The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1909-06-25

omg STBB ~ ADVANCE.
TIE STATE asnsts's sDpsogzistion q
60, 900 from Re eonviet laass fund 81
he purchase q . prison farm for 70
men end iHGFm esngicts Is 3 step ~ th,
rIghE dirtion.
b6s step e not enough, and Il mag
- Sl0w going, bat We are glad for thai
much progress.
It win bs observed that this appro.
pgiation does not eoms out Of the peO-
PIE. It e convict money. IN ether
words, the convict must earn bis own
bsttermenL. The legialature simply
says be may do 20.
Until the thing is finally accomplished,
II the people will not abandon the lease
system and provide properly for the
States eonVicts, then at least every
dollar be earns ought 20 60 that end.
Even the Vilest Of convict lease advO-
Gates should not object 10 that. -0rlan-
do Reporter-StsF.
The True Democrat IL not prepared
10 endorse Ell Of the above from our e.
termed contemporary, particularly that
portion Of the article in which Il h In
timated that the prisoners Of this State
are not now being properly cared for,
as we are Of the opinion that the con-
Victs Of Florida receive better treat.
ment and care than the prisoners Of any
other Southern State, but we desire 10
endorse fully the commentator rela-
tive 10 the provision for the establish.
ment Of a State Prison Farm, where, as
the act establishing the farm provides,
ell women, sick and disabled, crippled
and aged prisoners shall be placed, and
only the able-bOdied prisoners remain
leased. And in this connection we de-
sire 10 commend for this advanced step
In prison matters in this State the one
who, for the past three sessions Of the
legislature, has endangered 10 have this
legislation enacted-H Hon. B. E. McLin,
Commissioner OF Agriculture, who has
direct charge and supervision over the
prisoners Of the State. He has all along
eoutended that 1t was not in acc ordance
with the ideas Of advanced civilization
that this class Of prisoners now exempt
ed by Law from the provisions IT the
lease should be placed out at hard labor,
In the same places and under the same
conditions as able-bOdied male prisoners;
that no other State does Il, and with
this idea he framed a bill with this end
In view and submitted Il 10 the Board
Of Commissioners of State Institutions,
who, after a few slight changes, en-
dorsed the measure and the legislature
enacted Il into a law.
Me- McLin also prepared a bill rela.
tive to the management Of county pris-
oners in this State, which this legisla-
ture enacted into law. Heretofore
when prisoners were discharged from a
county camp they we're not given q
cent. (State prisoners receive $1,000
in cash upon being discharged.J The
bill Of Mr.. McLin's provides that the
management Of county prisoners shall
also be under the control OF tho Com
missioner Of Agriculture, and that each
county prisoner upon being discharged
shall be paid the sum Of $500 II his sen
tence Is for q less period than -four
months, and ell prisoners sentenced for
four months or over shall be paid the
sum Of $500. and in addition to the
above sums shall be paid a sufEieieAt
sum Of money to purchase them q ticket
10 the place from where they were SEN
fenced, and that they shall be furnished
the same food, clothing and treatment
a. furnished State prisoners. The law
provides that upon failure to comply |
with any Of the requirements enumer
ated above the Commissioner Of Agri- |
cnlture. with tha nnDroval Of the Board |