The Springdale news., 1917-01-19

r..r o, nm We can provide for nsaaad accommodations and extensions m connection with the Confederate nome, anu we can take steps to see that the run Pfu rata allowed each veteran under the pFes- ent law is stoO per year. instead ol *eV Ns at the present time. This pro rata IS ilAeo by the size of the tax rate and the nun nun. her Of pensioners, am informed ny pIoHi ineat ard thoroughly reliable CohfedeFats vstarans that there are many instances of fraud in connection with our pension ro''a' which need purging: that this frsuo arlse in most cases because there are some AHo"s the 07sI pensioners on our foIE WHo w, serted the Confederate army or who leit the army without any leEittmate or lawlul eA cuse and others who perjure themSelNes as being peupers. when, as matter or l1ce, @ they are in good circumstances are no" on the pension rolls. Three years ago Ala bama created q pension c0'uatissi7H' "hIett. after an Investis sation pursed the pehsloh roll u that state of about third oA the pensioners, and l frank to say that II the general assembly creates an hoho A'Y commission imposed or Confederate s' !- diers or their sons, to supervise the lA"'hS' I will promptly sign the bill and incur what ever or criticism may attach to the 'FS@'ioh of new commission.
 school Tor GiTis
 There is heed for all industrial schooi for girls Ia Arkansas. Such school coaia be established modest scaf7 by building two cottages on the site or the present re- form scAoo. and converting the pIeseh. building into class rooms, gymnasium ana administration rooms, the girls to be graded according 10 age and moral conditions. The state charities board, especially it at least two women we're on the boafd' HdSat very properly have general control ana super vision. selecting d woman supeflR eAde4t. The present reform school for boys IS t1- cated on very undesirable site where there Is little opportunity for gaT4snins t-d marketing industrial work and another lpfs. .Tf,r. I cd q Teal reform Of the boys who are thma-rd IS 10 be effected for rocky and idie brains certainly constitute fthe devils workshop. 7
 PeIlitentiary Conditions.
 "Penitentiary conditions tn Arkansas are a disgrace. Any prison system which ex- cuses wrougdoing and units wrungduers to discharge the ordinary duties Of "'hteA- ship stands sen-coudeuHed always pro vided that men and women are capable uf being bettered while iH custody of the state. While tho appraisers biennial re- port shows that the state penal uAt tld- tions worth El,o99 6o2 and tha. CT ps raised the Cummins and Tucker tar1.s this year were large. both in quantity and value. and while generous allowance may be made for the damage done lg floods in f9fo and 1916 which was estiut0tVG at approximately S454s Qptz yet from an ac9- nCmtc standpoint there seems to be little excuse for the necessity af issuing a de- f!ciency proclamation of aboat sf5.o00 to pay the running expenses ef rich bottom farms and no excuse for the purchase by the board or penis et tidf8 GUfHIul sSlOnars Of e tract of uuclssred woodland.
 Tt has heeH chafge4 thai Inc trsH tment of cur eoHvicts the state farms is oHt5n- times inhumaue. uns01ttary and dCgradinz that he food provided has been unwao4e- some; that both clothing and bedding af ae eonVfets Is sometimes filthy and uns anitsI y and that they are 0ftaatHaHs require to wear their stripes foi three Rsa<3 at rirna without q change. fn spite ef tho sact ftst there k an abundance of stripes SUI st.irs material at "the welIst,. that afIeQu ito hr s- ptaal ard clinical facilities have Hot bean provided that filters have rst been installed on ii least one Of the farms t1 ms Ire paIateIIe and pure drinking wat4r. that on the GumWtas farm Hfghtgerr8. soap and sheets are scarce and dirty ucks. fat ba6 ks. and officers are plentiful. Not crIY should thorough Invest sation of these charges Ia made bv q leg e=szative commit tee. but tfte commission for Ire investigate of eGr ptnat and charitable Institutions. f created. should enter upon It's work zeal- oasIS 9nd begin with the state convict farms
 An Advisory Feetd
 s..In my opinion the pardon Hg power of this state has been greatly abused, In many instances the requirements ef taa law as 10 publications af petitions n fhe county where tke eaInae=Was committed kaxe not been ohsegasz5 Fardous H#xe H=#a granted through tai.eieal influences before tre can- Eiated FaHs5es ever Jeff f#H the reuitea- t.arY. aHd the merits Of the petitions for pardon H1ve Tnf been carefully exam i.i ed. I fully sympathiza wtth t8e heart ra cisiaz- experience CT a1 governors. who earnestly desire te temper justice with mercy and fa hose tusomz he wttk Of human Kindness fioWa In overwhelming streams, yet the governor. AS tbe chief executive of the state, charged with the solemn and sacred duty ot seeing that the laws of the land are properly enforced must remember thet
 'soVefetFn law our States =taeted will. Should sit empress. erowning good. repress-
 ing ill."
 "1n order that the governor may not de- vote the major portion of Hts time to a con sideratton of applications for pardons and Tn order that every pardon nay be acted ou strictly according To it's merits free from IT : teat influences. Connection Illinois iu- q Michigan. Minnesota. U 5ssi9st93i Nc htz-,a. Eesade, North Dakota. Texas and Wyoming heve created advisory pardon boards which consider all applications for parlons ard make their instrumentation states mentioned invariably follow the rec concentrations of the boards and thus the granting or refusal 10 grant pardons i5 merely perfunrtrry net on their part ThtA means a tremendous savinE In tho time Of the executive which he can de- vote to the consideration of weighty public questions and al the same time insurcs a thorough-Roing consideration of all applt- cations for pardors their merits
 Good Roads.
 ''ArkansHs has no greater need than good roads not only for travel. but for the cheap transportation of form products. This year our state has golden opportunity to be- gin 2 comprehensive system of road build Ing. which will eventually gridron our com monweaith with ? vast network of improved hiVhwHys. Under the provisions of the shaeklefor4 good roads bill passed by the last Congress. ss2 900 is available imme- diateIy and will be available until June S0 1917 The amount Arkansas should re celve for It's 1917 apportioament is S15s000; for 1913 s249000. and by continuing tho addition Of sum slightly increasing the amount for the first year sS2 900 each year for period If five years. the Rggre- gate sum of s 800 00o which also includes forest reserve funds will have been received at the end of five years from the federal government for upon the states roads However to receive this federal aid the state will have to appropriate iiberalIy for the cause Of good roads for the next five years. The s82 065 now available for Ark Ahass not be used unless the present general assembly makes provision for [ similar amount, and authorizes approprta uon5 to fneet the government ailotments fol the next two years. If the state can show visible sources from which the money car be derived for three years, the requirement. by the federal government will have beer mt.
 Auto Tax Amendment
 l therefore recommend that the genera assembly amend the automobile tax law st as to divert the entire tax Into a state fund n h. cod B.rs sh.