The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-03-16

message to the legislature follows:
Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives: When the present administra-
ton came into power it was confronted with a
large floating debt and an insufficient revenue
to pay current expenses
Your attention was called to this and relief
requested at the last session. You were ask
ed to enact laws to abolish unnecessary Of
fees. reduce salaries, curtail expenses, pro-
vide necessary revenue, prevent mob violence.
but each of these recommendations passed
unheeded, the result of which is that the
financial credit of the state has suffered SER
lously, expenses have increased and mob rule
has prevailed to an extent never heretofore
known in this commonwealth
MOB VIOLENCE
Since your adjournment a number OF citi-
ZenS of the state have been atrociously muir
dered by cowardly mobs. In some instances
although guarantees of protection had been
given, they proved mere ropes of sand, and.
although courts, were in session, and in one
instance the defendant on trial. the Sanctity of
the law was ruthleSsly invaded decency out
ragged and murder committed under pretense OF
purifying society and furnishing crime. No
apology or excuse can be made for such con-
duct Those who congregate and conspire TO
take human life are legally greater. criminals
than those whose lives they seek or take, for
no crime is so base and repulsive as that COM
mitted under cloak OF pretended vindication
Of law. Such action does not deter criminals
prevent crime. It's effects are direful upon
the community and bring the admins tration
of Justice into contempt
The condemned criminal suffers fearful and
indescribable punishment and torture as he
confronts certain approaching death and notes
the silent passage of the hours that bring
him nearer to eternity. Society is impressed
with his narrowing position, and thus legal
condemnation and the execution which fol-
lows, inspire horror in the mind of the
doomed man and fear in that of the would-be
murderer. The action of mob, on the other
hand, begets spirit of lawlessn ness and dis
regard for human rights, and is the work Of
only few moments, leaving in it's wake an
indelible stain on the locality where it oc-
ours. dealing out punis hment the swiftness
of which, compared to that inflicted by the
law, is actual relief.
Not only has human life been lawlessly ia
ken, but rights of property have been disre-
garded, and midnight raiders in the counties
Of Franklin, Woodford, Lewis. Madison. An
derson, Fleming, Lincoln, Mercer. Washing
ton and probably Others have with impunity
inundated citizens, closed aud destroyed
tollgates and houses and openly defied the
law
The civil authorities have failed, up to this
time, so far as know. to convict and have al
most universally failed to arrest. any of the
murdererS and raiders who have thus dis
graced the commonwealth. This is sad COM
mentary on our civilization
RECOMMENDATIONS
At your last session you were earnestly ask
ed, in my first official communication to take
steps to prevent and punish mob violence.
Thereafter. another message was sent to you,
recommending the enactment of a law making
the counties IL which such outragcs were
committed reSponSi BILE in damages TO the legal
or personal representative of the victims. and
giving change of venue to other counties in
| order that fair trial might be had. The same
measures are now recommended, together
with such provisions as will make counties
| liable in case of personal injury where death
! Toes not enSue.
| 1t is further recommended that in cases
| where prisoners in confinement may be arm
| ed, without thereby enabling them to escape.
! the officer having them in custody shall have
the right TO arm them in order that they may
| resist such attacks No mob would be able
| to stand before the prisoner fighting for his
| life and the jailer sheriff fighting for his Of
| flee.
STATE INDEBTEDNESS
The manner in which claims against the
state have been haw1ed about and discounted.
their holders fiecced and shaved, is discredit-
| able. Following is given a statement of the
| present condition of affairs, and you are most
| earnestly requested to enact such measures
as will liquidate the floating debt and prompt
| ly pay current expenses, so that the credit OF
| state, and those to whom the state may be-
come indebted, will not suffer in the future.
| PLANS TO INCREASE REVENUE.
It is suggested that the passage of we'll
regulated law increasing the license fees OF
| wholesale and retail liquor dealers, druggists
and distillers would produce considerable
| revenue. The same may be said of increased
| license fees on pool and billiard tables and
| other similar devices, and OF special taxes for
| the sale of tobacco. cigars. etc
| The license fees for circuses and other en-
tertainments might we'll be increased A fee
of s. might be charged for each commits sion
| issued to an officer.
DELINQUENT TAXES.
| Under the present law u large amount o.
/ land is sold to the state for delinquent taxes
| Under the decisions of the courts these sales
are null and void if all the steps required by
| law for the collection OF t. s by the sheriff
| and the assessment of taxes By the assessor
have not been strictly complied with 1t i:
suggested that a law should be passed com.
polling the sheriff, before he can receive cred
| it from the auditor for his land sales. to pro-
| duce evidence that all the necessary step:
have been taken to make the sale legal one
| and thereby insure greater care on the part O
sheriffs and greater security To the state il
the purchase of these lands for Delinquent
| taxes.
| There is no sufficient provision in the stat
utes for the collection of delinquent taxes OF
| personal property. In the large cities es
| pecially an enormous number OF lists OF de
| linquent personal taxes are allowed by thu
| fiscal courts and credited TO the sheriff eacl
| year After the sheriff has received credit TO
| them he has no incentive to further attemp
| TO collect them, as the per cen
is too small to recompenSe hin
| for the trouble of levying ant
| making the proper search for property OF
| which to levy on this class of taxes A lay
should be passed authorizing some person
| other than tn sheriff. to collect these taxes
and either provide for the pa -menS of S;Ii
person out OF the amount collected or add T.
the amount OF taxes so delinquent an amour
sufficient 10 pay for the trouble in collecting
same,
There Snould be no delay in correcting thes
evils, and great good. in nv Judgment. will &C
crue to the state if prompt action IS had
CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS
There is no branch OF the public Servic
which is so onerouS to the taxpayer AZ Grim
| inal prosecution For years, up to the las
(of which no report has vet been made). thes
expenditures have steadily Increased Fo
| the second time / most res pectfully recon-
mend the reforms included In 4 former m e.
sage
There should be some sort of iimitatio