The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1912-10-31

IL WOulu De mistake 10 make
the prison commissioners con
stitutional officers, because i
would then be impossible fol
the Legislature to make any
changes. and the state would
also in a measure lose some.
what of its control and super
vision Of the penitentiary sys-
TEN. Instead of doing any
thing to in the least separate
the system from state super
vision, believe that the mis-
takes of the past could have been
largely avoided had the state
kept in closer touch through its
governors and legislators, with
the prison management, and
therefore that the relations of
the executive and legislative de-
partments of the government TO
the penitentiary system should
remain intimate to obviate
further mistakes. Therefore, |
am opposed to the adoption of
the amendment making prison
commissioners constitutional of
ficers, but favor the amendment
that would make the terms of
office of the commissioners, as
well as other boards. trustees
and managers of state institu-
tons, six years. Wishing to as
certain the views of Governor
Colquitt, who has given serious
and conscientious study to pen
itentiary affairs, and not de-
string to antagonize his views
if | could conscientiously refrian
from doing 80, wrote him and :
am pleased to present his CO.
NEEDING opinion in the follow
ing letter:
Austin, Tex, Oct. 8, 1912.
Hon. Will H. Mayes,
Brentwood, Texas.
My Dear Sir:
| acknowledge your letter of
October s, and in reply beg to
say that, among other amend (
nents TO the Constitution pro-
posed and submitted by the reg
llar session of the Thirty-second
Legislature, one is embraced in
House Joint Resolution No. %
which proposes to make the
.erms of Office to the Prison
Commissioners six years.
Another amendment was pro-
)osed and submitted which is
in House Joint Reso-
ution No. 8, and provides that
the members of the Board Of
Regents of the State University
md Boards of Trustees and
Managers of educational. elee-
nosynary and penal institutions
hall be elected for a term of
tx years. T"
| believe that this amendment
ught to be adopted, because it
makes the terms of office of the ,
MEMBERS of the boards included ;
. the above quotation from the :
Oint resolution and proposed 4
mendment includes Prison ,
commissioners. and provides /
hat they may be elected or ap-
ointed for a period of six years |.
lternately, one TO be appointed :
elected every two years so b
nat a majority of the board
lay not be changed at any one
ection.
The other amendment to the
proposing to make :,
he Office of Prison Commits |
oner a Constitutional one. :
light to be defeated, in my .
Dinion, for the reason that the
form of govern =
ent for the penitentiary is
ore or less experimental, and
after full trial it should be Il
,und not to be totally satisfac- s.
Try the Office could not be y
polished by the Legislature if ="
lis amendment is adopted, r,
hereas by the the defeat Of al
lis amendment and the adop- g
On of the amendment embrace !,
in House Joint Resolution No. 81
which proposes to make the ca
rms of office of members of j,
e Board of Regents of the Y
University and trustees and
anagers of educational, ell
nosvnary and penal institu-