The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-04-05
governor CHECKLISTS MESSAGE
| is PRESENTED TO The LEGISLATURE
AN ABLE DOCUMENT. IN WHICH
FLoaID%s CHEF EXECUTIVE
DEALS IN A STRICTLY BUSINESS
MANNER WITH MANY PROB
LENS THAT WILL CONFRONT
THE LEGISLATURE.

2 ernor Albert w. Gilchrtst has presented
to the states lawmakers since ne became
slmost every phase OF the state govern
ment On the condition Of the state, the
message says:
Condition Of the state.
ne state Of the condition Of affairs IN
this state Is as satisfactory as is the
CONDITION Of the state" The state and
% people are pr0gresGrSg ms IN e everg nnt
census report for 1910 showed an increase
OF population for the nation at large Of
| 21-1 per cent, Tor Florida Az per cent
Prom the foregoing It Is quite apparent
that thousands Of people In other portions
I OF the United States and from the world
fertility of the soil, social conditions and
general resources OF the state are good
roads to health, wealth, happiness and
Primary System.
Discussing the primary election law,
/ the governor gives figures showing the
state contests and recommends that
I first and second choice ballot be ADOPTED
so as to eliminate the necessity Tor a
that every white elector. regardless of his
politics be invited to participate IN the
primaries, the only condition being tnat
he agree to abide by the result IL is also
recommended that saloons be compelled
TO close on primary election as Wen as
on general election days.
ReversaIs on Technlcaltless
The governor discloses at length the
evfl effects Of the all too prevalent prac-
tice of the courts IN reversing yerdlcts
( on technical grounds alone, and he adj
vocates the adoption of law providing
that mo judgment shall be set aside or
reversed, or new trial granted by any
court Of the United Safes In any case,
civil or criminal, on the ground Of mis-
direction Of the jury or the improper ad-
mission or rejection OF evidence, or for
procedure, unless in the opinion of the
court to which application Is made, after
an examination Of the entire case. 1t shall
resulted in a miscarriage of Justice"
AS an Illustration Of the evil sought to
be corrected, the governor cites the fol-
I'm Mobley v. State. 81 Fla, ~. de-
PENDANT was convicted in the Trial Court
Of the larceny OF a cow The supreme
Court reversed the Judgment of the lower
court and awarded defendant new trial
on the ground that the information
charged the defendant with stealing
cow ON a certain day from II. q. Iykes
while the evidence introduced at the
trial showed that the defendant on the
Isykes. This was held by the supreme
Court TO be a fatal variance between the
allegations in the information- and the
proof on which the verdict Of guilty was
obtained. Had this steer proved to be
a bull there is no telling what effect IT
would have had upon determining the de-
$3.50 state Convict System.
The state convict system is discussed
exhaustfvely and Is compared with the
systems of other states. notably Georgia
The Governor opposes the proposition TO
abolish the lease system and work the
convicts on the. public roads because OF
conyicts In the temporary camps which
would be necessary under the public
s'Durine the year 1908 there were hand
led 1905 prisoners; during 1910 there were
handled 1881 prisoners. During 1909 there
were fourteen deaths. During 1910 there
were twenty deaths. The death rate per
Thousand for 1909 was S-21; for 1910 1t
was 11.23. Considering that so many
this Is a remarkably low death rate. In
the registration area Of the United
States, including the New England States,
the District Of Columbia, as shown by
the United States census for 1900. there
were lis deaths per thousand. have
the United States census for 1910.
ssSome think II would be wen to use
the convicts n road 6giIdib bs as so Is done one
iectionable features. I have examined
Somewhat into the Georgia system In
some Of the counties. especially those n
state convicts are assigned for work IN
such cities. The shorter term convtcts
the country. In some counties, in which
there are no such cities, the long and
short term men work on the roads
examined a convict road camp in one
of the counties OF Georgia. In these camps
the men sleep in a movable car placed
on four wheels, with bars, constructed
very much in the manner in which car
is constructed in which animals are con-
veyed around in the various menagartes
forming a part of circuses showing
throughout our state, with this exception:
in the cars there are usually only one
or two animals. In the convict cars, there
ara sometimes ten or twelve eonvicts
chain at night On Sundays they rest
under a canopy. Those who are not trus-
tees are shackled and are attached to
W hat is known as a log chain Those
whom / found located in a city were in
comfortable quarters. with good beds
and apparently as well cared for as those
in the convict camps of Florida.
81 hardly think that IT IS fair for a long
term convict to be required to spend
eight ten or more years in such eramped-
up quarters. Such movable carriages on
roads, in road building are absolutely
necessary, else II the ccnvicts had per-
manent quarters they would necessarily
consume all the time in going to and from
ifFron an economical standpoint such
road system would not be advisable
Able-bodied convicts under the present
lease win bring SS23.s4 per year. guards
good clothing and medical attention being
furnished by the lessee. together with
ton The same amount of money ex-
pended in free labor would probably pro-
duce better results than if the conviets
were placed on the roads. In my judg-
ment. the convicts would fare better in
the present permanent convict camps
than they would If used in such tempo
rary quarters 1t might be well for q
committee of the Legislature to visit a
Florida convict camp and also to visit g
eenvict camp in the neighboring State OF
Georgia II the object in placing the
state convicts on the roads is the ameli-
Grafton of the condition of the convicts
actual observation Of the conditions ex-
listing In Georgia and in Florida might
result In change of opinion If the in.
tentton Of those desiring such q change
Is to have more roads built better re-
suits would probably be obtained IL the
law was such that the money propor.
toned to the counties should be spent ex.
elusively in the construction Of gooc
roads.
Considering that one-half Of the tim,
Of a Circuit Judge is devoted to criminal
cases, then one-hah of the salary paif
to said judges, with the salaries OF rrose.
cuting attorneys and the amount maid ON
BY the state for jurors and witnesses II
criminal coses would represent an annual
expenditure by the state OF between SIa5.
600 and $4,000 on account of crfrnfna
prosecutions. The receipts from the Ieas,
OF such convicts for the year I9ll
amounted to 1856. 134.S1. submit that ,
part Of this money, say $4,000, SHOULD