The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-21
Reports THAI
Do MOI R6pOrt
Chairman Dockery and John R. Smith Write Political
Speeches Which They Call Reports.

Tertiary and ex-Superintcndent John X.
Smith have furnished stump speeches
which they have the cheek to call their
reports required by law.
1t will be observed that the pretcnce
is made that these reports were partly
ready in January and fully ready III
July. Everybody knows that this inn.
preston is not correct for only last
week the Republican Governor had to
write a letter demanding a report before
even he could get line from either the
chairman or the eX-superintendcnt. Now
that Dockery and Smith have written
their little speeches, they bear the ear
marks of having been prepared Tor
campaign purposes. and no business man
reading them could ascertain anything
at all about the affairs OF the peniten-
tiary.
The people want the following infor-
nation which is carefully suppressed IN
the so-called reports:
/. A list of all the officers and en-
ployes, date of election or appointment,
date of the creation Of the place, nature
of services and salary paid.
There is not a word in the report Civ
ing this information.
=. A statement showing the number
of farms leased. date of contract and
amounts paid for leases and rents.
The report studiously avoids giving the
details of these contracts. Are they
afraid of the light?
g. \ statement showing to whom and
in what quantities, at what time and
mt what price the cottor, corn and
wheat crops of 1897 We're sold.
I l.
seeking to meet it by giving names of
cotton buyers who at one time or an
other have bought cotton. This is a
dodge. The authorities do not dare to
give the detailed statement.
4. A statement showing the number of
outstanding unpaid accounts or unpaid
claims against the pentontiary up to
June Both, 1898. showing when and for
what contracted. to whom due, and the
reasons why they are unpaid.
No business man can tell n thing
about the penitentiary affairs unless he
has this information. the books are
closed tight and this information is de-
MED the tax payers.
The unprecedented reader WIFI not fail
to observe the skill with which Dockery
and Smith fail to give any information
showing the real condition of the peni-
Tertiary. or to embrace the statistics re-
quired by law. Their letters are as
follows:
Raleigh. \. c., July p, 1898.
Hon. ID. l.. Russell, Governor of North
Carolina:
sir-I have the honor 10 transmit
herewith on behalf of the Board of
Directors, a report of Hon. John IL.
Smith covering the operations Of the
4 = attaE
months Of which time he was superin-
tendent Of that institution succeeding
Hon. A. Leazer. who. surrendered to
him the practical management thereof
on April LIST.
Theoretically. the law provides that
the report Of the superintendent IF the
States prison shall be made on the
LIST day of January of eacn year. But
you will recognize the inpossibillty OF
complying with that provision of the
law The operations of the peniten.
tiary are on an extensive scale and the
report is supposed to cover all GpC.a'
tons mp to midnight Of December 31st
the day preceding. The property is
scattered on farms widely separated
and the inventory is supposed 10 be an
enumeration Of all such property on
these farms and ut the central peniten-
tiary ut the beginning Of each fiscal
year Of the institution. The report foi
last year was not complete for tn,
meeting Of our board in January, which
fact was caused largely by the change
on January 1st Of the superintendent
of the prison. 1t had been completed
however, and was presented to tho
board ut it's next meeting in March. il
seemed then. after a cursory eXamina
~ "a nj fIIII
much so that they felt thar they cOuiC
not pass on it inteligcntly without {
more thorough examination than thC
time at their disposal would permit
For this reason the report was referred
to special committee. with instruc
tions to examine it III detail and make /;
return ut the next regular meeting o
the board in July. This was done. AM
the return | herewith transmit witt
All the accompanying papers.
The report seems 10 be elaborate. am
TO set forth fully the condition of tn
prison. 1t shows. too. Il highly credit
able condition, Notwithstanding the sc
rious obstacles the management had I
encounter during the year
When he assumed control of the per
itentiary April l. 1897, as supcrintent
ent. Mr.. Smith found all the farms i'll
very backward STATE OF preparation
and, indeed. upon some of them yer
little ut all had been done toward max
ing the new crop.
There were scarcely provision
enough to supply him two weeks Man
of the mules were old and worthless
Notwithstanding they had been value
January LIST preceding NJ an averae
Of nearly 500 The tools were largel
worn out and practically useless for
years service, Notwithstanding the
had been inycntoricd rs If they wcr
in a good and scryiccablc condition
The corn was nearly exhausted by sal
and consumption. ana the cotton o
hand was not sufficient to.pay the del
of the pcnitcntiary ana aid TO a yer
great extent in the purchase of ne,
stock and tools.