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


to be of value legislation should be now had,
as there will be no other session until after
the new term, OF Office begins. And while
gagged on this subject general reduction
should be made.
ELECTIONS
Republican government demands. as its sur
est support and most powerful protection.
purity of the ballot and the adoption and en-
forcement OF such laws as will enable every
citizen TO know how to vote, to be protected in
that right and have his voted counted The
result of the late election demonstrated. in
more than one respect that changes should
be made in the present system. 1 have the
honor to repeat the recommendations made
at the last session.
Article Is, chapter Al, of Kentucky statutes,
provides penalties against certain frauds IN
elections. many of which are dead letters. be-
cause section 1894 prohibits convic tion upon
the testimony OF single witness unless sus-
tanned by strong corrobOrating circumstances
Surely, such a safeguard as this to the defend
ant Is unnecessary. in view of the fact that he
is a competent witness
The practice OF corraling voters, and with
money and whisky persuading them TO remain
away from the polls, is quite common. 1t is
also common to hire men to remain away from
the polls.
The law should prevent this.
PUNISHMENT INADEQUATE.
Section 1857 prescribcs a fine of $50 and i'm
prisonment in the county Jail against any
officer upon whom duty is imposed in chap
ter Al who shall wilfully perform it in such a
way as to hinder the object of the law A
duties which this section governs
will demonstrate that the punishment is en-
tirely inadequate as to officers OF registration
and officers of regular and primary elections
1t is recommended that the law be carefully
revised so as TO severely punish all violators
and N0lyn f3nfa L.
sive to provide safety and security for the
voter, and certainly that his vote will be fairly
counted
Section l4I8 limits the appointment of off,
GERS of elections TO housekeepers. Many COM
petent persons are excluded by this section,
and 1t should be altered.
In addition TO the foregoing suggestions
your attention is called to Section 1882 of the
statutes That section should be so amended
as to allow ballots to be counted. even if not
sealed and certified as required, il it should be-
made to appear by proof positive or circum-
stantial that they are in fact the ballots con-
corning which there is a dispute.
The voter should not be deprived of his
right OF suffrage by reason of the awkward
ness or incompetency of election officers.
FREE SPEECH
Free speech is the inspiration of republican
government 10 deny or abridge it is 4 crime
against liberty. 1t should be encouraged and
should be adopted inf1icting severe punish
ment on those who interfere with speakers or
public meetings.
STATE APPORTIONMENT
Heretofore your attention has been invited
to the matter of apportionment of the various
districts of the state 1t is now urged by the
citizens of Louisville that the creation OF an
other circuit district in the county of Jeffer-
| son is absolutely necessary. 1t is represent
ed, too, that unless some steps should be
| taken by your body to prevent it, portion OF
Jefferson county recently taken into the city
| of Louisville will be denied the right to vote
| by reason OF defective apportionment laws
The trainers of the present constitution de-
| termined to secure Il just apportionment OF
| the state, and for that purpose adopted suit
| able provisions No political party has the
| right to invade violate the rights of the
people to just equality in the privilege of citi-
Zen5hlp. The present general assembly, be-
| ing republican in one branch and democratic
IN the other, is well constituted to make fair
| apportionment Of the state.
Section 116 constitution requires: 1.-The
| general assembly shall, before the regular
election in 1894, divide the state, by counties,
| into as many districts. as nearly equal in
population and as compact in form as posi-
| BILE, as it may provide shall be the number 6
judges CT the court of appeals.
| The superintendent, under this provision into
| seven appellate districts, is not in harmony
with the section quoted. For instance, in one
OF these the population is only O,244. while in
| anOtherit is 307, 835; little as 40S3 square
miles are embraced in one, while as much
| 1887 are contained in another. Other similar
| instances were cited in a former message a
| glance at the figures will show that the con-
| Stitution was violated in making the appor-
| tionment.
| directed to comparison of many of the dis
| tricts. among which were the Second district,
| with an area of $50 square miles and popula-
tion of 81 30S, and the Twenty eighth district.
| which mbraces an area of 2,04O square miles,
| and population of - 061.
| RELIES FOR LITIGANTS
| There are now 976 cases under submission in
| the court of appeals. 300 of which have been
| submitted more than year In addition.
| there are $40 the present docket not sub
| mitted, 200 of which have been the argu-
ment docket awaiting hearing for more than 4
| year. This is Il substantial denial of justice
| to those having cases pending in that court,
| for which they are in nowise responsible AS
| a remedy it is suggested that the minimum
| amount necessary TO. give jurisdiction be in
! creased to S304
| HOUSES, OF REFORM.
| Your honorable body at it's last session pro-
| vided for the building OF houses of reform. but
| no provision made whereby the money
| should be obtained with which to carry the
act into execution.
Information received from the commits
| sionerS develops some difficulty in carry
ing out the measure Some dispute has
| arisen as to whether separate houses are
TO be erected at different places. 1t is sug-
| gested that experience at the deaf and dumb
| asylum, blind asylum and house OF reform in
| Louisville has demonstrated that boys and
| girls may be well controlled in one building
| by being separated from each other Should
| this be recognized the feasible course to
| pursne and only one house established only
one set of officers would have to be appointed,
taus saving u large outlay by the state.
The government is vested in six commission
ers-thrae women and three men 1 am in
formed that on nearly every question which
has arisen before the board the vote has been
Il tie and that on this account nothing has been
accomplished To avoid this complication
power should be given TO appoint another
commissioner.
Various other difficulties have been suggest
ed, which will be brought before the commit
tee on charita bic Institutions.
There is n crying necessity for immediate
action in this matter. there arc number
OF children in the penitentiarieS under IL
-.