Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-03-30
He Declares Commission Had
Ample Time But Waited
Until Last Moment to Make
Recommendation.
Recommendation.
WOULD PREVENT STATE
FROM ANOTHER BLUNDER
IN FARM SELECTION
statement that Commission Was
Ready TO Report Two Weeks Be-
fore March III Cannot Be True"
He Declares.

Governor Smith furnishes to the press
a card that is printed below as his reply
10 the statement given out by the prison
commission last Saturday explaining the
commissions attitude in the matter OF
their deadlock with the governor over the
purchase of the Wimberly farm.
Governor Smith gives full exposition OF
his side of the case. He remarks that
the prison commission had ample time TO
consider the purchase, but preferred TO
DELAY their recommendation till the last
moment. He says that in their high re-
gard for the wimberly place they are
taking the shadow for the substance, in
asmuch as they lay more stress on the
timber and clay available in the tract On
cidentals 10 the farms real purpose) thah
they do on the farming land available. He
saws there Is no excuse for delay, as the
Greer place (the alternative which the
commission has had under consideration
would be available Immediately. He says
that to place the white convicts on road
work would, be calculated to bring the
new system into disfavor from the start
and would embarrass the operation OF
the new convict law.
Following is Governor Smiths card:
Governor Smith begins by saying that
he is trying to protect the state from an
other blunder like the Milledgeville farm,
which he considers ill-adsPted to its pur-
poses.
Pointed Statements
Then he proceeds with some pretty
pointed statements.
~ aid not insist that the land should be
ADAPTED solely to farming" says the gov
ernor.
The commission said 1.-The governor con-
strues the law to mean that tract Oh
land should be selected suitable only Tor
farming"
THE statement that the commission
was ready to report to me two weeks be-
Tore March II cannot be true" says Gov
ernor Smith. ITO say that is. to charge
the commission with failing to deal can
didIy with me-"
But the commissions published card has
told the people 1.-The commission was
ready to report to the governor two
weeks before March II, but at his request
other properties were Inspected which,
on account of remote location, mad peeh
eliminated as not available"
1.-THE commission had not finally ex-
cluded that section southwest Georsla)
from consideration" replies the governor.
.sTbev had an examination made or the
Holmes farm, near the Florida lne' IN
Lowndes county, and 1 thought II pao
policy not to at least examine and obtain
a report upon the farms in the lower part
of southwest Georgia"
The commission has declared IF this re-
quest had not been made, the commission
would have reported the Wimberly place
two weeks earlier than March IL.
But the governor says "Othei inspec-
tors were out at the same time 1t was
not suggested that the examination of
these two or three farms would cause
any delay, and il did not cause any.
.sThe commission made its report on
gv7rch IL" says the commissions card
re then disapproved the selection,
-f- pIace could have been selected
I delay. He finally disapproved the
. on March 25."
al March 10th ] wrote them,' says the
governor, pointing out objections to the
Wimberly property. and requested that
they be ready for conference on my re-
turn TO Atlanta, which I stated would be
March 81
Governor Smiths Statement
The Importance of properly handling the
convicts Of the state justifes my replying
10 the statement issued by the prison
commission through Mr.. Wiley Williams