Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-30
The Crowded Cells.
Charlottesville Va. December Is, 1896
To the Editor of the Dispatch:

To the Editor OF the Dispatch.
notice I'm your issue of the 18th instant
an editorial headed "rhe Crowded Cells.
This editorial contains the comment or
the Petersburg iuigx-Appoal on the re-
port of the Board OF Directors OF the Nlr-
ginia penitentiart. and concludes with
editorial comment OF your own on the
same line. The Washington Post ah9
other papers have also contalnel
structures on the state Of affairs eXisuhS
iU our CongiC- prison. Inc substance ol
all OF these editorials IS: I. That the penl-
tertiary is crowded to the point OF III
humanity and inIoccncy-l2pm male CON
victs being confined in 1872 cells, az ave
rage OF over q 90 the cell. and that ~
some Of the larger cells from 20 10 -
mon are crowded. p That this is mex
custble. in view Of the iact that lh'
penittntigry annually nets 10 the Sthte ~
sum ir the ueiehhOrhOod of 5000 Wnict
could ~bc easily devoted 10 The enlarge"
mcnt OF the present prison. OF the buiIu-
ing of "a new one.
As a member of the senate Commute
on Public Institutions during the leElslt-
tive session OF lsq3-gi aad as mcmhr"
both % thar committee End Of the COM
miitoe OF Finance during the session ''
1866. ] have given The state OF tt1
virginia uruit-utiary much time ann
thought. During the session OF ls9-9i tue
mauas cement OF tne penltenuafy biol-nl
its crowded condition 10 the attehllon
OF the legislature AMI urged the IW
chase OF the State convict iarm rs -
-.
interested myself I'm pushing FORWARD tnl5
relief. 40 diI many other senator's anu
members and the farm was purcha~'I
IL now does not seem 20 meet tn case
fully. for 10 is urged. and, IN my opinion
with perfect truth and Justice, ihat
certain number must be retained M tne
peniientiary itself in order % supply
iaborers IN the tobacco ana snoe-sn'is'
At the last session this msiter was ati'h
brought 20 the attention Of the Letlsl@
turc Bat "a difference developed ltsfI
between the Board Of Directors ana tre
efficient Superintendent. The board wished
the present prison added 20, az "a cost OF
from $1,000 90 $l'N.pJ. The Suptrnteud-
mt maintained that the present PRISON
was old and obsolete. That money Snpul'
Lot be- expended To PATCHWORK. but tn"t
new and modern prison. 10 COST DeN,,N',
upwards OF $3.50 no should be erected. nc
condition OF the. state Treasury IehuerT'
this impossible f0r the present, AT least
and nothing was done.
Now. as you suggest that TINS matter
should he brought before the public IN
the next election of members OF the
LEGISLATURE. / think that the public should
know ali the facts. and for TINS reason
write this letter There is no question or
the CRYING need for further accommo1a-
tion nj the pcniteutialy. Ine FACTS s'ateI
as 10 its condition are true. lhey arc,
however. no more true now imam lncg
were in lS95-'9i, when the farm "as 49,
as the relief. and have been ever since
think | am correct In believing thtt
there are no more male convlct5 IN me
peuitoutiary proper to-day than tlelo
were i'm the winter OF 1894. The ques-
ton Is. How snail Virginia i'm her poverty
furnish the relief? II is not so easily
done as the Index-Appeal (and as yoH
yOursel0 seem 20 think. win the FySrri,ptI
net revenue from the .enitentary. lhls
r-rt revenue g. turned into the treasury.
on1 is a part Of the gross revenues OF
the state. And with this counted I'D, the
state exceeds her revenues year by year
I'm her cXpt ndituros. Last session NrSi,-
rate efforts az retrenchment were ilauc'
esneciaUv fn the line OF criminal eN-
ranee and some laws We're endctel lh lhe
hone that the revenue would De lhcledn tL'
/ may mention the change ~ tne hl1'i
license laws and tine enactment or the coz
latcral-inheritance tax law. Ihe re-
mort for the present year OF the Auu'-
tor f. not yet received. ana 90 ny
know what result has been accomphShe..
gut ! do know that previous reports
showed the absolute necessity Tor r.
treuchmcnt. We are face 10 lace Win
the problem OF a possible deHc't. an
one Of those who maintain th't thc lntts-
rffv of our debt settlement must lu IT.
wise be- IMPAIRED. whatever else may SUI
far. All else should. i'm my opinion. ne
suhordinated to this. And win "a nllhlh-
isuiug revenue. or ~ 10 the lihlt.ll ~
prceslon and decreased assessments we
arc confronted each year with an ~
creased demand. coming from every Ill
rcction. and from an over the state
We surely cannot increase tHc ~ w..
real estate. for the farmers now cannot
pay their taxes. Thon what are We 10
DO? -,--.s..... g..
There is one direction in which reform IS
nossible. and il should be attempted. the
bonds and other evidences ~ debt listed
Tor taxation in the whole State Of Nir-
rinia amount 10 only S2slO.e0 Inc reNt-
nue. from this source amounts 10 Only
S1Oi 600 annually. The revenue from real
estate is over twelve hundred thousand:
from c4pitation tax over two hundrtu
thousand Ii is safe 10 say that IT me
t9N on evidences OF debt was effectually
collected the amount IN any one or the
larger cities of Virginia would exceed the
entire amount collected IN the Whole
state. .aw that would compel honesty
ON tho part OF the taxpayer would not
only relieve the state from, an OF her
financial difficulties but would save many
otherwise reputable citlIchs from lLe
crime OF annual perjury. g..
An ATTEMPT was made on this line lasl
session II was bitterly antagonlZeu ana
smothered tn the Senate.
have written this IN the nope that tne
peonle generally. while considering me
question OF the penitentiary, would aiSo
consider the larger question or the ain
ciilties that confront their members Of the
legislature: and when they nave cOnsld-
cred would send picked men, capable OF
confronting these difficulties and or SOW
am i'm thorough accord with the man
agement OF the Virginia Penitentiaiy
know. from personal study ana ooserVa-
lion the crying need for enlargement OF
Instrumentation there. Humanity demands
il. The question is. How is this demand
10 be met?
GEORGE W MORRIS.