The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1902-01-16

found that real estate had been as
sessed $22,000,ooo less than two years
before. In March, 1901, while the rail-
roads were assessed $2,500,o00 higher
than in 1899, in July it was found that
real estate had been assessed $4,000
900 higher than in 1899.
The Parole system.
The Twenty-eighth generalassembly
provided for the employment of pa
role clerk in the Office of the chief ex-
ecutive. This action 1 have inter-
preted as legislative approval of the
policy which has grown up In the
state of granting conditional par
dons; and by reason of this addition
al assistance have been able to in
vestigate to some extent the work
ings OF the parole system.
During the ten years prior to the
commencement of my administration,
In addition to full pardons and COM
mutations of sentence, 1874 convicts
had been released conditionally, most
of them in the very recent past. OF
this number eight had been returned
under reyocations, and have re-
turned one more. The remainder
have been investigated, and their
whereabouts, their conduct and their
standing have been very carefully in
quired into. Very favorable and sat
isfactory reports have been received
from SO, and to these have granted
full and unconditional pardons and
restoration to citizenship, The term
for which six others were commit
ted has not yet expired. Eleven are
dead or insane. Only meager reports,
not sufficient to justify action, were
received from IA. have been unable
to locate or get any reports from %.
1t does not follow, however, that all
of these are leading vicious lives. The
reports received from the so and more
to whom full pardon has been grant
ed were most gratifying. Several
wrote using letter heads that bore
their names. Others were holding re-
sponsible and trusted positions with
prominent business houses and indus
trial corporations. One was the in
cumbent of an official position of
trust and responsibility in a New
England city of more than 100000 in
habitants. Many were reported to
have become industrious citizens, and
to have won the full confidence
and esteem of the communities in
which they reside.
Very few pardons and less commu-
tations have been granted during the
past biennium; but, encouraged by
the action of the legislature, l have
been quite liberal in granting pa
roles; and have released 201 on con-
ditions more or less exacting. Suit
able employment has usually been Sc
cured before the release, and the pa
role has been upon condition that the
recipient employ his time industri-
ously, spend his evenings at home,
absent himself from all places where
intoxicating liquors are sold or kept
for sale, and report every 80 days to
this office the amount earned and the
disposition thereof. In addition
have a number of beneyolently dis
posed persons in each county who,
unbeknown to others, watch the con-
duct of paroled prisoners, and report
their conduct to this Office. The re-
suit in most instances has been very
satisfactory. OF the POI paroled, I'M
favorable reports have been received
from 81, and they have been returned
to serve out the unexpired portions
of their sentences. The present
whereabouts of IS others is unknown.
Most of these had but a few months
of their terms remaining, and they
were released in the hope that the
conditions imposed and the system of
surveillance inaugurated might -have
a helpful influence. The remaining
155 are doing reasonably well, and
many of them excellently. Some of
them, however. if they should chance
TO be thrown out of employment,
would very likely lapse into vice. A
volume could be written that would
be as interesting as a romance of the
transformation in some of these lives.
| have extended full pardon TO quite
a number whose terms would have ex-
PRED, and who have acquitted them
selves creditably. 1t has not been my
purpose to extend clemency to those
who have deliberately embarked upon
a career of vice, but to sift out such
as appear to have been in a sense ae-
cidental criminals. Some of them, it
is believed, were innocent of the
crimes charged. A detailed list, Civ
ing the names of all persons to whom
executive clemency has been extend
ed, and my reasons therefor, is this
day submitted to your honorable body
as provided by statute. refer to the
subject here as preliminary TO the
following suggestions and recon-
mendations. / think additional legis-
lation should be had, but do not ia
vor encumberiug the parole system
with specific restrictions. / think the
chief executive should have absolute
authority to release at pleasure any
one charged with less offense than
murder in the first degree, and to re-
turn him to the penitentiary at his
discretion. The statutory provision
for shortening the term because of
good conduct should be so amended
as to permit the governor to declare
the same forfeited in case the con-
duct of the prisoner when on parole
is not satisfactory. Each case is dis
tinct from all others, and no plan can
be formulated with sufficient elas-
ticity to meet the requirements OF
changed and ever changing condi-
tions. Under statutory provisions,
as distinguished from free exercise OF
an unrestrained discretion, it Is as