The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1903-01-17
COY. DAVIS MESSAGE
Urges Revision of Law Governing
Management of the State
Penitentiary.
FiV0RS THE REMOVAL or SUPI. H06lNS,
DwelIs at Length on the Action OF shs
Psnitsntiary Board in Purchasing the
Cummings Farm.-Favors feilow-ser-
wants Bill, Reform school and More
Drastic rrust Legislation.


ern0r DAVIS message us Itdu W
a.. ,,,..,..,l ,--,,,,LI,, in Joint
'oie '''0 cN'''"l
session.
a.
In delivering TO you inns ",eSsas' ~
rhan be my purpose to indicate TO you
-. - ,,,,,,,,o,. tl,c larisIa-
III "'iei' ''i'Otoo ,.,,t,,is
ton necessary to better admlhls-
tration of state affairs. viewed from
-. -. ss yo,tr
my eApel renee VI wv - =,
chief executive, which | nope slai nc
supplemeuted by your own practical
~, o,a that
CONSERVATIVE tNpelleHNV' I" NV
when this honorable body adJourhs II
,,,o, bo t.,,t, safd that something OF
"'S w 49, -, -, e.. ,ho roo-
good has been accomplished LOT the peV
pie of our state and that our time mas
~. hoo, f,;ttorod away In useless and
NO NC"
unnecessary Work.
.. . , rogrIatinp peniten-
Ae'h'"h VI So
o,,t1
The first subject TO when "Vulu
airect vour attention and the one Whlcn
~ ,,,,,or,,,ost IN my heart and mind
les up ,pic.a ,.ar,nde,inv and revision
~ tnoIousH -, - ,,,.asert npni-
of the ldw regulating our ple"0"' F>"'
Tertiary system.
Hinder the present system. the chlei
e,acutive Of vour state is burdened with
ii, ,.o.,,orsihiIitv of the manage
INC ehtIit NsIp.t.,,.s at bo Ia cloth-
ment of TINS INSTITUTION S'' ~ - -,
cd with no authority 10 remove any ~.
that may arise; and | say TO you thot
where the responsibility rests the law
should he so framed as to afford remedy
suhmit for your respectful con
.idoration that under the lease sys,
tcn, whore the conVicts are employed
,ot IN INC wall. Of the penitentiary, but
49, - L., Ia would
-, orIv no imnra cticable, but II would
he absolutely Impossible for this board
connosed of these state officials, whose
ofiolal duties other than AS members
20 Ia hoard are numerous and ardu-
ons 10 comnly with the statute in this
ouS, ~ ma Visit tho camps, which are
IN fact. the penitentiary, and perform
iboIr duties intciiigently and faithfully
as required by law. The penitcntary
,r,anogement should be placed in the
h.nas 81 a hoard of business men, to
W., ha NV, onroirted nv the governor one from
eoch CONGRESSIONAL district, subject to
~ annreyai and confirmation of the
w S Spr ~ the House and Senate com
nrInipT mat congressional district. This
b,sayS sbnnId he authorized to employ a
sIsrlS NJ fair salary. They should be
s,,,horiSoJ tn do the buying and selling
co. ,he nenitontiarv on competitive bid
ajnc and by sample, lust as is done in
ulhe an" ~ ,,onr cbnritoble institutions
1Ir,,tar Inc nyescnt system there are no
cbnclfs on me buying and selling carried
on under the present management. The
tu.rcloI agent hIVs at will from any
,ssn, mai he NAV see proper spend
inc during the wear substantially the on
ire product OF the penitentiary II
mas been clearly demonstrated that the
n"ni,cntiarv can easily be made self-sus-
iaining Then I request that you 80 re-
,isa t6c law as that there shall be APP
n,onriated directly out of the state treas
M a e,in, suf1cicnt to dofray the run
Mn q oyn"nscs OF the penitentary and
n1iS ~, Mo- eacb and every dollar earn
"a hv The penitentiary be turned into
Tho state treasury TO the credit of the
General revenue fund and that the mon.
ey thus appropriated be paid out only
on audltorfs Warrants, lust as any other
characterization is expended.
Ks IL is, the ponltontiary has become
4. nr,yatc snap where men grow rich
and No accounting can be had of their
;ransactions. have but to call
vonr attention TO one transaction
~ hos recently occurred which will
a ,,,a , m%9 mn idoa OF how things arc be-
rnc Nm m tho detriment of the state
During the month of November when
cotton had touched the lowest point
mai market has known this year, the
nresont financial agent sold $50 bales
" cotton 10 The George TAYLOR Com
v,,ssIon COMPANY. when every cotton
,,nn ad,ised him that 10 hold the cot
Ton ono week il would be worth $1,000
rnnrn 10 the state. This he declined to
do saving that the board had instruct
81 hin; to soil IL and il must be sold at
NIL huyar1g An examination OF the rec
oTds of Inc meetings OF the peniten-
,iar, hoord does NOT disclose any such
opdsr In hoard meetings The superinten-
J AZ, e." Ne rIrbt arm az tho chief cSocu-
Nj lava 81 this statc. He Ia the eye
,Sromyb which Tho anagcmcnt of the
nanitentinrv is soen aud controlled lie
aveht 10 be appointed by the governor
VIII pV1Wb ,Nc Mean tho d1libcroto pur.
r pose ~ - some n% one or somebody to thwart
every official desire and aspiration OF
,a,ion ~ Tho ncnitentiary: and | want
sa'o GU, " % Wv Vol now I'm advance. that
While the present supcrintcndcnt is my
o owm bis Further rei"ntion IL I6imicni
.ounh,E , n,Sd W. NAT institution. IN fncI
~ "" ro,ssptinn mnEea II absomtciy i'm.
nm fop mo to dischargo my duty
Po0siuiu ~ ,xocuitvc IL and about
a. your emaSi ~ ibis tnstltution
u' srh m,"s su,,Sneeirintcn1cnt ma oniy been
A., me sup sh"ri TIM, i WHOM 10
~ IN, c VineS surnrIs" without any order or
ny great sulpflsT WIFI, norh " ns s VS' or
niurrv,dVV" tr, oi Win any mrmhcr
" W' ibo bonrd Ne turned over 10 The
Xrksnsos 9V Brick 4 Man1facturing Com.
pans ,doV9,tlnn ,S by tSciHh ,u,,t,nct rnnc,
men noquhVnus p,ac t' ,hnn, Wnder H.
~. ou,V Nv wins 0f az ininnctinn n, IA,
pI1tettlub WIZ W. ~ ,ir ~, ~, Wv
Iuissni IN Itfs ~ NIX cnntrr,ct ,nd
be announced public policy OF supply
i,E WIS Son.ruct ~ W oIUn nvoP ", w 70
.ns re9nn.u M - So ' m"rn,l,. me
opiya,S cornnration 10 hire 10 the Little
Rock a Fort Smith Railway 100 add.
tional men over and above the 800 pre-.
scribed by their contract, for t,b0 n
day, allowing thls ootp2ra,lou 20 OBTAIN
uo'iet NY ~, 'S 1s.t, v"u Nd,v,IS eS,,
wv, "nnnnd ~, ~" .ar'r two ~, 1SuorJss
clothes. feeds and furnishes medical al,
tsn,ion 20 tho men, This 1870 men, I
say was over and above and IN addition
10 any number that this corporation
could ever have obtained under their
contract He permits them 20 hire ~
all to the said railway company $40