Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1902-03-08

interest in legislative circles and mat
ters Of paramount interest to the en-
tire State have been under discussion.
The bacillus Of investigation seems to
have taken possession Of our law
makers, and has gotten in its work
pretty thoroughly on all sides. The
chief topic of discussion, not only in
Senate and House, but throughout all
public places, hotels, clubs, ETC.,
around the Capital City, has been the
penitentiary investigation. AS stated
before in these columns, the commit
tee appointed two years ago by the
Legislature from its own members has
given vast amount of time and
thought to this work, and has conduct
ed its investigation in fair and care
full manner. The task before them
was herculean. A great number of
witnesses were examined and the COM
mittee, in its desire to be absolutely
just to all parties, sent far and wide
for witnesses to prove just what the
management had been. Day and
night since the early days of the ses-
sion they have been shut off from
everything but this important work, In
the committee rooms. AS the session
drew to a close a resolution was adopt
ed by the Legislature asking for a
prompt report of the work that had
been done. This report was made and
signed by all save one member, who
dissented, and one who was i'll, but in
order to do it the investigation had to
stop at it's most important stage, and
while its expert was still at work on
the books of the penitentiary. The
committee reported that in so far as
they could discover the board had been
honest; that there had been no mis-
appropriation of funds, but that the
management had not been efficient,
and a change in the law as to the
penitentiary management was recon-
mended. Upon submission Of the re-
port, for the first time in the expe-
rience of the oldest legislator, the re-
port of an investigation committee
was not adopted without argument,
but was followed by the presentation
of a resolution dismissing the COM
mittee and exonerating the manage
ment as honest and efficient. This
resolution opened the gates for long
pent-up floods of eloquence and for
two whole days the Senate and House,
with their respective lobbies, listened
to impassioned speeches on both
sides of the question. 1t did not seem
to be the opinion of any man that
intentional wrong had been done by
the gentlemen in charge Of the States
prison-only such as would accrue
from the careless management Of large
interests. On the other hand, it was
contended that there had been no
carelessness, but, on the contrary. the
State had been largely the gamer by
the methods pursued by those in au-
thority. Intense feeling was developed
during the debate and much bitter
ness engendered during the consider
alton of this unusual resolution, and
most of the Senators and Representa-
tiees spoke for or against the meas
ure. To put it mildly, the committee
was placed in a most difficult position
by this resolution. Had they been al
lowed to complete their work there is
no knowing what might have been
their report, whether clearing or con-
demning the warden and board. As
it was, they were required to stop
short off and make a partial report.
After two days discussion the matter
was amicably adjusted by the substi-
tuition of a resolution receiving the
report and dismissing the committee.