The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-28

of the respective boards of trusteess
SINKING FUND.
The 100000 sinking fund on hand is in
! the various state repositories, drawing
| only the per cent. interest paid by the
| banks on the states usual deposits.
| 1t cannot be used for current expenses,
and can only be paid on the state debt
under restrictions imposed by the consi-
| tuition.
1 recommend that the governor and
treasurer be authorized to loan said fund
| on best terms that can be made, taking
as security therefor recognized valid
bonds of this state.
A compliance with this request will en-
| able the state to secure a considerable
sum of money from this source before all
the sinking fund is needed to meet the
| bonds of the state falling due in 1915.
BUCKET SHOPS.
The evil that is being inflicted upon the
state by the operation of what is known
! as bucket shops is intellectually great. The
| possibilities of great wealth with which
these places allure their victims are well
| calculated to mislead and entrap men
eager to grow rich, and is a tempting bait
especially to the young. Lives are being
! constantly wrecked and fortunes squand-
cred by these tempters The material and
moral welfare of the state demand that
; the bucket shops be suppressed.
ELECTION LAWS.
Laws regulating elections should effect
Ually prevent fraud, and so guard the
right of the elective franchise that the
destiny of our state will be entrusted only
to those citizens whose ballot is unpur-
chasabe.
While earnestly desiring our state to fol-
low in the wake of other states, and enact
legislation which will guarantee honest
elections controlled by the votes of hon
est men, l will not now do more than call
your attention to the Importance of the
subject. / would rejoice to see you deal
with the entire subject at your present ses-
sion.
In addition to legislation dealing direct
ly with this grave question, the right to
use money in elections should be strictly
guarded and directions given how, and
| through what channels it should pass.
The experience of others has led them to
make such provisions, and in my opinion
we should take similar action.
The amount of money which can be used
by a candidate before the people or gen.
eral assembly should be limited, the pur-
poses specified by law, and the successful
| candidate should be required, before he
assumes the duties of his office, to exhibit
and file sworn itemized statement of ex-
penses which should not exceed the
| amount allowed by law
For a violation of this law he should
forfeit his right to the office to which he IS
elected.
Positions should not be awarded to men
| on account of the wealth they possess. The
power and political influence of men
should not, in the smallest degree, be
measured by money, but by their moral
| and intellectual worth The history of
this country gives ample proof that the
best service has been rendered the repub-
lie by men whose study or questions af-
fecting the public had so far monopolZed
their time that their own possessions were
small.
The proposed measure should be SUM-
| GENTLY comprehensive to specify the pur-
poses for which money San be used in a
| campaign in party primary or final cleo
tion and free officials from that obliga-
tion which is incurred by personally re-
| ceiving from others a contribution to aid
| in securing an election
| If, for instance, candidates for the office
of solicitor general, judge and United
States senator are permitted, by direct
| contributions, to place candidates and the
| party authorities in the respective coun-
| ties, under direct obligation to them by
| contribution to campaign fund it will de-
| grade political life, put capacity and
worth at a discount and make money the
test of merit. The influence of money in
| politics is already too great and should
be promptly reduced to minimum.
All contributions for political campaigns
| should be made direct to the party Off
| Gals, and no man, not a resident of a
| county should be permitted to contribute
to the county election. To prevent undue
influences of money from this source such
| contributions should In congressional
campaigns be given to the district COM
mittee, and in state campaigns to the
state committee, to be by them expended
| where they think best.
nv r1,a ID not
possess wealth, to secure a fair submission
to voters of questions involving govern
mental policy and personal merit, to avoid
| the debauching of politics by the power
Of money, TO guard the purity of the pub
lie service that government may merit the
| respect and confidence of the people, l
| earnestly ask that prompt action be taken
to avoid the disastrous results which must
follow the evils to which l have called
your attention.
THE INCREASE OF CRIME.
The increase of our prison population
is matter for serious consideration. In
1868 there were only 1893 convicts in our
penitentiary; in 1871. 3S5; in 1874 &c. and
now there are 2,357. This, of course, does
not include those in the county chain
gangs, numbering about 1850.
The number in the penitentlary would
be even larger but for legislation by your
predecessors, under the provisions Of which
a large number who were convicted Of
felony has been sent to the county chain
gangs.
In 1871, Is per cent. of the convicts were
white. and in 1897, per cent. are white
During this period the blacks in the PEN
itentiary have increased SEQ per cent.
While the increase in white convicts has
been small, our penitentiary has been rap
idly replenished from the ranks
of the colored population. The
number convicted in recent
year is much larger than just after they
were given their freedom. More were re-
ceived into the peuitentiary in the year
1896 than In the years 1859. 1870 and 1871
combined. The whole number of convicts
received from the estab ishment Of the pen
itentiary, March 10, 1917, to Oct 26, 1866. a
period of 40 years and months, was 2,O29;
total number received during the four
years, 1S94-5-6-7, was 1907.
This result has been reached in spite
of the fact that in addition to what has
been done by towns and cities supporting
local school systems we have spent with
in that time about 100000 in an effort
to educate the colored people that they
may become better citizens.
/ am not ready TO admit that this has