The Forrest City times., 1899-01-20

each day at 80 cents per day ana
ing to credit him with Sundar@
days in which he cannot WORK 10 and
son OF sickness or bad health rea-
any other cause. no matter bo,. ior
fable the convict may be for No, lustl
ing thereon. Under such cons.. work
of law, cases have been brough. aaetoa
attention where person tnad ny
$40 has been kept on such a fars " Or
more than year, and in some IN iof
ces. where n fine was $50 for oa ,asan
a weapon, has been kept on N. yihg
for more than two years ana 'arn
instance for more than three IN ~ one
In fact it has become a ner, sean
tenn of human slavery, and 70 sys
tenth OF the cruelr.es which ban. one-
reported to me have been really n uea
ticed, some OF these countv co plsc'
farms are real bells on earth '" ~
whole system Is wrong. and sbor,si ae
abolished and something better ee
stituted for the punishment OF r, sao
meanors. The man who co-,.n ,soe'
felony and Is committed to tba ~,
tertiary at hard labor does not roa psnI
one-half the penalty inflicted ua'e
some poor miserable, friendless u poa
moneyless wretch. who commits ., alu
assault, or breach of the nsaaa pe
petit larceny. '~
Contracts for the hiring of ,ros.
victs which have come under ~, WI
tee Go not provide for the payment !,
any fines. but merely the costs ~ ~.
victioD. The counties under the law .V y.
not pay costs in misdemeanor casas y y
justices and other inferior court, Z
that officers holding such courts =
counties having contract for b;r. y
prisoners are tempted to convict NM
very meagre testimony, for ,tnor, rsa
they would lose their fees. II Is /. ~.
Their temptation for them, in ,rde, !.
encourage such contracts, to mata ~
fines UNREASONABLE large and mt co,a
mensurate with the offense commttsa
In some cases which have baa.
brought to my attention. little bovs =
and IA years of age. charged with steal
ing small articles valued at one or tv.
dollars. have been fined $50 and FINN
three to six months imprisonment !,
addition. Parallel cases have been i,
no means rare during my administr,,
ton. AS matter OF course. have M,
hesitated to grant pardons in AFT sreA
cases coming to my notice after ross
enable time had been served hv "A.
convict.
Surely the wisdom of the dawn a,
the twentieth century will devise som.
mode more consonant with humans,
and | sincerely trust that you win civ,
tais matter your earnest consdera.o,
at the earliest practicable moment
ELECTION LAWS
have found no reason to chanre mo
opinions expressed by me in my inaus.
ural address at the last meeting n
your body. upon our election laws. and
l respectfully call your attention to nv
recommendations in that address. and
again urge their adoption Ivy YOU
In addition TO this / would Suggest
that elections should be uuadrenpial
instead of biennial for all offices. eK
cept legislative Offices. | believe that
members of the legislature should BE-
elected as at present provided. but that
all other officers should be elected "a,
four years. with the express provision
that the governor shall be ineligible 70
succeed himself. Ii has grown to be
the custom, scarcely without exception
to give all officers who behave them.
selves reasonably well in office
second term. / therefore recommend
that an amendment to the constitution
OF the state be submitted to the peops
in accordance with these views.
PENITENTIARY.
recommend that the penitentiar
be moved from the city limits. The
ground upon which it is located Is fsr
TOO valuable to be used for such pun.
pose. l have been urged by citizens
throughout the state to recommend the
erection of new statehouse, and IN
Difference TO such requests respectful!
call your attention tc the fact, tha!
II you should deem 1t advisable to pro
vide for such a measure, the site upon
which the penitentiary now stands
would furnish beautiful and attractive
grounds for the purpose Twelve aers
might he selected which, in my juds
ment. would be ample, and thus lears
some so acres OF very valuable prop
erty to be sold. In that event the pres
ent location of the statehouse. after The
completion of the new building, coul
be sold for considerable sum o.
money. BY this means the expense
of the removal of the peniteutiary and
building new statehouse could be les
sened to considerable extent. In
financial condition of the state is sica
IN my opinion, as to warrant theS
measures, and / submit the whole mae
ter for your consideration. Upon insef
tigat.on of the cost of a new sfelr
house, | am advised by competent @
chitects and builders. that very our
able and beautiful building, fully al
swering all the needs of the state Gu
he constructed, by using 10 some u
tent convict labor, for something nel
S6o0.OOO. a little more or less, and Una
IT would take from six to seven yean
TO complete such n structure, ther'e'
causing an expenditure of not exceep
ing 100000 per year during the llns
OF construction.
IN removing the peDitentary lToD
the city limits. some system OF reio,a
Tor juvenile offenders should be mau1
There ought to be some pW
vision for this class of oneaI