The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-05

Ible OF performing some kind OF manual
labor. and could and would contribute 70
their own support. The counties could
arrange to have many OF their incurab,e
patients transferred to this institution by
the payment OF such proportion OF the e1-
penses as would be found just.
"A report was made to the Legislature
at the session OF 1S97-'5s by a committee
appointed at the session of 1866 and
much valuable Information can be got
ten from the report, to which I respect
fully call your attention. A bill was also
presented on this subject to the last ses-
sion Of the General Assembly, and passed
the Senate with only four negative votes
would also respectfully recommend
that the number Of members OF the boards
ha made five instead OF nine. am OF
the opinion that thi, would be good
policy In regard to tho boards OF educa-
tonal Institutions az we'll as the n, spltats.
Penltentiary Matter.
Your attention is Invited to the report
Of the Superintendent and Board Of d.
rectors OF the penitentiary. wherein the
fiscal affairs OF the institution are shown
TO in most satisfactory condition,
and it gives me pleasure to commend the
work OF this faithful and efficient Board.
Notwithstanding the continued dizziness
in the shoe trade. thus lessening the re-
ceIpts from that source for the last two
years and the INCREASE Ii the cost OF all
supplies necessary for the maintenance
OF the institution. it will be seen that the
net earnings for the last year amounted
to s4s.oeS.7l which Is an increase over the
year ending Oct. l. 1Sts. OF st2, $500. the
first year Of my administration. AS is
we'll known, the chief revenue is derived
from hire OF convictS to the Davis Boot
| and Shoe Company. This company has
been fair and liberal in its dealing with
| the State and has been Just in its demands
upon the convicts
| The sanitary arrangements at the fnsti-
| tuition demand Improvement. and if the
| pen,teatiary is to remain where it /, at
! present located additional celi-room is
| imperative. had the honor to recon-
| mend to the extra session Of the IeEi.'a-
! tlrre which met in January last the ap-
| pointment OF a committee to take into
| consideration the whole question OF en-
| larging the penitentiary or the propriety
| OF removing it elsewhere I presume the
| Legislature will have valuable susges-
! tons from this committee. and COM
| mittee Of the Constitutional Convention
| has also had this matter under constdera-
| ton
The more investigate the question the
| more I am convinced that it would be
| best for the State to sell the present site
| OF the penitentiary and buy large tract
OF land on which to erect buildings. II
| from any cause the convicts could not
! be kept at work in the shops here and
| were forced to remain in idleness the con-
| dition Of affairs would be appalling. II
! the penitentiary was located on farm
! OF proper size and the convicts should be
| thrown out OF work in the prison they
| could be 1T once put to profitable and
healthfu1 employment OF the farm. In addi-
ton to this. even IL the contract system
/, continued there are many times when
the shops could be worked TO mutual adj
vantage as at different times the number
Of convicts required in the shops and on
the farm varies The present peniter-
tiary property could be sold to advantage,
and new. clean urinfested modern build
ings erected
Euy Great Farm.
T therefore earnestly recommend the
purchase of a farm Of not less than four
thousand acres in the vicinity of Fich-
mond, and the erection on it OF new and
suitable buildings This farm might be
made, as the present one has been 10
some extent, a model one for The adTan-
tage OF the surrounding section. II it Is
not deemed best to buy farm OF this
kind and make the changes suggested, l
would recommend to you. as | nave TO
former Legislatures, the purchase OF land
in the vicinity Of the present farm Inc
amount paid in rents for land that has
leased for several years amounts.to much
more than the interest on the amount Tor
which the lands could be bought; besides,
there Is no timber on the present taEni,
which is a great disadvantage.
The high water and rainy weather IN
i,1red the corn and destroyed a large
area which had been planted, and totally
DESTROYED a field OF wheat that Wouid
have yielded about 1900 bushels. and yet
despite these drawbacks the farm only
lacked about 800 OF being self-supportins
A pumping outfit has been put in at the
farm at my suggestion. and great benefit
has been derived from the abundant water
supply thus afforded. 1t contributes 10
the health and comfort Of the prisoners
and gives additional security to the build
tngs-
Conditional Partous.
The conditional pardon system. which
had the honor to recommend to the
legislature OF 1878, continues to WORK
satisfwactorily. It is estimated that the
cost. direct and indirect. OF the crInina.
population of the United States per an
mum amount. TO something like $500 per
| cau.ta Hence earnest efforts are De-
| Ing made in all the States to devise some
means to reform the criminal classes. oh-
| der this conditional pardon law PRISON
| er is given the privilege OF applying TO the
| Board OF Pardons, vho in turn make their
| recommendations to the Governor, Vhen
| the convict has served half his term and
| kept the prison rules for the previous wv
| year. Qf he shall have served that lons>.
| AS an additional safeguard. the practice
| is for the judge and Commemorative at
| torney OF the county in which the pms
| oner was convicted to be consulted II
| deemed meritorious. the prisoner Is turn
| ed out on the condition that he shall not
| again violate the penal laws OF the state
A large percentage. perhaps three-fourths'
! of the prisoners have had no moral tram
| Ing, and under this law they are made
| to realize for the first time. that good pc
havior brings its reward, and cuFo IL
thus put on their passions and they learn
| to control themselves The result is
| that they make better prisoners, ana
| when turned out on condition that they
behave themselves, they make better citi-
| zen..
Under the recommendation OF the Board
| I granted conditional paTdons TO SAB prts-
oners during the past four years up 10
! October 1, 1901; q few more Will be added
! to this list during my term and have
| .o,o,rod sorarbinp Hike a fourth oe this