The Van Buren press., 1899-01-14

ticed, SOME OF lhese SO"he! u.,
farms are real hells on eafth- ne
whole system Is wrong. ana shouia pe
abolished and something better SUD
stituted for the punishment OF misoe-
meanors. The man who commits II
felony and is committed to the pehi-
tertiary Mt hard labor does not receive
one half the penalty inflicted upon
some moor miserable frlendless ana
moneyless wretch. who commits simple
assault. or breach of the peace, or
petit larceny.
Contracts for the hiring Of these con-
victs which have come under my no
tice do not provide for the payment or
anv fines. but merely tile costs or con-
ylction The counties under the law do
not pay costs In misdemeanor cases III
justices and other inferior courts. SO
that officers holding such courts III
counties having contract for hire or
prisoners are tempted to convict upon
very meagre testimony. for otherwise
they would lose their fees. 1t Is fur
ther temptation for them, i'll efder 10
encourage such contracts, TO make the
fines unreasonable large and not conf
m6nsurate with the offense committed.
In some cases which have been
brought to my attention. little boys, i3
and ii 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 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 Will give
this matter your earnest consideration
at the earliest practicable moment.
ELECTION LAWS.
have found no reason to ehange the
opinions expressed by me in my inaug-
ural address at the last meeting Of
your body. upon our election laws. and
! respectfully call your attention to my
recommendation 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
meIabers of the legislature should be
J elected as at present provided. but that
all other officers should be elected fol
four years with the express provision
} that the governor shall be ineligible tC
E. succeed himself. 1t has grown to be
9 the CUSTOM scarcely without exception
4 to give all officers who behave them
: selves reasonably well in Office q
: second term. | therefore recommend
2 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
d ground upon which it is located is fal
s too valuable to be used for such pur
: pose | have been urged by citizens
/ throughout the state to recommend thu
;. erection of a new statehouse, and il
Difference TO such requests | respectfully
call your attention to the fact, tina
if you should deem it advisable to pro
vide for such a measure, the site upoI
: which the penitentiary now stands
II would furnish beautiful and attractiv,
II grounds for the purpose. Twelve acre
L might I've selected which. in my judg
J. ment. would be ample. and thus leav'
!. some 50 acres of very valuable prop
erty to be sold. In that event the pres
ent location of the statehOuSe. after tn,
: completion Of the new building, coul,
- be sold for considerable sum o.
u money. BY this means the expens,
= of the removal of the peniteutary AM
y building a new statehouse could be les
:. sened to considerable extent. Th
financial condition of the state is such
D. in my opinion, as to warrant thes
s. meas ures. and submit the whole mai
II ter for your consideration. Upon inves
$ tigation of the cost of a new state
Il house. | am advised by competent ar
$. clitects and builders, that a very dur
III able and beautiful building, fully an
IL sWering all the needs of the state ca
'e be constructed. by using to blme ex
L tent convict labor, for something nca
100000, little more or less, and tina
to it would take from six to seven year
IN to complete such a structure. therAb
al causing an expenditure of not exceed
De Of construction.
~ IN removing the penitentiary fror
g, the city limits, some system of reforr
ty for juvenile offenders should be mad,
OF There ought to be some pro
b. vision for this class of Offend
s- ers differing from the present system
Y, The reasons for this are so apparen
n To every thinking person that deer
il unnecessary to enlarge upon tn
,s subject, and therefore leave it for sue
action as you may deem most ad
yisable.
=. REPORTS OF OFFICERS.
~ | respectfully call your attention /
- the reports of the various officers d
- the executive department. of the boar
n. of trustees and superintendent of tn
ID Arkansas Insane Asylum, and of tn
he mine inspector. The superintendent
a of the Insane Asylum, DR.. P. o. HooI
or er. recommends certain additions t
H. that Institution. | respectfully invit
Sour attention to this matter and t
nt the other recommendations made b
n. Dr. Hooper, as well as to those mad
- by the board of trustees. This boar
" Is very important adjunct to tn
III state administration, and | feel sur
y that the interests of the state hay
ay been well guarded by it, while tn
ms state charitable institutions owe
ut which it has control have been we
nd looked after and provided for.
ho The mine inspector in his repol
tv calls attention to certain additions