The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-11
UNITE
 ON CR|NNOLOGY
Criminal Statutes Tend to In
 crease Crime They Say
HOMESEEKERS
MANY
Ten Thousand Northern Farmers Go Into Texas in One Day--Some Southern Notes of Timely
 Interest Fly ROBERT LEE CARTER

Fly ROBERT LEE CARTER
 New York, December 1o.-(Special)- That the criminal statutes of every Christian country serve to increase crime is the subject treated by two great writ CTS of English s-Smollett, in Count Fathom,' and Fielding, in Jonathan Wild" Both make their heroes the most atrocious scoundrels even their genius could conceive; but Smollett redeems his reprobate, while Fielding sends his to the ignominious gallows.
 Many cultivated folk will tell you that Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables' is the supremest work of fiction ever penned, and perhaps it is. It had for hero a felon, criminal, who was redeemed from the commission of murder by gaze on rlacid innocence in the sleep of an old and pure man as the moonlight fell on his pillow. And that same Jean Vatican became the finest character in letters save one, and only one, because of an act of magnanimity extended him.
 All fiction That is true; but it is given not to rantional imagination to conceive l that which might not be. and that a Jean valjean Is possible there can be no doubt in the mind of him who has read Victor Hugo with enthusiasm and with understanding.
 l They are starting right in Mississippi. where they have taken the convicts out of prison pens and put them in the open.
 1 In Mississippi all the state prisoners are employed on four farms owned by the state. One contains 13,0oo acres. The prisoners clear and improve the land and grow crops. Cotton is the chief pro- 1 duce. All the white prisoners are on one farm of POO acres.
 The open air is promotive of probity. Abolish the prison pen. Establish the farm for criminals. And extend the pa role system, so as to give the prisoner, once a criminal, a chance to prove that he is a man.
 Southward hol the tide of emigration doth flow. The railroads entering Texas carried more than 10000 homeseekers into the Lone Star State from the north and east on November 16, reports show.
 
 went through to the southern part of the state
 Among the number were 300 American farmers from points in Canada, who are seeking a new location.
 Mir. George Kennedy of Jacksonville, Fla, well known throughout the south as an ardent sportsman, is a visitor to this city. MT Kennedy Is much inter- | m Iafa ing an aeroplane. When asked his opinion as to where the next world s record breaking aeroplane flight would be he said:
 .'The next worlds record breaking aeroplane flights and the first over-sea flight with the exception of those trips across the English channel will be the Havana to Key West, or Key West to Havana. A prize of $1o,O0o has been of fered for this flight by Cuban news paper, and I have no doubt but that some of our intrepid airmen will compete for it.
 Several noted aviators including Me Curdy, already have sent notices to Ha- vana that they will make th9 attempt. Whether the flight will be from Key West to the Cuban capital or vice versa, has not yet been determined. There was great interest in the contemplated flight when l was in Key West recently. It Is 110 miles from Key West to Havana via steamship, but the air line distance is about 90 miles. The weather in Decem- Der, when the attempts is to be made, usually is very good along the Cuban and Florida coasts, and an experienced aviator should have little difficulty in making a successful voyage. A fleet of tugs and steamers will accompany the aviators, if they can keep up with them, and there will be steamers all along the route loaded with spectators from Key West and Havana.
 Almost any aviator with good ma chine could make the passage in fair weather in two hours, and 1t will not be a much more difficult feat than crossing the English channel. Much interest is being taken in the plan in Havana, and the newspapers published there and read in Key West by the Cuban population are most enthusiastio
 'We of New Orleans, particularly, and the people of the whole south generally" !" said Peter F. Pescud. "believe that the completion of the canal will mean 8 great deal to the Atlantic seaboard and to the entire region watered by the Mississippi river"
 Mir Pescud is a prominent business man of New Orleans and was seen by a reporter as he was journeying home from trip in the north.
 Already" said MT. Pescud, "a new line of carriers Is being arranged for by the Mississippi Transportation company. a corporation organized for the purpose of transportingfi merchandise of all kinds from New Orleans up the Mississippi and it's tributaries, when the canal is com pleted.
 I've know that In the matter of freight cargoes, especially, there will be a great revival of business at New Or leans which is the gateway-to the Mis- sissippl. and that New Orleans will be- come the American port for many steamers now plying between Europe and ports farther north. The canal will be of immense service to that vast re- zion of the middle west now at the mer- cy of the railroads, and over which ev-