicted. in which they admit that he was tried by both for the same offense, and that he was convicted for four odenses, and yet they say that all these oTenses or charges except one viz: abusive language, arc the re- suit Of the same orense, and grew out of one altercation anray at the same time and place, for which he was con victcd, and is serving term Of 1,1l5 days" or more than three years.
 l am informed by MT. William Ward. who was connected with the convict farm, that in one instance within his knowledge for one offense the convict was sentenced to :, 300 days, or upward of six years. am also informed by MT. Ward that, during the time he had the farm in charge, no man who had the means to take an appeal was ever afterwards convicted thus leaving the inference that most Of the trials are mere farces and mockeries of justice I am also informed of yet greater outrages in Jefferson county. If 1t is the fault Of the law that all the officers who are responsible for such outrages upon the rights of freemen are not properly punished, the law should be so amended as to reach the desired end It is q disgrace to our state and to our civilization. l am convinced that it is the result of the fee system which should be abolished. There ought not to be such thing as a bribe Tn the nature of fee offered by the law for outrages upon the rights of a citizen in a free country. l recommend q thorough investigation of thts whole convict farm business.
 INDIAN TERR TORY.
 The Indian Territory west of us offering such a safe harbor for criminals and therefore such q temptation to crime has become such a menace to the peace and safety, not only Of Ar kansas, but of all the adjacent states and terri tories that felt constrained not many months since to call the attention of the president Of the United States to the necessity of abrogat ing the unnatural and unreasonable treaty re- lations with q people occupying a portion Of our national domain and Of establishing law and order over this nursery of crime and ren dezvous of criminals.
 Since that time the state of affairs in this territory has become worse and is growing worse with ac celerated velocity.
 The great railroads and express companies have been compelled to withdraw all their money transmitting business and all heir night trains, thus increasing the danger of train and bank robberies in adjacent states, and, indeed, throughout the Mississippi valley. And this is the 18th century, and in a country protesting civilization!
 If this territory Is not a part of our national domain subject to national jurisdiction, and these tribes be foreign nations, then na- tional government is guilty of inexeusable usurpaton in asserting jurisdiction and estab- fishing courts over them. If 1t is a part of our national domain, subject to our national iuris- diction, that the existing anomalous, dan gerous and dsgraceful condition. beneficial to neither Indian nor white man, but intolerably hurtful to both. should be permitted to con tinue for a single month is absolutely without excuse.
 It cannot but be a matter of regret, and in- deed of alarm to every lover Of law and order in Arkansas, that our national government, in stead of the change which it's duty so imperi