The courier-index., 1920-07-09
Plummer Issues Statement
-, 4 Hummer, Candidate for Reelection to the Of- Juoss G.e of County and Probate Judge, Lee County
 i Arkansas.

rious funds, each school district re- celvlng its pro rata. In addition thereto the County holds the good and valid bond of the banks in the sum of SIXTY THOUSAND (S6O,- O00) Dollars conditioned that scrip will be kept at par and that you will receive 100 cents on the dol lar for your County Warrants in stead of 50 to 80 cents on the dol lar as they do in some of the ad-; joining counties. The County is in better financial condition today than it has ever been. Do you not think it is your duty as a voter and taxpayer to keep a man in this important office who has dem- onstrated his ability to take care of YOUR money and who keeps the balance to your credit growing each year!
 Improvements
 There were many substantial im- provements necessary to be made in order to promote the welfare of the County. The jail was in very dilapidated condition. It was un- sanitary. It was not safe. There was no provision made to separate the white from the colored prison CTS. The male and female prison CTS were kept in the same general room. There was no provision made for the sick and insane. The grand jury, in it's report covering num- Der of years, has consistently rec- commended that some improvement be made in the jail. Acting upon these reports of the grand juries, who had made investigations of the existing conditions and the appar- ent necessity of doing something for the health, comfort and safety of those unfortunates whom it is necessary at times to confine in jail, a plan was outlined to make the needed improvement. With MT. c. N. Houck, as Commissioner, these improvements were undertaken. Now we have jail that is not menace to the health of those confined therein. There are separate cells for the white and colored and for the male and female of both races. There is a sick ward where the sick can receive proper medical at tention and a safe ward for the insane. The whole is in sanitary condition and is a credit to the County, rather than a disgrace, as was the old jail. We now have, a building that could not be con tracted for at figures less than S3O,O0O.00 that has cost the County only $13,250.O0. Necessary inn provements have been made in and around the Courthouse, and inn provements on the County Farm have been made that will enable us to make the County Farm more profitable institution than it has ever been before. 1 am glad to state that all improvements made by me, have been made by contract ing with citizens of Lee County whom I have found can do the work just as satisfactorily and much cheaper than foreign concerns.
 County Farm
 The County Farm, like the Jail, is a necessity. It was originally purchased as a place for "pest 1 house" in cases of small pox or other epidemics. It is also neces- sity as a place to confine parties who have been fined for the viola | tion of the laws and do not pay their fines. Without this institution such parties would have to be con- fined in jail at cost to the Coun- | ty of S100 per day and an allow ance of 75 cents day would be made on the fine of the prisoner and no work gotten out of him. With the County Farm, it only costs the County, under contract, 50 cents a day to care for the prisoners and they are required to WORK out their fine on the farm.
 From an agricultural standpoint, the County Farm is one of the most undesirable places in the County. The land is very poor badly washed-and unproductive. The present management IS stopping and voiding washes-reclaiming the worn out land. Good yields are ob- tained from clover and alfalfa.
 Farm Improvements
 When it fell my lot to have su- pervision over the County Farm, the farm itself and the improve, ments were in most dllapidated condition. The guard house, con structed of timbers, had gone to decay and had been condemned by the STATE BOARD OF HEALTH. 1t was imperative that new guard house be constructed. The law pro- hibits the confinment of prisoners in wooden structures on account or the danger of fire burning the prs oners to death. There were but two forms of construction to choose between-brick and concrete. Of these, concrete was the safer-more | I.al1a and tho lass aXnenSlXe.