The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-04-03
Governor Cats Message
To The Legislature


that these companies sholl be re-
quired to contribute their just pro-
ncrtion to the burdens of the State
government, / recommend the pas
SCI &c OF a statute imposing tax 0,
this CHARACTER upon such companies.
LEGAL RATE OF INTEREST
The monetary conditions of the
United States are becoming so con-
gested and the other States are de-
r;ar ding a lower rate OF interest 1t
n:.ght be a good thing for the Leg
islature to contemplate lowering the
legal rate of interest to six per cent,
with special contracts making eight
per cent legal where it is an agree
ment between the two parts. This
will bring many thousands of dollars
into our State for investment. for
tho financial world is afraid of high
rates of interest, while they seek
with much avidity those invest
rents based upon low rate of per-
cchtage, because they are safer.
THE FRIEND OF THE CONVICTS
This is a new step taken in the
laws of the word, but the prison re-
form question, like that of prohibi-
, ton and other good movements, is
Eew question and one that must
I've solved sooner or later. In order
to solve this question / have spent
several sleepless nights thinking of
the condition of the prisoner or con-
victs. oftentimes shut within the
walls for life and having no friend
except the convict inspector, who can
see him but rarely. Oftentimes this
convict has remained in prison for
So long time that all the friends Of
his youth are gone, either dead or
scattered. People who knew OF his
crime are no longer alive; he has
spent all of his money in past efforts
to gain his freedom by pardon. No
one cares for him, and shut within
prison he sometimes lives and dies
without hope and without anyone on
the outside or the inside OF the pris-
on walls who will make any effort
for his release. My idea. from think.
ing deeply about this question, il
that the State of Florida should
commence new movement by APP
pointing an officer known by the
name of THE FRIEND OF THE
CONVICT, whose duty ii shall be to
remain in prison, but allowed to
come out at stated intervals with the
convicts, hear their stories. learn
their heart-throbs of sorrow and dis
consolateness and form iduciary
relation with these men to such a
degree that this man will take their
part as an advocate even as the Son
OF Man came to earth and took the
part of a lost and ruined world with
our Heavenly Father. and in case
that these prisoners are imposed up
on il will be the duty of this Off
Ger to stand up for their rights even
as Christ will stand before the Mercy
Seat of an Almighty God in the day
Of Judgment for you and |. Living
in the prison walls as this man will
dc. he will become acquainted in due
time with each and every prisoner
know his life stories. find out al
about his idiosyncrasies of disposi
ltion and peculiarities of mannerism
which will enable him to be of vas
value to the Board OF Pardons whel
they come to consider who is worth,
of being pardoned and who is not
. He can also tell those into whose lif
real reforms have come and can be
great aid in helping the Pardonin,
Board and the prisoners as we'll.
realize that this is a new oues
, tion and possibly will be receives
with ridicule by great many bu
the time will come when the worl
will see that am right. and I as
you. gentlemen. while such a thin
! is beyond the pale of possibility. I
imagine yourselves within the priso