The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1914-06-25

to a rapidly increasing accumulation Of
publications in the basement OF the Cap
itol, largely resulting from statutes re-
curing the printing Of volumes in excess
of-what are needed. The available space
in the Capitol is practically consumed,
and thousands of volumes and manu-
scripts are lying there deteriorating
each year and practically Of value to
no one.
1t would be an immense saving to cor
rect this condition, and / request that
you do investigate and by appropriate
scripts are lying there deteriOrating each
year and practically of value to no one.
Legislation correct this inexcusable waste
Military Debts.
In the Augusta strike trouble the nil
Iitia incurred an indebtedness with mer-
chants Of that city which should have
been paid over year ago. Where In
debtedness of this character has been
incurred the obligation should be salts
fed at once. suggest that the exact
amount be ascertained by your appro-
pirate committee and provision be made
for immediate payment.
Prison Department.
Time has demonstrated the wisdom of
placing the convicts upon the roads.
From the standpoint Of humanity as well
as punitive effect, / think no better dis
position could, be made of those who
have violated the laws of the land and
placed upon the people the burden of
courthouses, iails and pensions.
Practically so per cent of the conyicts
are negroes. Before the war there was
rarely a case of tuberculosis among this
population because they slept in log cab
ms which admitted the fresh air.
Now consumption is most prevalent
among them, and working upon the roads
in the open air is beneficial from the
standpoint of health and returns to So
ciety in general some compensation for
the expenses of their conviction.
OF course, the highest humanity should
be observed in the treatment of conyicis.
Cruelty, neglect, improper food, unrea-
sonable service, insufficient clothing, lack
Of sanitary provision should not be coun-
tenanced. Any cruelty to even the most
debased should be met with the seyerest
punishment.
Yet am not in sympathy with that
idea which would provide comforts and
Injuries to the murderer, the burglar and
the other yiolators of the law denied to
the honest citizen.
There are thousands of honest parents
in Georgia who find it difficult to provide
their children with sufficient apparel to
keep them warm in winter. They learn
their lessons by the dim light of pine
knot fire and as soon as opportunity
arises go forth into life to struggle for
heard. They are not provided with an
education in trades, but must meet the
problems facing them with the small
equipment that poverty can furnish.
1t hardly seems consistent with justice
that the privileges of trade education
shall be granted only to the criminal
while the honest are deprived of it. !
do not believe the struggling head of a
family should work longer hours and
make more sacrifices to give facilities to
the convict which are not granted to his
own children Especially is this the case
when the average age of the convict
would be between % and 80 and so per
cent, being negroes, have been in the
habit of making their living by manual
labor.
In addition, it is not fair to create
competition between convict labor and
free labor. The honest merchant and
artisan should be given every encourage
ment to maintain and support those de-
pendent upon him, and there is no better
citizen than he.
The making of good roads is a trade
in itself and is far healthier than en-
ployment in mines with their accompany
ing hardships.
In this connection / beg to call your
attention to my preceding recommended
tions in regard to highway commission.
The prison commission has provided an
engineer to visit roads and solve techni-
cal problems. 1t is hard to exaggerate
the amount Of waste resulting from the
improper supervision and maintenance of
highways.
Bills are pending in congress for the
purpose of aiding the various states in
the construction of good roads, and these
bills generally provide for expenditures
of these contributions through highway
commissions.
The commission might be created with
out the necessity for extra expense by
utilizing the engineer already supplied
by the prison commission and the pro-
fessor of civil engineering at the Uniyer-
sity Of Georgia and the professor of a
similar department at the Georgia School
of Technology. Their suggestions and
advice would be invaluable and the serv-
ice would be economical. Any plan ac-
complishing the same result would be
equally satisfactory.
While the building of highways from
county site to county site is beneficial to
them, the great majority of the people
on other roads should not be forgotten.
Along these roads is the path of the
rural free delivery, and in proportion as
they can be Travelled rapidly the facility
for distribution of mail to those who live
in the country is increased. 1t is i'm
possible to overrate the benefits result
ing in the shape of education and in
creased Joy of living that arise from this
great privilege. AS far as practicable
the roads over which mail is delivered
should be public roads.
The wisdom of the law providing for
the working of convicts on the highways
is further demonstrated in the flexible
provision made for the small and less
wealthy counties of the state. 1t is inn
possible for many of them to utilize their
own conyicts except at prohibitive cost,
and hence the feature of exchange was
wisely included.
Industrial Training School for Way
ss..f-.