The Savannah morning news., 1904-06-23
ed Convict system.

of the fund arising from the fees for
| the inspection of fertilizers.
Improved Convict system.
The Governor comments on the i'm
proVement in the convict system. "An
examination of the systems of other
states, where conditions are similar to
those in Georgia" the Governor says,
will show that we are far in the
lead. The disposition of convicts by
the state is ever a delicate question,
and one that is always with us. The
object of the law in inflicting punish
ment upon the laW-breaker, Is to de-
ter him from a repetition of his sin,
and by his example deter others, and
no less important is the idea of work
ing in him reformation. No system
is therefore perfect that does not have
prominent in it the aim and purpose
of reformation of the criminal. In
this respect, in my opinion, Georgia
may greatly improve her convict sys-
nESi, by making suitable provisions
looking to the separation of her juve-
nile convicts from contact and asso-
citation with her hardened crimina' s.
Aside from the moral question in
volved, experience demonstrates that it
is much less expensive to the state
to reform the boy than to care for the
hardened criminal The Governor
recommends legislation looking to the
creation of Juvenile courts in the prin-
cipal cities. and establishing reforna-
tories for violators of the law by per-
sons under the age of sixteen years.
The Governor recommends an
amendment to the convict law provid-
ing that the hire of convicts where it
is allowed to go to the common schools,
as has been the rule in the past, should
he paid direct by the State Treasurer
to the County School Commissioners,
instead of through the county treasur-
ers. Such an amendment would save
to the school fund Of the counties in
terested several thousand dollars an
nually in the way of commissions.
Confederate Memorial Board.
The Governor transmits the results of
the Confederate Memorial Board. in
which information is given concerning
nineteen Confederate cemeteries locat-
ed in different sections of the state.
Quite number of these cemeteries are
in poor condition, and badly in need
of attention. The board is of the opin
ion that $1,000 will be sufficient to put
all Confederate cemeteries in the state
in excellent condition.
The State Sanitarium.
Concerning the state sanitarium. the
Governor says: Il have recently Wis
tied this institution, in company with
several members of the board Of trils.
tees, and found it in excellent condi-
ton. The inmates are well treated and
cared for; the buildings are in good
condition, and the rooms and floors
are kept remarkably neat and clean
The daily average of patients under
treatment, for the past eight months
was 2,770, and the daily average cost
of each patient was only a. fraction
over 80 cents, which is less than anv
similar institution of the same GLASS
in the United States. The ratio ~
insane in Georgia is low compared IN
other states, the percentage beiup one
to 1012 of population. In thirteen
states the ratio is less, and in thirtv-
two 1t is greater than that Of this
state The farm that is now being RIM
in connection with the sanitarii1n h
doing a good work
The trustees recently inaugurated
new and most excellent system of
duplicate vouchers, and also Modern
lied and greatly improved the system
Of bookkeeping, so that in the future
the financial affairs OF the instifntion
can be more easily investigated ana
understood. There Is at present some
confusion IN the laws relative 10 the
management OF the sanitarium ana the
reception OF patients. and recommend
that committee be appointed Ia con-
fer with the superintendent OF the SAM
tarium and the president OF the hoard
OF trustees, with the view Of revising
the laws relating 10 the institution
-~-sNe