Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1903-09-24

either materially reduce the present rate
or to 30 apportion IL In the interest of the
/ school fund that thereafter IL viii bee pos
! sible, without additional taxation. 10 give
a seven months public school term In
stead OF n i've months term. as now.
| This l believe would be "a wise policy,
| and II II made possible by the financial
| management Of the present democratic
state officials. And yet Mr.. Bclknap talks
about giving the state business" ad-
! ministrationl But we shall pay our re-
| spects TO him on that subject later on.
with all our debts and claims paid there
VIII be In the state treasury on the list
OF next January nearly 100000. The
| largest showing ever before made In the
state. There Is not state in the union
whose fiscal affairs can make better
| showing than ours. sim Mr. Belknap
says you ought 10 have "a change What
viii the people say2 / think 1 know the
/ Kentucky people too well 10 be uneasy
/ about their verdict.
| In addition TO this excellent financial
showing II can also be proven that the
| present administration has done more to
| Improve and enlarge the public institu-
/ lions OF the state than any other admin
lAtration ever did. We have spent much
| money In needed Improvements ia all the
| charitable Institutions, the state college.
/ the state normal school FOR COlorcd pco-
/ pie. the deaf and dumb institute. and the
| two penitentiaries. All OF these institu-
/ tons are Ina better condition now than
| ever before The two prisons. Instead OF
| being a great drain upon the revenues Of
]
! old management. are now under the busl-
/ uefs-like control Of democratic officials
telf-supporting, and am informed by the
| commissioners that this year they viii
pay small revenue 20 the state Instead
| Of being tax upon %, as was the case
| before the present system was adopted.
| Let us make "a comparison upon this que--
/ ton OF prison management and see the
/ difference between the republican and the
| democratic administration. During the
| years % 1896. 1897 and 1855. boo GOV. Brad
| ley's administration. 20 run the two pris-
| Ons cost the state $3.50. 151 %. During the
/ years 1901. 1902 and 1913, under this admin
lstraton, they have cost the state only
| i2.tbSH This makes "a saving 20 the
| state IN the three yttre .f ea', Ff 81.
These figures speak for thcms,lVes Sew
esai Of the charitable institutions OF the
| state have been 90 administered that they
have been able out OF their allowances
| under the law 10 save enough 20 buy COM
| Siderable additional land for their iu-u-
| buttons ana 20 make other valuable I'M
| provoments-all out OF their per capita
allowance. Much political capital has
been sought 10 be made out OF the man
| aEement OF some OF these Institutions,
but l can say and prove that never be
| fore were they more successfully ur tHU-
ably managed than they have been dur
ina the last three years. There was some
trouble at the HopkinsNille asylum over
two years ago. / made most careful
Investigation Of II and concluded that the
superintendent was responsible FOR &c. /
promptly removed him and put another
man In his place. Since then there has
been no trouble there. Last spring big
sensation was attempted 90 De- made out
OF some charges Of cruelty 90 patients az
tho Lakeland asylum, ana an Duurt mad"
10 hold me directly accountable Tor them
oecsuso had appointed the head officials
OF that Institution. An Investigation Wa
made by the board OF commissioner.
aud also 10y myself in person and Dos my
representative. / found that 600 TWO cases
attendants had used unnecessary force in
dealing with patients, and when dlsDpt-
discharged. The principal charges mady
against the officials there. and about
whose testimony sD much was said by
the hostile press, were made los two cuu-
Wet patients. George iurtWuud ana
Mary Noble and 90 give some idea OF the
character 80 this testimony J viii tell
Who they are. Iortwuod several years
ago killed "a man iu Lexington. and upon
trial was sentenced Go hc hanged. Gov.
Bradley committed his sentence Go life
Imprisonment. lie made application Co
lie fcigncd Insanity and was tried on
that question last winter The jury was
deceived and authorized Dis transfer 10
the asylum. IL" was taken Co Lakeland,
but the doctors there quickly discovered
hiH purpose and that was Co escape.
They took extra precautions with him
ana prevented his doing 500 d., was
therefore offended at them Tor not letting
him get away. and at mo b,Caus, / diu
not pardon him. Tie was trying Geo 'rtt
even in his Testimony lie hl- been
transferred back Co IA" prison whore ht
properly belongs The other witness.
Mary Noble. was Transferred from the
luson Co the asylum she. too. had to ne
closely watched She was mot insane.
Her prison term expired while she Was at
the asylum and she was relra-,i. Since
then she has been arrested upon o. charge
or huuscbrcaklug. and is now lu the
Louisville jail such o. the testimony
Lpun which the republicans rely about
the terrible state 90 Affairs al the N-A-
lum. There are about 1870 patients iu
Hfss a.. N. | g.
class town n ls impossible that lu such
large institution there should NOT hc an
occasional Wishap or wrong, but there
have been remarkably few Their. during
ent and his assistants ar, mon OF tht
kindest hearts and are as watDhtul ana
careful 81 the comfort OF these uufortu-
nate beings as 10 be- possible tu d.. II
had had the slightest reason Co believe
that any one OF them had been guilty II
the least cruelty or utgig'n,r u. WouII
have been promptly removed 30 one
visits that institution who D. not Inn
pressed with its splendid management
and the excellent care taken of the iu-
mates. But the republicans are exceed
ingly hard up for campaign material. and
are crasping at straws iu their desperate
efforts. However. 10 they are anxious TO
make an issue Of tho management OF
state institutions | Will ChtertullN accom-
MEDIATE them and compare this admins
tration with the republican ddminlstru-
ton. with IT'S trpuhl.S go ih' l..NIH-I..
prisona and other places. ! have moth
Ing Co conceal and would Do, proud ot tu.
The present administration
has established one additional pubic
institution. and that t. the Home FOR the
Aged and lnfrm Confederate Soldiers at
PeWce Valley, where the old veterans OF
the Confederacy who draw no pensions
from the government can be- well cared
FOR and looked after I'm their old age.
We have also passed a law giving ma
terial assistance TO the Children's Home
one OF the most pruiscworthy charities
In the state. whore little orphans and
" aifs are gathered. and trained and pro-
Nided with good homes. such charities
as these appeal Co the sentiments OF AN
good people.
This same Republican platform under
takes TO CritiCise me for what IL terms
my abuse OF the pardoning power. Again
they have performed a great service FOR
me. FOR Il calls forth an examination OF
my record and a comparison with the
records OF some of my predecessors.
These records have been very carefully
examined, they are open To the public. .
and | am very proud of the showing
" hich they make l shall give the sta
tistiCs from the records of GOV. brown. .
Gov. Bradley and my own. In doing SO
there h. not the slightest desire or intcu- .
ton upon my part TO reflect upon or .
criticize the actions Of these two distin- .
gutshed governors. for / believe that /
hey acted conscientiously in these mat .
tiers and did what they thought was .
right Iiut this question has hstu