The Van Buren press., 1899-01-21

4 mean0rS. lie HlaH Nho coihin4l9 "
felony and is committed to the penl-
i tentiary at hard labor does not receive
ohe-half the penalty inflicted upon
some poor miserable. friendless and
moneyless wretch, who commits simple
assault. or breach of the peace, or
petit larceny.
Contracts for the hiring of these con-
vlets which have come under my no
tice do not provide for the payment OF
any fines. but merely the costs OF con-
yictiop The counties under the law DO
not nay costs In misdemeanor cases Ill
/ justices and other inferior courts, so
/ that officers holding such courts IN
/ counties having a contract for hire OF
prisoners are tempted to convict upon
/ very meagre testimony, for otherwise
they would lose their fees. 1t Is fur
ther temptation for them, in order 10
/ encourage such contracts, TO make the
| fines unreasonable large and not COM
mensurate with the offense committed.
In some cases which have been
brought to my attention. little boys, -
and IA years of age. charged with steal.
ing small articles valued at one or two
dollars. have been fined $50 and from
three to six months Imprisonment in
addition Parallel cases have been by
no means rare during my administra-
ton AS matter of course. | have not
hesitated TO grant pardons in all such
cases coming to my notice after a reas-
enable time had been served by the
convict
Surely the wisdom Of the dawn OF
the twentieth century will devise some
mode more consOnant with humanity.
and sincerely trust that you viii give
tAis matter your earnest consideration
at the earliest practicable moment.
ELECTION LAWS.
have found no reason to change the
opinions expressed by me in my inaug-
ural address, at the last meeting Of
your body. upon ohr election laws, and
| respectfully call your attention to my
recommendations in that address, and
again urge their adoption by you.
In addition to this | would suggest
that elections should be quadrennial
instead of biennial for all offices, ex.
cept legislative offices. | believe that
members of the legislature should be
elected as at present provided. but that
all other officers should be elected for
-four years. with the express provision
that the governor shall be ineligible 10
succeed himself. 1t has grown to be
the custom, scarcely without exception,
to give all officers who behave them
selves reasonably we'll in Office a
second term. | therefore recommend
that an amendment to the constitution
of the state be submitted to the people
in accordance with these views.
PENITENTIARY.
! recommend that the penitentiary
be moved from the city limits. The
ground upon which it is located is far
too valuable to be used for such pur-
pose. | have been urged by citizens
throughout the state to recommend the
erection of a new statehouse, and in
Difference 10 such requests | respectfully
call your attention to the fact, that
if you should deem it advisable to pro-
vide for such Il measure, the site upon
which the penitentiary now stands
would furnish beautiful and attractive
grounds for the purpose. Twelve acres
might he selected which, in my judg-
ment, would be ample, and thus leave
some 80 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, could
be sold for n considerable sum OF
money. BY this means the expense
of the removal of the penitentiary and
building new statehouse could be les
sened to a considerable extent. The
financial condition of the state is such.
III my opinion, as to warrant these
meas ures, and | submit the whole mat
ter for your consideration. Upon inves-
tgation of the cost of new state
house, | am advised by competent ar
clitects and builders, that a very dur
able and beautiful building, fully an
sWering all the needs of the state can
he constructed, by using to blme ex-
tent convict labor for something near
S600,O00, little more or less, and that
II would take from six to seven vears
to complete such a structure, thereby
causing an expenditure of not exceed
ing 100000 per year during the timo
Of construction.
IN removing the penitentiary from
the city limits, some system Of reform
for juvenile offenders should be made.
There ought to be some pro-
vision for this class of offend.
els differing from the present system
The reasons for this are so apparent
to every thinking person that / deem
1t unnecessary to enlarge upop the
subject, and therefore leave it for such
action as you may deem most ad.
yisable
REPORTS OF OFFICERS.
l respectfully call your attention TO
the reports of the various officers Of
the executive department of the hoard
Of trustees and superintendent of the
Arkansas Insane Asylum, and Of the
mine Inspector. The superintendent
OF the Insane Asylum, DR.. p. o. Hoop-
er, recommends certain additions to
that institution. respectfully invite
sour attention to this matter and to
the other recommendations made by
l)r. Hooper, as well as to those made
by the board Of trustees. This board
Is very important adjunct to the
state administration, and l feel sure
mat the interests of the state have
been well guarded by it, while the
state charitable institutions over
which it has control have been well
looked after and provided for.
Inc mine inspector in his report
calls attention to certain additions to
the mining laws of the state which
he thinks should be made. respect
FULLY call your attention to his sug
gestons. | think his recommenda-