The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-23
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The extraordinary session of the Cen
eral Assembly. which s2onvenes to-day,
well as one of the most important, ses-
sions of that body ever held in the
State 1t is a privilege which every cit
izen enjoys of criticising the acts Of the
legislature and of making suggestions,
and many citizens exercise that privilege
10 the limit The Times is disposed to
give the members credit for discretion
and honesty of purpose, and TO take into
consideration AL the difficulties and en-
barrassments under which such a body
labors in carrying on its work and ar
irving at results. with delegates and
senators from all sections of the State,
representing "a variety OF interests, the
members cannot always do all that they
would do, and compromises are often
necessary. 1t is IN a liberal spirit. there
fore, and i'll knowledge Of the difficulties
and complications involved that we sub
nit few suggestions for the considera-
ton OF the members
ne Legislature NS-o GNi4itl lCSCLsiSt iii
extraordinary session for the specific
purpose of arranging for the Constitution
al Convention, which is soon TO be held,
and that work should take precedence
over all filings else. \ bill TO cover the
case will be submitted as soon as prac-
ticabie after the General Assembly shall
have gotten itself into working order,
ana that HE bill must have the right Of
way over all other bills. The members
must give their entire ana devoted at
tentio-l to this consideration and not per
NIT the introduction or the discussion
of extraneous matters to interfere in
any way with this specific work. 1t is
serious thing to assemble a Constitu-
t3onal Convention to rewrite the or
ganic law Of the State, and it behooves
.lla menll- ers OF the General Assembly in
preparing the way TO do all things, as
far as III their power lies, TO make ehis
convention a success. That We say, is
the all important work OF the session,
and TO other work should be permitted
10 interfere with it.
But there are some other measures that
demand attention, and whether or not the
members shall decide 10 so into general
legislation, these, we think, should be
taken up and disposed Of First of ali
there is a demand throughout the length
and breadth of the Commonwealth Tor
improvements at the penitentiary. More
cell room is urgently needed and better
sanitary arrangements should be proTid-
ed. The Times entertains no nawllish
senti1nentslity for conyicts. When men
have deliberately ana detianty violated
the law OF the land and have, upon the
evidence submitted been convicted by
Jury and sentenced by the court to a
term of imprisonment il the penitentlary,
they Should be kept in close confinement
and at hard labor for the term OF their
Imprisonment, and the sentence should be
so carried out as to intiict punishment.
The penitentiary should be q prison in
fact as well as in name. and the con-
yicts lie during the term OF his i'm
prisonment should be hard. But while
the prisoner is treated as convict he
should also be treated as & human being.
Every convict Is ciitli!Si w Pa. = '4t '-
wholesome food The State Has no moral
night 10 herd lis convicts i'll marrow cells
ike 50 l.lany cattle il a pen, ana subject
them 10 the torture and ili-effects OF I'M
pure air Nor has the State the mora!
right 10 subject these convicts to disease
by Withholding eron, the 2cnitentiary or
binary sanitary arrangements which are
necessary TO The preservation of healu.
We 30 a step farther. and say that when
the State deprives 4 man OF his liberty
and assumes control over his actions it
becomes his guardian, and is responsible
Tor his life and his health. The State
has the right legally and morally to eN-
ecutc :. man who has been convicted of
capital crime, but it has no right to
convict Il man of larceny, for example.
and then deprive him of his life by with
holding srom him the conditions OF life
ana health. Ii seems a harsh thing to
say, but it IS u fact. nevertheless. that
convicts have been killed by inches in
the State penitentiary, not through the
brutality Of the officers of that institu-
lion, but through the brutality OF the
State in falling to provide pure ali. and
sanitary arrangements.
This thing has gone far enough 1t is
q 5iS-prare 10 so,,f.s goo5 old Stale and If