The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-06-30
The Good Work of
a Competent Official.

The Journal has heretofore ex-
pressed entire approval of the bill
passed by the late legislature which
provided for the segregation of fe-
males and inhrm males from among
the leased eonvicts and providing for
their care and occupation upon
state farm. But we feel that we did
not do fun Justice to the man who,
above all others. has long labored for
this measure. and who. indeed, was
The author of the bill now in force.
Commissioner OF Agriculture B. E.
McLin has won the regard of all hu-
manitarians for his persistence in
having this measure Incorporated in
the laws Of Florida. That he has at
last succeeded in his effort is a source
Of general thanksgiving, and the COM
mendations Of the state press, con-
spicuously unrestrained as they have
been, by no means exceed the truth or
contain word of praise which is not
thoroughly deserved. The Punta Gorda
Herald, whose able editor has for
many years kept in the closest touch
with the political and economical
history Of Florida pays a long and
glowing tribute to Mr.. McLin, from
which the following is an extract:
The last legislature enacted at least
one law that the Herald can heartily
commend, and that is the one author
king the establishment of a state
prison farm, where all the aged, the
1nflrms the crippIes and the women
that are convicted in the state shall
be placed. This Is a strictly merito-
rious and humane act, and to the Hon.
B. E. McLin, commissioner of agri-
culture, who, under the law, has di-
rect supervision and MANAGEMENT of
state prisoners. under the direction OF
the Board of Commissioners of State
Institutions, is due the credit for its
becoming a law.
For the past eight years that he
has had charge of the prisoners. he
has insisted that this be done, and he
has at last succeeded in getting the
legislature to enact a law providing
for the establishment of such a farm,
where these unfoTtunates, who should
not be leased, can be placed and
properly cared for by the state. In
his last biennial report, on prison
matters he says:
Il most earnestly urge that our next
legislature provide by law for the
elimination from any lease of all fe-
males, without regard to color, and
all males who either from disease, age
or any other cause are not qualified
| to perform reasonable service at
manual labor. Proper humane treat
ment of the prison class demands it.
the good name of our state requires
tt, good morals insist that it must be
done"
Commenting on an editorial which
| recently appeared in the Orlando Re-
porter-Star, commendatory Of the act
establishing the prison farm, the Tai
| lahassee True Democrat declares
We desire to endorse fully the
commentator relative to the provis-
| ion for the establishment of a state
| prison farm, where, as the act estab-
| fishing the farm provides, all women,
sick and disabled. crippled and aged
| prisoners shall be placed, and only
/ the able-bodied prisoners remain
| leased. And in this connection we
desire to commend for this advanced
step in prison matters in this state
the one who, for the past three ses-
sions Of the legislature, has en-
deavored to have this legislation en-
acted-Hon. B. z. McLin, Commits
siOner of Agriculture. who has direct
, charge and supervision over the pris-
oners of the state. He has all along
contended that II was not in accord
ance with the ideas Of advanced civil
| ization that this class of prisoners
now exempted by law from the pro-
visions Of 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 it and with this idea
he framed bill with this end in view
and submitted IL to the Board of Com
| missioners Of State Institutions, who
after a few slight changes. endorsed
the measure and the legislature en-
acted 1t into law.
And the same newspaper comment
ing upon Commission McLin's efforts
directed in every way to ameliorate
the hardships endured by state pris-
oners says:
It is a fact, probably not generally
known to the public, that during the
past eight years that Mr.. McLin has
had direct charge OF prison affairs in