The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-01-07

IL.
The stock in turnpikes owned by the state
is bought from taxes assessed upon the whole
people. and was thereafter set apart as a por-
tlon OF the sinking fund, and under the pro-
visions of the constitution can not be dimin-
ished by act of the legislature until the debt of
the commonwealth is paid. Thousands of
public-spirited citizens, and in many instances
the widow and the guardian of orphans have
nave invested in these stocks. relying on the
laws of the state and their enforcement for pro-
lection.
Granting, for arguments sake that free
roads are desirable, it by no means follows
that their owners should be robbed and plum
dered
You are now boldly confronted with the ques-
ton, whether these crimes are to continue or
whether the state has the will and the power
TO protect the lives and property of its citizens.
In January, 1896, recommended in general
message, and again at the called session. the
passage of law making the counties where mob
violence prevailed responsible in damages to
the widows. children or heirs of persons killed
and responsible to those injured in person or
property. This law has proven Salutary in
every state of the union where it has been en-
acted. With it should be connected the absO-
Lutte right OF change of venue, so that trials
may be had by unprejudiced juries in I'M
preJudiced communities. L have been in
formed that, among other contentious which
pFeFGuJ6u Iue duOpJlOn OF Sucn a statute, III was
asserted that corporations would burn their
property, or prevent the collection of tolls in
order TO sue the counties. and that persons
would have their relatives killed in order to
recover damages from the county. These OBJ
jectiOnS are puerile.
No one more deeply deploreS the present con-
d1tion of affairs than myself. and to no one is
1t more painful to make such confession, but
when human life is cheap, when millions of
dollars that would otherwise seek investment
in Kentucky are being turned into other chan
nelS, when we are becoming q spectacle in the
eyes of the people of other states and other
countries, not only love for my native state.
but official duty demands plain speech and
prompt and severe action.
1t is idle to talk economy in the public Serv-
ice as long as extravaganza is suffered to con-
tinue. 1t is better to curtail expenses than to
increase taxes. Hitherto the attention of your
predecessors has been called to this matter
without success. 1 hope, however, that differ
ent action will be had by you.
Useless offices should be abolished. The bu-
reau of agriculture has been fully tested, and if
common experience and general opinion are
worth anything, has fallen far short of accom-
plishing any material good Yet thousands of
dollars are expended annually to carry out its
purposes. This can be abolished only by con-
stitutional amendment, which L recommend
may be done.
of thousands of dollars each year, without cor
responding benefit.
The present salaries are in nearly every in
stance twice as much as they were at the con-
cluSion of the war. when the premium on gold
was greater than ever before. There is no rea-
son why such a condition of affairs should
exist
Perhaps the most exclusive drain on the
treasury is criminal expenditures" In this
are comprised jury fees, witness fees, SherifS,
marShalS, jailerS and cOnStableS' fees costs of
examining courts. etc.
Under the present laws a large number of
persons are yearly sent to the penitentiary who
should be fined and compelled to work out the
same on the county roads.
Shortly after the present administration came
into power the contract with the Frankfort
Chair Co. was forfeited by the directors of the
penitentiary on account of the company S
failure and refusal to pay its Indebtedness
to the state, and the inability, by reason of
that fact. of the directors to continue opera
tionS. The large amount of floating debt then
owing and which could not be paid for lack of
funds in the treasury, rendered it imperative
in carrying on work in the penitentiary to COL
lect from the company all money due. There
was no other source from which the funds
needful to pay operating expenses could be
had. In this condition of affairs the company
demanded that the directors should not ap-
point superintendent they had selected.
This demand was disregarded. whereupon the
company purchased, at a discount, q sufficient
amount of warrants owing by the state ito
cover its Indebtedness, and offered the same to
the auditor in payment, refusing to pay sin
gle dollar in money. By their own action they
terminated the contract.
1t then became necessary to advertise for
bids for convict labor, which was done prompt
ly, resulting in what is known as the Martin
contract for the employment of $50 men. Con-
siderable complications have grown out of this
contract. and, in order that the real merits of
the transaction might be understood, 1 ordered
State Inspector Lester to make careful exam
inatiOn of the working of the same. and for
that purpose ordered him to employ an expert
accountant His report will be placed before
you and will doubtless have your close study
and attention.
The contract has not realized the money
| which it was thought it would at the time it
was made, and there is now controversy be-
tween the state and Mr. Martin, in which the
| former claims that the latter owes the addi-
| tiOnal sum of S23, 900.
| Following closely upon the termination of
| the contract with the Frankfort Chair Co.,
came the destruction of the workshops at Ed
| dyville by fire. This threw out
! of employment large number
of convicts and the Mason & Ford Co. declined
! to engage further in business at that peniten-
| tiary except to work up a small quantity of ma
terial on hand. but agreed to and did hire 400
cOnvctS at 80 cents each per day. to be en-
plOyed in the manufacture of shoes and broomS
at the Frankfort penitentiary, provided that
| the portion of the shops destroyed by fire prior
| to December, 1895, should be rebuilt, and an ad-
ditional building erected.
| Under great difficulties the shops were con-
| StruCted, and in addition to this, an eXpendi-
ture of nearly $4,000 made in eQuipping the
Frankfort penitentiary with machinery. The
penitentiary is now better equipped with ma
chinery and better prepared to make convict
| labor profitable than at any time in the past.
| L suggest that an appropriation be made to
pay for the wOrllShopat Eddyville and thus
save the payment of interest by the state.
! Your attention is called to the danger of fire
| in these institutions.
| The directors of the penitentiary at Frank
fort are now paying for water the enormous
sum of $1,000 per year
! L suggest that you investigate these matters
! through committees, and take such action as
! you believe the interests of the state demand
Our charitable institutions are in a most
! thriving condition. The total expenses for the
aSylumS for six months of 1885, and CORE
spending months of 1896, are: 1895, S16S 1877. 90
1885, S175. 22099; showing decrease OF 1913. 9;
and an average decrease in per capita of S1l.35
again urge upon your honorable body such
legislation as will carry into effect the present
statute concerning houses of reform. 1t is rec
commended that you so amend the statute as to