The Mena weekly star., 1911-01-19

DNAOFC tlidt t,ItlCAcll4 tifCfC lids DCtll
closer observance Of the laws and
better enforcement of them. Still
In a few instances they have been
overthrow and a mob law has
reigned | unhesitatingly say that
you should enact law that will
prevent mobs in any shape or form.
The mob should not be toler-
ated and you should pass strict laws
to prohibit it. believe if the mob
takes the life of human being
while in the custody of a sheriff or
other officer, that the official who
suffers his prisoner to be taken from
him should be deprived of his office.
In this connection | will again say
that the deadly pistol should be
sent to the junk pile, and that any
one found carrying a pistol or other
deadly weapon, or selling same with
in the borders of this state, should
suffer a more severe penalty than
that prescribed by our present laws.
The practice of carrying pistols is
responsible for large number of
the crimes committed within our
state, and you should pass such
laws as will put an end to ii.
State Lands.
Again recommnd that lands
belonging to the state be withdrawn
from sale except to bona fide home
steaders, From year to year they
have been sold off until the acreage
now belonging to the state is COM
parativeley small. The best lands
formerly belonging to the state have
most all been sold. principally for
the timber This timber has been
shipped from the borders of our
state and the people have received
nothing for it, The remaining tracts
are worth far more than the present
price asked. The remainder Of the
states land should be held subject
TO location by actual settlers under
restrictions that would prevent their
use for any other purpose
The Governor advises the abolish
ment of the state land Office and
the transferring Of the business Of
handling the lands to the Office of
the Commissioner of Mines, Manu-
factures and Agriculture. This, he
believes, would save $4,000 year.
The Governor gave a detailed de-
scription of lands owned by the
state in and near Little Rock, and
pointed out where trespassers we're
located on some Of same, and urged
that steps be taken to protect such
property from the encroachment Of
damage and occupation of such tres
pasSerS.
Coal Yet Belonging to State.
The governor called attention to the
report Of Professor J. G. Branner. for
merly State GoIogist, covering large
amount Of coal lying under the bed OF
the Arkansas river, which he believes
will be of vast value. He urges that
steps be taken to protect this wealth
from encroachment by parties to
whom ii does not belong.
The eeeeyernncrr eeeyernncrr eecniniends the estah-
lishment of the State Board Of Health.
and recommends that it be given
means of maintenance and to carry or
its work through an appropriation.
Peniteutiary.
The management Of the Arkansas
penitentiary has been a preplexine
problem to the people Of the state for
many years. The penitentiary is de-
sienedly place for the punishment
of criminals. and should not be made
a football for politicians to toss here
and there, nor means OF personal
profit to individuals, corporations or
contractors. Every phase of none
tary profit coming from convict labor
to anyone except the state should be
eliminated. This can never be done
under any form OF leasing convicts to
contractors. The Governor then spoke
of the neglect and bad treatment of
criminals by contractors and of the
many deaths resulting. He believes
that investigation would show that
large majority of deaths among these
helpless men in the past two years
we're from this cause. He says that
when the state works her own convictss
on her own work and on her
own premises. there is no incentive to-;
oyerwork, underfeed or badly clothe
the prisoners. He was told by the
warden of the states farm that during
the past year. on certain occasion n
he sent eighteen convicts two miles;
away from headquarters without sS
guard. to clear some land. That they
went to and from the work daily withs
out giving the least trouble. On ou6
convict farm if there has been free
guard employed in the past two year,
il was a useless expense. During my
several visits there. / have never seefss
one. and the statement OF the wardefI
to me was that there were no free
guards on the farm All were con
victs. and those | noticed were mos
ly cripples or otherwise disabled 81
they could not have made full hand
at other kinds of labor. But whe
convicts are hired out to contract0I
il not only takes free guards. but ais
more of them to a given number
men that il would require on the farm