The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-26

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 the amount paid Into the Treasury was ss ssea as masins anis ass wno %as ! ing ing August si. isos. siss,7ss 40. 1t will therefore be seen that the whole l four years ending August q, iso4,' was | $s25, 1891. 97. To this may be added | $2s,s2S.52 earned but not yet paid in
 ss1s. .aso. .is. The net sum paid % into
 the Treasury. for the four years next | preceding the beginning of the four
 aSy prder TSe 9a been more than six times as much in net receipts as the next four years
 correspond with the figures contained | In the Auditors and Treasurer's re- ports. because of the fact that the fis-
 cal year in this department terminates
 the Auditors and Treasurer's Depart
 ments on the S0th day of September The Auditors and Treasurer's reports
 show much larger sum received than
 fact that 1t embraces one month more. | and very profitable month for re-
 ceipts in this department.
 Indetermfnate senfenccs. That which Is deuominatei an in- determinate sentence Is provided for in several of the States, and is to the ef- rect that In all offenses not punished tap,eahy tapnad the defendant may be sen mite period of time, and that the de- fendant may be~released from imprts- onment whenever 1t shall be dStermin- ed by board, provided for that pur- pose, that his conduct is such that he may be trusted abroad in the world. without a fear of repetition of the onense for which he was convicted, or arguments against this character or sentence, and probably Is. tor there is searcely any rule or law absolutely that in a large number of cases the in- determinate sentence is the one which ought to be pronounced. To catch up a boy and sentence him for some grave the sentence thus light because he Is q boy. Is, to my mind. a decided mistake. | A boy ought not to be sentenced to imprisonment In the penitentiary at all. mining establishment, but when he is to be worked in a re- formatory and an endeavor to improve him. and. to make a better boy of him. | ir ought to be left to the Board to say when he is so improved that he should be released. When sentenced to imprisonment for certain period of time. he knows that at the expiration of that time he will in any event be released. It is true that his sentence may be much reduced by good behavior. and this of itself. is great incentive to good conduct; but 1T one snail be sentenced for an indefn- ite period then he Is made aware at the beginning that his release from inn prisonment and hard labor will depend upon his good conduct. and it seems 70 me that this would be great incent- i've to good behavior i..s II make no question, but that this suggestion is worthy of consideration by the Legislature. As you know, we have just established a reformatory from which we are expecting good re- suits, but when a boy is sent there for year and day, as Is done in many cases, the work cannot be made nearly so effectual as if he were sent for a longer period.
 sentence is not made for the purpose of securing the labor of the convicC for longer time, but in the hope that the period of his sentence will thereby be shortened and the convict much im- proved.
 High Water Mark.
 Without undue boasting it may be safely said that within the last three years and a half there have been won- derful advances in the Convict Depart ment. The improved conditions of the convicts themselves have been very great, and the business methods put forth in the management of the De- partment have resulted in improy.- .-
 
 onabte expectation of the friends of the Department Many persons, not ac- quafnted with the needs. from a health and life standpoint, of the unfortunate class under the supervision of the Con- Yict Department. consider the import ance of the Department from the stand point of finances alone, and when m. formed that the gross proceeds of the Department for eleven months and twenty-three days were s49S.2S6.37, and for the same length of time the net pro- ceeds were $299.0133S, are ready to say: It is enough; the Convict Department Is of greater value than l ever sup posed it would be. am satisfied In reaching such conclusion they over look that which is of greater impoct- arce than money--the lives even of bad men.
 Tt is hoped, and fully believed, nev- ertheless, that the high watermark, so to speak, in the Department has not yet been reached The improvement of he conditions of the convicts will be con- tinualiy and carefully looked after, their health and lives protected as nearly as may be.
 There are a number of contracts which must be renewed, or made with in the next few months. and in these it is the purpose of the inspectors to take them under their own control and management. This will be done for better pay for the labor of the con victs than has been heretofore realized. which will result in increasing the ln- come of the Department, no great amount, however, but to some extent. The convicts themselves will be cared for, 1t is believed. with greater refer ence to their individual interest, than is ever the case when they are under the control of contractors.
 '"The Boys Reformatory. now just in- itiated. will be improved and made very much better it is believed.
 The cotton factory, now still for year, will be put into operation. either