The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-02-22

by Mr.. Brown and that he stayed in
the office the entire time between
trains.
For your information / will tell
you who are criticising this place:
men who want this job and their
friends; men who want to see the
prisoners back in the private lease,
men who do not believe in the humane
treatment of prisoners, and men who
are just naturally "agin it cause they
are agin it."
1t matters little to some people
that my predecessor stood at the head
of this institution at Ocala, through
the administrations of Governors Gil
christ and Trammell. and part of that
of Gov. Cats. for nine years, and re-
signed of his own free will and ac-
cord, and yet although / am making
good and satisfying the board, / must
get down and out for what-political
reasons solely.
1t should be a source of pride. il
seems to me. to every citizen of Flor
ida to know that it's great prison
farm with its acres of beautiful, level,
cultivated lands. its fine stock of
horses, mules, cows, hogs, poultry and
its various and varied industries, al
though almost in its infancy in de-
yalopp,o,f iS poxxy moo rlxv Solf S,,v+a ~,
ing, although all the Grips, old, worm
out prisoners, tuberculars and the sick
and afflicted of every description and
mature are maintained here. 1t is at
many prison officials of the United
States, as almost every state has sent
a representative here and even one
from Europe. A remark of the latter
recall well. After going through
and over the entire plant, he said, "If
this thing was worked by free labor,
would say it was most marvellous,
but to know that it is done by prison
labor, it surpasses my imagination"
In conclusion, Mr.. Editor, / extend
a cordial invitation to you to visit the
farm, go in, out, over and through un-
molested, and then go back to your
den and spill the beans.
/ Respectfully, ]. S. Bitch.
4 Raiford, Fla, Feb. q.
1 Mr.. Hart's Letter
Mr.. J. S. Bitch,
Superintendent, State Farm,
Raiford, Florida:
;, Dear Mr.. Bitch: / learn that there
lis some criticism of the Florida farm
on two grounds: first, that the farm is
costing the state too much; and, sec
Iond, that it is Observation-Disclosures.
have heard the view expressed that
the farm should be entirely self
supporting. which / take it would
mean that no state appropriation for
its support should be made.
i | am not familiar with the details,
but ! suppose from what you told me
that you have saved large amount to
the state by dispensing with three
fourths of the paid employees.
i I suppose also that the labor of the
loonvicts has added very large
lamount to the value of the farm,
which should be credited to the ac-
count of the prison labor. For ex-
ample, the refrigerating plant which
you were building when / was there
must have a cash value of at least
$4,000 or $4,000, created by the labor
|. that was put into it. When you dig
IA canal or clear field there is an act
uaI investment which could be con-
lverted into cash, if the. state chose to
. sell the property.
think that your accounts should be
! kept in such a way as to exhibit the
, Increase in the value of the property,
. due TO the labor of the convicts from
jyear 10 year. The property should be
. lnventoried by outside experts at the
. lelose of each year. and the actual re-
suits of The operation of the prison,