Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-12-07

49, ~ =. ~ =.
cally speak king. all the conyicts are
worked under the eye of State Officers.
Experience has shown that the health
employed than when theytare idle, and
better under the existing system than
1t was when prisoners were hired out
upon public works. l33
An opportunity now presents itself
for the State to buy the Tucker farm,
and, II in your jud gment the price ask
cd is reasonable. and the condition of
the States finances will permit, I would
recommend that the purchase be made.
We should not then be paying any
greater rental than we are now paying,
and would be justified In making i'm
p1oYementS there which we could not
think of making while we are tenants.
While am clearly OF the, opinion that
the state should own more land, I do
not believe that the number of priso-
hers at the State farm can be increased
materially in the near future The con-
tract with the Shoe. Company, Which
recently has been extended to the year;
1918, will require the Spenitentiary au-
thorities to keep here in Richmond
twhere most OF the profits of the instl-
tuition are earned) aboutl1 $50 men and
women. It follows therefore, that with
all the relief the farm can afford, the
cells IN the mems department at the
peniteitnary must be deplorably crowd
ed. There lis ample room in the women $
ward, but the men are packed beyond
the bounds of decency Not only are
these cells too few in number, but they
nre without sewer connections. What is
more, the necessity of discipline re-
quires that when a cell door is closed
at night. 1t Is not usually opened again
till morning.
A total Of 1o2 conditional pardons
have been granted. He asks attention
to what the board of directors has to
say about amending the act so as to
bring within the operations of the law
many prisoners who are now excluded
from Its benefits.
CHAPLAIN RECOMMENDED
I concur with the Board and spner-
intendent. and emphasize their sur-
gestion as to the desirabiIlty of appoint
Ing a chaplain for the penitentiary.
The ministers of the gospel i'm this CITY
nave done great and good work in
visiting the prisoners, and hope they
VIII continue their visits: but there
should be one in daily attendance upon
the prison. and for such services the
State should be willing TO pay a rea-
sonable salary.
COLORED REFORMATORY.
The Governor, after referring to this
institution. says: A plantation Of 1906
acres OF land has been purchased at a
cost OF S14,43200, by contributions by
our own citizens and philanthropc per-
sons from outside of the State and this
fund has been supplemented by n
generous gift from Mr.. Coils p. Hunt
ington, of New York, or over s11, 900.
Some needed repairs have been made
TO the buildings, and the school has
peen put in operation. / granted con-
ditional pardon to seven boys under 1G
years Of age and sent them to the
school; and ! am glad TO report that on
visit of inspection to the farm by the
Board Of Managers Of the Penitentiary
and myself. we found them making
most satisfactory progress. These boys
nave so far been clothed and fed by
the institution.
Virginia has given large opportuni-
tles Tor common school and higher
education for colored children and
youths. and yet there is a distressing
lack OF moral advancement among
some or them, as witnessed by tho
crowded condition of our penitcntiary
and jails; and the State should. for its
own good and the welfare of this class
devise some plan for saving the large
number of negro children and youths
VINO are beyond the influence of Sthc
public schools or intelligent home re-
straints. 1t is to the interest Of the
state and of society that every effort
oe made for the moral, religious and
educational advancement of all classes
Oh citizens. This work. of course is i'm
large measure experimental, but. in
efficient hands and with proper and
SUFFICIENT encouragement, II is well
worthy of experiment, and it would be
well for the Legislature to make some
arrangement with the institution to
take incorriglble or criminal bows or
girls on something like similar terms
as those under which they are taken at
the Laurel Reformitory.
STATE HOSPITALS.
The Governor refers to the STATE
Hospitals for the care and treatment of
the insane, and recommends that tho
necessary appropriation be made 10
complete the unfinished addition 10 the
hospital at Marion
INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING.
Considerable attention is devoted TO
the schools and colleges OF the Statc
OF the ". M. I. he says:
An epidemic of typhoid fever unfor
tunately Interrupted the work of the
Virginia Military Institute, but Il is
now believed that the cause has been
discovered and removed, and that a
recurrence of such conditions will al
ways be, in the future, impossible. This
institution, clustered about as 1t is with
such noble and heroic memories, has
a great work TO do in the scientific ed
ucation of youths and in drilling them
In the art and science of war. It is the
only purely military institution main
tained by any State of this Union; and
In our Civil war and in the late Span
tsh- American war, furnished many
not