Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1912-07-17
Benton MCMilliR'S
Terms as Governor
characterized by Many Notable
Reforms and Economies.

state of Tennessee the most pro
gresslve and the most economical
administration in its history The
following extract from his address
TO the legislature at the close of
his last term will show some of the
things he accomplished
Let not the Legislature or the
the Executive despise small econ.
omies The Act of 1899 Feduclng
the cost of insane asylums has
saved the state S21, 1915 per annum;
the Act redistricting the state and
consolidating judicial circuits and
chancery divisions has saved the
state $50, 900 per annum; the Act
regulating coal oil inspections,
whereby surplus fees we're turned
into the Treasury. has yielded
S97, 247 above all expenses; the
Act placing n tax of one-tenth of
one per cent on the granting Of
charters of incorporation and on
the consolidation of corporations
has enabled the Secretary of State
in less than four years of ITS oper-
alton to pay into the Treasury
.$134,S
The penitentiary has been n
problem in all civilization. How
to run it so that humanity and
economy would 90 hand IN hand
has vexed both sage and solon.
For years our penltentiary has
been run a. n loss. This was es-
peciaIly so during the period when
we were quitting the lease system
and adopting the present system.
But we have attained Il success in
its management never surpassed
in any other state. Ii paid into
the Treasury IN excess OF the
the amount expended in ITS opera
ton, between Dec. 1, 1898, and
Dec. 1, 1902, 1888, 900 in addition
to nearly 100000 improvements
and lands bought; and the last year
it yielded a net revenue of over
5000, 600 Humanity has charac-
terized the administration. The
healthy comfort and well. being of
the inmates have been a constant
study and care.
The Legislature did not content
itself with merely economic meas
ures, bat we have placed upon the
statute books many salutary laws
Among others, we find laws tC
prevent the destruction of ouI
youth by the use of cigarettes
The United States Court had de
cided the statute on this subjec
unconstitutional, but we have
placed one there that is constitu
tional. A law was passed looking
to the weIl-being of our children
to prevent working them in thu
factories before they attained
certain age. Another law wa
passed requiring that fOremen anC
assistant fmemen in mining opera
tons should be examined and Ii
censed for the greater security o
the miners. Another very salu
} tary statute was that by which tn,
age of consent was raised from
sixteen to eighteen years and tn
penitentiary door opened wide
for HIM who despoils the home o
[ youth.
| And finally among the goo
work of the last quadrennial perio
, may be ranked among the best
"The uniform textbook law,
} whereby the poor can be nor
cheaply educated, and greater et
t fciency obtained in the conduct c
I our schools. 1t is no eXaggerate
I estimate that this has saved to th
g children of the state hundreds {
+ thousands of dollars, while il
n creasing the efficiency of tt
y schools.
= forbear comment on other Ell
g actments that will bear the test I
u scrutiny and time.
It Benton McMillin.
T.aWrpnCehur6 District