The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1903-09-09

cratic state officials 1t will be possible for
the general assembly next winter to
either materially reduce the present rate,
or to so apportion 1t in the interest of the
school fund that thereafter it will be pos
sible, without additional taxation, to give
a seven months public school term in
stead of a five months term. as now.
This | believe would be a wise policy,
and II Is made possible by the financial
management of the present democratic
state officials. And yet Mr.. Belknap talks
about giving the state a business ad-
ministration But we shall pay our re-
spects to him on that subject later on.
with all our debts and claims paid there
Will be in the state treasury on the LIST
of next January nearly S,6000OO. The
largest showing ever before made in the
state There is not a state in the union
whose fiscal affairs can make a better
showing than ours. still Mr.. Belknap
says you ought to have a change. What
will the people say? l think know the
Kentucky people too well to be uneasy
about their verdict.
in addition to this excellent financial
showing 1t 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
istration ever did. We have spent much
money In needed Improvements in all the
charitable institutions, the state college,
the state normal school for colored peo-
pie, the deaf and dumb institute, and the
two penitentiaries. All OF these institG
lions are in a better condition now than
ever before The two prisons, instead of
being a great drain upon the revenues Of
the state, as they used to be under the
old management, are now under the busl-
ness-like control of democratic officials
self-supporting, and l am informed by the
commissioners that this year they Will
pay small revenue to the state instead
of being tax upon 1t, as was the case
before the present system was adopted.
Let us make a comparison upon this ga, $50
ton Of prison management and see the
difference between the republican and the
democratic he
years of 1896 1897 and 1898. i'm Gov nr7d-
ley's administration, to run the two pris-
ons cost the state $500, 1901. During the
years 1901, 1902 and 1903 under this admin
tstration, they have cost the state only
Sl2, 1854. This makes a saving to the
state i'm the three years OF s3O1 yg3 30
These figures speak for themselves. Sew
eral of the charitable institutions Of the
state have been so administered that they
have been able out of their allowances
under the law to save enough to buy con-
siderable additional land for their insti-
tutions and to make other valuable i'm
prOVements-all out of their per capita
allowance, Much political capital has
been sought to be made out of the man
agement of some of these institutions,
but | can say and prove that never be-
fore We're they more successfully oil cap
ably managed than they have been dur
ing the last three years. There was some
trouble at the HopknsVille asylum over
two years ago. / made a most careful
investigation of ii ind concluded that the
promptly removed him and put another
man in his place. Since Then there has
been no trouble there. LIN spring big
of some charges of qntky to patients at
the Lakeland as'-lu' ~ Nan effort made
to hold me dii Itabe for them
sSs..s..ss- Nc mead OnclaiS
of that inst Designation was
made by tir \ assasasssSr sss, fsSy
nttendants ha. saary force Ia
dealing with II. I.u.t.- Whth o'1~c I
cred the two attent were promptly
against the officials SefA and ABOUT
whose testimony 80 nuciiE was saiu py
vict patients George Portwood and
Mary Noble and to give some idea of the
character of this testimony l Will tel
who they are. Portwood several years
ago killed man in Lexington, ana upon
trial was sentenced to be hanged. Gov
Bradley committed his sentence to life
imprisonment. lie made application 20
me for full pardon. 1t was refused.
He feigned insanity and was tried on
that question last winter The jury was
deceived and authorized his transfer to
the asylum. He was taken to Lakeland.
but tiie doctors there quickly discovered
his purpose, and that was to escape.
They took extra precautions with him
and prevented his doing so. He was
therefore offended at them for not letting
him get away, and at me because l did
not pardon him. He was trying TO get
even" in his testimony. He has been
properly belongs. The other witness,
Mary Noble, was transferred from the
Irison to the asylum. She, too, had to be
closely watched. She was not insane.
Her prison term expired while she was at
the asylum and she was released Since
then she has been arrested upon a charge
of housebreaking, and is now in the
Louisville 1ail. Such is the testimony
upon which the republicans rely about
the terrible state of affairs" q the asy.
lum. There are about 1900 patients in
the institution, the population Of NTH
class town. 1t is impossible that in such
a large institution there should not be an
occasional mishap or wrong, but there
have been remarkably few there during
ent and his assistants are men Of the
ldndest hearts and are as watchful ana
careful of the comfort of these unfortu-
nate beings as IL is possible to be. If 1 |
had had the slightest reason to believe |
that any one of them had been guilty Of |
the least cruelty or negligence Ia
visits that institution who is not inn
pressed with its splendid management |
and the excellent care taken of the in
mates. But the republicans are exceed
ngly hard up for campaign material, and |
are grasping at straws in their desperate
efforts. However, If they are anxious to
make an issue of the management OF
state institutions / will cheertully accom-
nodate them and compare this admins
-ration with the republican administra-
non. with its troubles at the .. ..,s
asylum, the feeDle MINDED institute, lne
prisons and other places. l have moth
ng to conceal and would be p4uuu on tne
The present administration
has established one additional public
Institution, and that is the Home for the
A ged and Infirm Confederate Soldiers at |
peWee Valley, where the old veterans OF |
he Confederacy who draw no pensions
rom the government can be well cared
or and looked after in their old age.
Ne have also passed a law giving ma
erial assistance to the Children's Home, |
n the state, where little orphans and
waits are gathered, and trained and pro-
,ided with good homes. Such charities
IS these appeal to the sentiments of all
good people.
This same Republican platform under
axes to criticise me for what 1t terms
ny abuse of the pardoning power. Again
hey have performed "a great service for
ne, for it calls forth an examination of
ecords of some of my predecessors.
These records have been very carefully
they are open 20 the public,
md | am very proud of the showing
which they make. l shall give the sta
istics from the records of ioV. brown.
iov. Bradley and my own In doing so
here Is not the slightest desire or inten-
lon upon my part to reflect upon or
criticize the actions of these twos distin-
pushed governors; for 1 beDevt So.
hey acted conscientiously in these mat
ers and did what they thought was
light But as this question mas been
brought up, and an unlimited number of
and falsehoods have
'een circulated about my pardon record,
md an effort made to create the impress
ion that l have used the power excess