The Savannah morning news., 1902-10-24

g.
all classes of pensioners amounted to
$S5S next year. according to the
estimate of the Commissioner of Pen
sions, it will be about $3.50 100000
That there are many names on the.
rolls which ought not to be there cam
not be doubted, and some reforms in
the pension laws should be made in
order to eliminate them. Pension laws
are always abused and we cannot hope
to make our system perfect but we
can approximate perfection by revising
the laws so as to provide as nearly as
possible for every worthy and needy
ex-Confederate soldier, and at the same
time exclude the imposters and those
whose military services do not entitle
them to the States bounty.
MisdemeanOr Convicts.
I could not feel that 1 had come up
to the full measure of my duty were
to go out of office without again call
ing the attention of the General AS
sembly to the present unsatisfactory
way of disposing of misdemeanor con-
victs. The law as originally enacted
contemplated only the establishment by
counties of county chain-gangs, to be
worked by the county for the county.
But by an unwarranted stretch of the
law other, chain-gangs authorized by
county authorities, and nominally I'M
der their control. but worked not by
the county nor for the benefit of the
county, but by private individuals or
companies for personal gain, have
been established in quite a number of
counties, sometimes two or three in
the same county. Under the original
actit was expressly provided that two
or more counties might unite and or
ganlze chain-gang to be employed on
public works." and under the act of
1883 1t was provided that county,
incorporated city, town or village
which has organized, or has determin-
ed to organize, chain-gang to work
misdemeanor convicts on its roads.
streets or other public works" might
hire this class of convicts from the
county authorities of another county
having no chain-gang, but always to
be worked on roads. streets or some
other public works. but there is no ex--
press provision of law anywhere au-
thorizing the hiring of such convicts
to private individuals, nor for working
them anywhere except on public works.
But because comparatively few coun-
ties organized chain-gangs to work on
public works, 1t was often found diff
ficult for the county authorities of
counties having no chain-gang to dis
pose of their misdemeanor convicts
Hence the expedient of organizing
chain gangs in the name of the coun-
ty, but really to be worked by private
individuals for their own and not for
the benefit of the county was resorted
to. Had there been a sufficient number
OF county chainEgangs in fact as well
as in name to employ all misdemeanor
convicts, this evasion of the law would
probably not have been resorted to.
And if this class of chain-gangs were
worked and governed according to
law there would be no great evil in the
system; but in many cases they are
not so worked and governed. To be op-
Grated according to law all guards.
overseers, whipping bosses and physi-
clans in charge of them should be an
pointed by the county authorities and
paid out Of the county treasury:
whereas these officers and agents are
almost if not quite always employed
and discharged by the lessee and paid
by him. He. moreover, prescribes hours
and character of labor, as we'll as