The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-03-14


! titled to CIemeucy, it shall be his dU-
ty, with the assistance OF the super
visor making the report. to prepare
/ an application for the pardon OF such
| convict and present such application
! TO the board OF paTdOns in regular
/ order.
Sec. Z. It shall be the duty of the
/ pardon attorney 10 receive aI.y written
/ protest that may be filed with him
| against the paTdOning of any convict
/ or the Communication Of any sentence,
and to present such protest TO the
| board of DaTdOns at the time the aD-
pliCatIOn is presented 1t shall also
/ be his duty TO fully investigate ali
| charges against any person for VlOla-
/ ton of the terms of a conditional
| pardon, and to report the results or
| such investigation to the board Of
| pardOns- If the board OF paTdOns
shall at any time deem it necessary
or eXpedient that the pardon attorney
should visit the scene of any alleged
violation of the terms of 4 conditional
| pardon, an order to that effect shall
| be entered upon the miuUteS5Of said
board and a certified copy Thereof
/ furnished to the pardon attorney To
such certified copy the pardon attor-
| ney shall attach an itemiZed state
ment of his actual travelling expense IS
while making such investigation, ana
upon approval thereof by the govern
or, the comptroller shall issue MS
warrant for the amount of such eX-
penSes, payable from the fund arising
from the hire of state cOnvIcts.
Sec <. The pardo nattorney shalt
attend all regular meetings of the
| board OF paTdOns. and shall also at
tend such special meetings as the
RH Ii Il
shall also keep a complete docket or
each case filed with him. and shall
note thereon the action taken by the
board. On or before the fifteenth day
Of January of each year during which
there is TO be d regular session OF
the legislature he shall furnish to the
governor a complete list of all par
dons granted during the two years
next preceding, giving the name OF
the person who was pardOned or
whose sentence was COmmuted the
date of his conviction, the crime OF
which he was convicted, the sentence
of the court, and the action of the
board of pardons.
Sec. 9. The provisions Of this act
shall not apply to applications for
pardon filed heretofore, but IL shall be
the duty of the pardon attorney to
render unto the board of pardOns
such assistance in the disposal of ap-
pliCatiOns now pending "a may be re-
| quested of him.
Sec. 10. The sum of three thou
sand dollars annually Is hereby ap-
| pTOpTiated from the fund arising from
the hire Of state ConViCts, for the pur-
| pose of carrying the provisions hereof
| into effect; two thousand five hundred
| dollars of said amount TO be paid to
the pardon attorney as his salary, and
the remainder, or so much thereof as
may be necessary, to be expended for
ONCE equipment, postage and Incl
, dental expenses.
Sec. Il. Upon the expiration of the
term of office OF the pardon attorney.
or in case of mis- death. resignation,
suspension or removal, his successor
shall be chosen by the board of par
dOus and appointed by the governor
as provided in the second section OF
this act.
Sec. y. All laws and parts of laws
in conflict herewith are hereby re-
pealed.
Sec. IS. This act shall go into ef- |
feet on the fifteenth day of June, A |
=. 1909. /
Much Discussion Aroused.
No other function of state govern
ment has aroused so much discussion |
-
as has the exercise of the pardOning
power. Neither is there any other !
function of government so potent to |
touch the hearts and move the souls |
Of men as are the anguish, blighted |
hopes, heart wTingings and piteous
appeals Of felons and their innocent
co-suneTeTs. which are focused IN thu
cabinet room Of the executive office
on the first Thursday in each month, |
in the article above referred to I |
under which this power is at present
exercised; gave figures to show that
the board is overwhelmed win aDDii-
cations. and that their decisions must |
Of sheer necessity, paTtake largely or
the nature OF gueSs-wOrk: and en-
deaVored to point the fact that the
state has long since outgTown a svs-
TEN inauguratCd more than half a
century ago.
The above bill is intended to place
the system on d basis more COmpatIbIG /
with modern methods. ana to meet
the eXigenCiCs OF our largely increased
prison system. | estimate that under
the terms of the recent lease of the
state cOuViCtS, these UufOTtUuatCs will
produce a revenue o. about four nun
dred thousand dollars per year % say
nothing of the large revenue derived
from the hire of county cOnvicts This
bill calls for the comparative baga-
telle of three thousand dollars per
year, 10 he expended in placing add
tiC1sl and important safeguards
around the individuals and the SyS-
TEN that produce It all.
In this age Of commercial iSrO yyp q r.