The Forrest City times., 1897-01-22
PENITENTIARY.

The present system is one from which no great profit can be expected, this being partly due to the low price of agricultural products Profit-mak- ing was not the motive which prompt cd the adoption of this system, but its introduction is due to a determination 10 rid our penal system of the barbara ties practiced under the so-called lease system.
 There has been paid out of the state treasury for maintenance, purchase of cemetery, and salaries of officers in the nearly four years that the state has had charge, something like S60000 The property and money now on hand is about as much. The price of agri- cultural products measures the value of the productive capacity of the con- victs, and guaged by this standard, the difference between the cost of man. taining all the convicts and what those able to work can produce is very small. It is thought that if the state should purchase farm, that the dis- ference between the interest on the money invested in 1t and the taxes withdrawn on account of the slate's ownership, and the amount of rent now paid would enable the manage ment of the penitentiary to make better showing. This may be true, al- though many of our best farmers who own their own farms and give to tne management of the same their person al attention, find it to be exceedingly difficult to keep their property out of the hands of their creditors 1 am not opposed to the purchase of farm if one can be found of sufficient size with the proper surroundings in the matters of health and proximity to markers, and at a price not in excess of what such property is offered to private purchasers. But this acquis- tion will not prove to be the "big be- nanza" that some of its more earnest advocates insist will be the case.
 
 All that personal liability can amount to is to require the state to tax the citizen to pay any deficiency caused by depreciation of the property in the event of sale In view of the states immunity from suit, it is doubt full if any one would care to take lien on her property when they had no right to bring an action to foreclose in the event of default But assuming
 
 be foreclosure against the state in the event of default, money borrowed on the kind of security thus offered can only be had at rates of interest greatly higher than straight state bond could be sold for, plus all kinds Of brokerage fees. These in the end must come out of the state, because her property stands charged with lien for the en- frn Eoh af a railroad, to have any justification in the policy and laws of the state, must be undertaken and carried out as a means of performing some duty rest ing on the state, and when this is ad- mitted to be hepurpose, the money nee essary ought to be raised as would be the case for any other public purpose. As part of plan to make perma- nent provision for caring for and working the convicts. the state can build railroad if there is fair room to | believe that it is necessary or profit | able to do so, but there is, in my opiu- ion, no legal authority, at all events the policy is of questionable soundness, to construct railroads to afford con- munities competition in transportation or to reach new sections of the state. Some such scheme as here outlined ought to be undertaken, but if 1t is intended to engage in the business of building railroads generally, in some experimental, hap-hazard way, 1 beg permission to say that In my humble opinion you will encounter mortifying failure, and the consequent scandals. One of the serious mistrusts which operates to diminish my enthusiasm in support of the plan which 1 have ! outlined is the moral hazard involved in finding persons to handle so large a sum of money. But with you rests the entire responsibility in all these mat ters, and 1 trust that you will evolve some plan that will observe legal linn itations and promote the public good.