The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-04-20

certain whether or not the state
ments made are true as it is the
duty of the board OF control to visit
such institution, and If the neglect
Of the board of control is such as
to render them unfitted for the posi-
tions they occupy, then the neglect
on the part OF the members of this
committee is such as, in their own
Interpretation of affairs, to absolute
ly disqualify them for the position
which they now occupy.
"But that there may be no mis-
take about who is responsible for
conditions there, | want to call your
attention to the further fact: In the
latter part of November. 1912, | pre-
pared and delivered into the hands
of each member of the committee iEy
message to the regular session. This
was done in order that they might
study the questions that | discussed
and come to the legislature prepared
| to settle them. No member of that
committee can claim that he has not
been given fair opportunity 70
know the things that | recommended
should be corrected in this state, and
| f correction has not been had, the
responsibility therefor certainly does
not rest with the governor.
"In dealing with this question of
the reformatory, | called attention to
the fact that We had no reformatory
in this state and asked you to pass
law defining the character of insti-
tuition that should be maintained at
Granite and to make it possible to
prescribe rules that would make of
that institution a reformatory. In
that message | used this language:
Purpose of Reformstory.
"This legislature should define
plainly the part the reformatory Is
to play in Oklahoma. If we are to
have there a real reformatory, then
the buildings should be erected TO
meet that condition. If, on the 9TH
er hand, this shall be in the nature
of a second penitentiary, | would
recommend that you abandon, for
the present any further efforts at
building at that institution and trans
port of all c. the prisoners to Meal
ester. There are ample provisions
Tor taking care of all the prisoners
of both institutions at McAlester, aud
it would certainly be far more eco
nomical to have single institution
than to have two
Il also called attention to the fact
that the institution at Granite was
costing the state for the keep of the
prisoners there 80 IA cents daily
per capita, while the daily per capita
cost at McAlester was 40 and nine
tenths cents, and stated that the
800 prisoners now at Granite could
be taken care of at McAlester and
add practically nothing to the salary
account at that place.
THE legislature was in regular
session sixty eight days and during
that time nothing was done in the
way of legislative enactment to un
dertake to correct the conditions |
complained of
when the legislature convened in
extraordinary session, in the first
message that | submitted, | again
called attention to conditions in the
penal institutions and in that mes
sage i used the following language:
81 further recommend that you
place the state pententiary at Nc
Alester and the state reformatory at
Granite under board OF control to
be appointed by the governor, no
member of which board shall be "A !
state official. 1t is practically i'm
possible for state official to give
the time to these institutions that is
demanded without neglecting other
public duties, and the result is that
these two institutions have been neg
or oil htr hn r1 Of ntt.n1 fn-
the reason that the members thereof
have not had the time to make
the inspections that should have been
made to give them the supervision
they need.
This message was delivered on
the eighteenth day of March, 1913,
and up till this time no act has
been passed that will in any wise
relieve the present condition The
conditions that prevail at Granite
today have prevailed there according
TO the report OF this committee, ever
since your body has been in ses
sion, and yet this committee has
made no attempt, in a legislative way.
10 correct the things | complained Of,
nor to bring about any correction of
the things complained of in it's report,
and | submit that members of this
have been just as dereict
in the performance of public duty
N not undertaking to correct these
which | have complained
Of and called to their attention as
has been any member of the board
Jf control of the penitentiary.
81 submit this further fact, that
he investigation conducted by your
was conducted behind
'losed doors; that the accused ward
IN and deputy had no opportunity
o be present and face their accus-
RS; that they never knew that a
2harge had been preferred against
hem until you had practically closed
he investigation; that not an intima-
ion was made by any member OF the
that the conduct of the
ioard of control was in any wise
,eing inquired INTO. Such proceedings
Is these are unheard of in a commu-
lity composed of people who believe
n fair play.
"The legislature and the governor