The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-05-11


fashioned table her chair, was the old-fash-
iened family Bible; not the Oxford Bible. the
Revised Edition, but the old Bible, in which IS
told the DID, old story which had been her comfort
and solace during all the years-thc Bible which
contains these beautiful words peace leave with
you; my peace give unto you. Not as the world
giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be
troubled neither let it be afraid" thought this
family IN this old country home was the best ar
gument that could be made against unnatural, art-
fetal, improper immigration brought to Mississippi
for the sole purpose of material development
want to keep the lands of Mississippi homes
for my children and your children.
PENITENTIARY
In the discharge of my official duties a
Der of the Mississippi Legislature, have devoted
much time and effort in attempting to bring about,
what I believed to be, a necessary reform in the
management and conduct of our penal system.
In the beginning of the discussion of this ques-
ton, I want declare, that what have done and
tried to do, in this particular, not done in
malice III will towards soul on earth. I have
never desired to any official position that I
might hold for the purpose OF iniuring, personally,
politically, any shuman being
became convinced in 1896, that penal
system was wrong, and believing thar it my
duty as a member OF the Legislature undertake
redress these wrongs, addressed myself to this
task l felt that the penitentary belonged to the
people; that l. as of the representatives of the
people, should do my best to look after their bust
ness. In the fight for penitentiary reform, l al
ways regarded the Board of Control the servants
and not the masters of the people, and incidents
in the management of this institution and not thu
institution itself.
Prior to 1890, most of the convicts of Misss-
sippi were being worked on the Gulf & Ship Island
and Northeastern Railroad. The stories of bru-
tally and suffering, great that the moral
of people revoled, SO that when the
Constitutional Convention of 1890 met, demand
from all over the state to change the system
That convention passed ordinance inhibiting
convicts from being leased hired after the 3Ist
day of December 1904 and it further provided that
the Legislature could place the convicts state
farms, and have them work there under state
supervision exclusively. Obedient to this ord-
nance the Legislature of 1892 made an appropria-
ton of $I2oooo.oo to be used in the purchase of
state farms, and with this money the Rankin, the
Oakley and the Belmont properties were purchased.
After this land was purchased, it was discovered
either that it not suitable that there
enough land in the three tracts which 20
work the convicts proltably Therefore, begin
ming with 1905, the Board of Control composed of
the three Railroad Commissioners, the Governor
and the Attorney General, began to work the con-
victs lands leased in the Delta the share
system with certain planters. l want it distinctly
understood that the SI2o,ooo.oo used in the pur-
chase of the above mentioned properties, paid
by the people out Of the state treasury, and did
not come from any money made by the Board OF
Control In 1896, believing that the convicts ought
not to be worked property that did not belong
the state, and fearing that the greed of the
states partner would be consulted to such ex-
tent in the working of the convicts on the share
system that the convicts would receive that
humane treatment which every human being
among civilized people, matter how dep1orable
his condition may be, should receive effort was
made in the Legislature, under the leadership of
Mr.. Sexton, of Copiah, to pass bill providing
for the purchase of more lands strong and
efficient lobby opposed the passage of this BILL
and defeated it. I became thoroughly convinced
during the discussion of this measure, that the
victs should be taken away from private individ-
uals and private property and placed upon the
states property. | returned to the Legislature OF
1900 with the fixed and deliberate purpose of doing
everything in my power to pass measure similar
to that which failed in the Legislature of 1896.
Early in the session 1 introduced House Bill No.
1903. This bill met with strenuous opposition, both
before the Penitentiary Committee and on its final
passage in the House, but passed. A duplicate
bill also passed in the Senate on the same day,
and by earnest cooperation of the friends of this
reform in the Senate and in the House, the bill
became law. When the bill was up for passage
in the House, its opponents, possibly in desperate
effort to prevent its passage stated that there was
corruption in the management of the penitentiary.
After the bill passed. the friends of this measure
introduced a resolution providing for the investi-
CATION of the penitentary. This resolution finally
passed, and I made Chairman of the House
Committee to investigate the penitentiary
The work of that committee is part of the
history of the state. We spent part of two years
in this investigation The difficulties with which
we were confronted, the earnest, anxious labor of
the committee, will only be known to its members.
This Committee reported to the Legislature of
re chr so
dition of affairs. The Board of Control and its
employees insisted that the report was true, and
: the Legislature having directed the committee to
take further testimony, it devoted most of the time
of the Legislature of 1902 in this further investi-
CATION Its former report was not changed except
in minor details, but because of the influences
which the committee could not overcome, the
port of the committee not adopted. Among