The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-23
MAY PASS THE BUSH BILL.
THAT ISSUE TO COME BEFORE THE
LEGISLATURE AGAIN.

An Attempt May Be Mnde to Create n
Dispensnry for Georgia - Repre-
cuSses the Matter and the Convict
Questionable Believes That SapeIO
Island Is the Place for the GeOrGin
PeniIentiary-COnvi Could Earn
Their Expenses and a Big Revenue
For the state as Well, He Thinks.
Hon. Charles C. Thomas of Waycross.
spent yesterday in Savannah. Mr.. Thorn
as is one of the brightest of the young
members of the present legislature, and is
well known throughout the state, having
taken an active part in the last several
campaigns. Being a near neighbor to Sa-
vannah he has kept fully posted on the
local situation. He was seen yesterday
by Morning News reporter, but declined
to give his views on Savannah's municipal
fight.
Mr.. Thomas is well posted on the various
issues now before the people of the state,
and does not hesitate to express himself
frankly upon these questions. His views
upon two of these issues will be of inter
est to the people of Savannah. One of
these is the question of anti-liquor legis-
lation.
What about the Bush bill?" Mr.. Thorn
as was asked. "Wiu that or any similar
legislation be attempted?"
Legislation of this kind will undoubted-
ly be introduced" he replied, land the
indications are that a stronger fight will
be made by the advocates of such legisla-
ton than ever before. Instead of the Bush
bill the legislation may take the shape
of bill to create a dispensary, which
would undoubtedly, secure a number of
advocates. The people of my county very
strongly favor such legislation, and as 1
always endeavor to represent their views
in the legislature any properly directed
effort of this kind will meet with my sup
port"
Mr. Thomas seemed to regard the pass,
age of such an act as among the posi-
bilities. He has recently returned from a
visit to Sapelo Island with the legislative
committee, which went there to inspect
and report upon the availability of Sap
elo as site for the state penitentiary.
AS a result of his visit, he has become
a strong advocate of Sapelo
Ihere is one very strong point in favor
OF the use of Sapelo or, for that matter.
Ossabaw or any other available island on
the coast said Mr. Thomas when 1
was in New York 1 found that the very
name of Blackwell's Island was a power
Tor good there. l learned that hard char
acters, who would ordinarily regard a
term in the penitentiary as no great hard
snip, nave a peculiar Aversion to the is
lana. The complete isolation from the rest
of the world, and from everything con-
nected with their ordinary associations
forms punishment in, itself and adds
greatly to the effect of a sentence there.
Now, apply this to the Georgia negro.
nearly all our convicts being negroes.
The ordinary hard citizen among the ne
gro population has little fear of a term
IN the Georgia penitentiary. 1t does not
mean confinement but he is placed at
work in the open air, and If he behaves
himself he does not have a hard time of
1t. If, on the contrary, the tough class of
negroes knew that instead of being sent
10 some convict camp near to their homes.
they could be transported to an island
off the coast with no connection or in
teroourse with the rest of the world, and
their guards and keepers the only free
men around them, they would be likely to
OUenS9
which would bring them under the DOW
er of the law
Sapelo possesses great natural adVan-
tages. There are about 1000 acres of
land, of which about 10000 acres are ham
mock land of very fine quality Almost
everything needed for the support of the
convicts can be raised there and in addi-
ton enough cotton and other marketable
products could be raised to more than nav
all the expenses of the penitentiary. If
the convcts should be located on farm
anywhere in the interior of the state sew
eral hundred horses would be required at
heavy expense to the state. In addition
there would be heavy expense for fer
tlllZers. The land on Sapelo Is a rich
heavy loan, and requires no fertilizer. But
few horses would be needed because this
land is cultivated entirely with the hoe
Before the war Capt. Spalding occupied
this island with large number of slaves
and raised annually about 800 bales of cot
ton The land is capable OF producing a
bale of sea island cotton per acre. Put
Georgia's 800 convicts to work there and
they could produce enough cotton in addl-
ton to other crops to pay all the expenses
of the penitentiary and return a handsome
revenue to the state beside. The question
of competition with free labor would be
removed, as the high grade long staple
would not come in competition either with
the short staple upland cotton or the or
binary long staple raised on the mainland
and in the interior of Georgia and Flori-
da."
THE property can be purchased for
about 100000" said Mr.. Thomas. 1T is
the property I believe of Mrs. Pope Bar
row and of Mrs. Wylly of Darien. This
is not high price when the large amount
of cultivable land is considered. Alto
gether l consider that Sapelo affords the
most advantageous means of disposing of
| the convicts'
BOOTHS LOCATED BY LOT.