The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-12-04
Danish POLITICS
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man hands there was always room
for Improvement. He feared that the
state spent too little money ON some
things in an effort to economize, re-
ferring to meals for insane people
costing as little as four or 1--WE cents
each. which might be misdirected
economy. The insane should be di.
eted or fed literally at the sugges-
ton Of experts. The Governor feels
that he is Incompetent to select the
heads OF hospitals because he Is not
up on that kind OF work; he knows
little about law, about editorial
work, but he has not studied along
lines which makes him competent to
select the heads Of an insane or min
ers' hospital. Men who advise him
generally urge him to do what they
want done. In multitude OF coun-
sci he has found only confusion.
Politics ought not to find q place
IN en- insane or other hospital" he
declared, which brought applause, af.
ter hesitation. led by Hon. Amos w.
Butler. Of Indiana, one OF the speak.
ers at the conference.
THE governor can hardly escape
selecting man Of his own party for
a position II he appears equally able
as others in mind"
The Governor fears that politicians
will oppose his effort for legislation
by which the appointment of hospital
heads will no longer be party spells.
In an effort to remove political infiu.
ence from such appointments he asks
the support OF charity workers and
all good people. He had written q
letter to the State Medical Society,
which met at Fairmont recently, and
mad casually suggested his ideas in
this connection, but this was the first
time he had given them public express.
sion. -.
The Governor commented upon the
jail population and penitentary pris.
oners at length. He estimated that
there are 1900 people in the jails and
as many In the penitentiary. Ten
percent OF the prisoners were estima.
ted as being held for felonies. He
could not give exact figures because
sheriffs in nine co6nties were so dill.
atory that they had not answered his
letters. He expected to be adversely
criticised sooner or later for granting
pardons. He had expected some one
to dig up his pardon record before
this. He has pardoned a number OF
men but insisted that not a pardon
mad been granted for political or per.
sonal reasons. II he has erred in this
respect 1t has been on the side OF
mercy, but he emphasized that all his
pardons were conditional and reoiced
That he had not been required to ar.
rest single man pardoned 80 far
The Governor is certain that crimi.
nails are detectives and referred Ia
Col. Robert G. Ingersoll's lecture
Grimes Against Criminals addine
that he feared that people in West
virginia jails are not always treated
as well as they should be.
West Virginia is going. to continue
as a dry state" another statement
which got applause eventually, after
Hon. Amos w. Butler led off, and the
chances are that other states will be
wet for time, making the prohibition
laws prominent IN Jail work. He re-
ferred to Justices OF the peace who
are either narrow or desirious al
counting favor with prohibition peo
pie who deal out the limit of the law
and later regret their course and urge
hi INTO pardon the offenders. He has
written sharp letters in such casei
and urged moderation in penalties. He
told one instance of a man In 4
neighboring county who visited Gin
cinnati and brought back more wine
than he should and was arrested Al
Parkersburg. This man was fined
$500 which the governor thought was
sufficient punishment without jail
sentence.
Returning to his pardon record Gov.
ernor Cornwell said that he had in.
Vestigated every case and had not de.
pended upon the pardon attorney like
his predecessors had in some instan.
ces. He had given many Of his Sun.
days to this work.
DR.. Hastings H. Hart, OF the Russell
Sage foundation, don't think 1t practi.
cal to have one board name officers OF
state institutions and another have
charge OF the work. He thinks that
an advisory board might examine men
spoken Of for heads of hospitals or as.
sistants but feels that the actual er,.
ployment OF men should lay with those
In actual charge OF the work.