Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-02


PAROLING CONVICTS.
I recommend that power be given the
Governor to suspend the sentence of
convict conditioned upon his good be-
havior. In many cases think such action
would meet the ends of justice and hui
mainly far better than granting an abso-
lutte pardon; the fact that one so liberated
could be returned and compelled to serve
out his term in case his conduct proved
him unworthy of clemency would, l
think, be found to operate beneficiaily.
REFoRMATORIES
We should also keep in view the neces-
sity for separating convicts of tender age
from association with hardened criminals
and Of establishing such means of reform
alton within our power, as nave been
proven wise in other communities. Too
often now Imprisonment of the young for
some offense of light character is the
productive parent Of hardened criminals.
JURY DUTY.
I invite your consideration to the con-
stQntlN growing evil in the exemption of
large numbers of our most intelligent cit
liens from jury duty. Membership in
some fire or military organization IS aC-
CURED not to serve either, but to escape
this duty. Impose upon these the dis
charge of such duty prior to exemption as
you think best.
AGE OF CONSENT.
[ also invite your attention to the age
of consent as now fixed by statute. 1t
is hardly credible that any general as
semhly representing the chivalry OF the
south could have designedly declared
that q child of ten shall be permitted TO
consent to her ruin whilst on the civil
side she becomes of manageable age
at fourteen. / suggest that you raise the
age ef consent to fourteen years.
STATE TROOPS.
The prejudice in some quarters against
auiE
ignorance Of the purposes for which they
are org anized. 1t has been and is sui
the policy of the federal government to
rely upon a well organized and dlscl-
pinned body of citizen soldiery rather
than q large standing army to preserve
intern II peace and to protect our coun-
try in case of war This policy not only
prevents heavy burdens being imposed
upon the people to sustain standing
army. but removes danger that mas
always imperiled their liberties. 1t
should be our pride to contribute our
quota to the national safety. Under our
laws the state troops are completely
subservient to the civil power and sub
iect 70 it's cali in times of danger threat
enine. destruction to life and property
We have unhappily had too many IN.
stances where persons in the custody or
officers Of the law have been violently
captured and executed without even the
pretense OF trial. 1t would be worth all
the money we e8ptllu diIiAiiiy ~ 'iS
maintenance of our establishment to
save one human being, whether guilty or
innocent from death by lynchtng. Our
troops are composed of the flower OF our
young men, and it should be our pride TO
see them always ready and Wiling TO
preserve the peace, dignity and fair name
of oIl,, state. 1t may be we'll of you to
inquire whether the efficiency of the or
ganlzation can be increased and the ex-
pense reduced by considering the sugges-
tions that have been made py the au-
jutant-geperal.
CORPORATIONS.
The constitution of the state wisely re-
tains within your grasp the power to reg
ulate public corporations. All of us re-
cognlze the necessity for these arti1iclal
organiza items in the development OF our
resources and that without them we
would be greatly hampered in our pro-
gress No fair man desires any legisla-
ton that will cripple these organizations
or retard them in accomplishing the pur-
poses of their creation, but wise super
vision is absolutely essential to prevent
abuses Of the powers conferred upon
them Our railroad commission mas
dome not a little in the past to secure fair
rates and prevent discrimination, but
suggest that the powers granted are not
sufficient to enable them to give all the re-
lief required, and [ recommend that you
increase these powers and provide more
efficient remedies to enforce the rulings
of the commission and also to so extend
their powers as to enable them to inVestl-
gate and correct by the proper tribunals
all rates on freight from points Outslue
the state to stations within.
| also invite your earnest consideration
ITO the regulation of other corporations SO
as to prevent oppression or abuse OF
their employes or the charging of eXtor-
tionate rates for the necessaries OF Ire.
1t may be well also for you to consider
whether power should not be conferred
upon the railroad commission to regulate
the charges of telegraph and telephone
companies, and water companies, and to
prescribe such rules and regulations in
respect to the latter as will effectually
prevent them from supplying unwhole-
some CT impure water to their patrons
PUBLIC ROADS.
In many counties of our state the pub
lie roads are a disgrace to the common
wealth and to our civilization. Such
laws as we have are inefiiciently executed.
Very little work is attempted except for
Temporary purposes and to save the over
seers ana apporticners from indictment.
The time has come when temporary eX-
pedients should be abandoned and foun-
dations laid for permanent betterment.
"A few counties have built roads that have
increased the value of all their lands and
saved thousands of dollars In the wear
and tear of tetams and wagons ana IN
the saving of time. | think one of the
most efficient remedies would be the en-
ployment of competent road engineers to
Law off the work and require all eXpendi-
lures df time and money to be made &C.
cordng to well devised plans for perma-
nent betterment Our road laws should
be carefully revised. authority given to
commissioners courts to levy special
taxes TO procure and keep proper tools
and otherwise improve the roads.
IMMIGRATION.
I am persuaded that not only would
the development of our state be greatly
enhanced. but the prompt and steady
returns from an efficient bureau of i'm
migration will justify the expense of
creating it. When we consider that nearly
or quite two-thirds of our agricultural
and mineral lands are productive only
of taxes, and that our rural population
is so widely dispersed as to largely de-
prive them of school and church privi-
1eges, Think no one can question that
it is to the interest of the state that we
should invite to our borders honest and
thrifty citizens who can find here soil and
climate and opportunities to make con-
tented homes now becoming so rare in
other sections Of the union. No better
evidence Of the fruitfulness Of such work
ba han " o.