Evening star., 1925-12-10
Should Recognize Effort.

sick
Should Recognize Effort.
1t is my belief that a prison is not
for the purpose of exacting a pound
of flesh or demanding an eye for an
eye. When a man has made an hon
est effort to reform. ] think the State
should recognize such an effort. should
encourage such men, should make
some reward
We have a bunch of people down
here in Texas who have been as maud
lin over convicts as only political ms
can get. They have raved over con-
dltions in the penitentiary-and condi-
tons are bad enough, it is true. But
these men rave over the conditions
for column after column in the news
papers. Their rawlings go for nothing
more than talk and for the expendi-
ture of State funds for Investigations
that get nowhere. They whoop and
wall over the poor tubercular pris-
oners.
Then when ! came along and par
doned some of these tuberculars that
they might go home to die with their
own people. L was faced with bitter
vituperative opposition.
| have found scores of convicts in
the prison, forgotten by the world, old
and weary, victims of long terms for
small sins-and | have given them a
chance to go out in the world and earn
an honest living once more.
Each Case Individual.
They charge me with wholesale
pardons," and my answer is that each
man in the prison is an individual
case. They charge me with wishing
TO build up votes for future cam
paigns. And answer:
With the courts of Justice" in the
State of Texas. where the blindfolded
goddess often manages to slip off the
handkerchief long enough to cast one
eye on the defendants ocketbook.
II has been my observation that the
rich mans case hangs on and on until
the courts forget him-but the poor
devil, after the lawyers get through
with him. IS SO stony broke that the
price of three meals looks like a mil
honaire'S bank roland poor men
have no political influence. particu-
larly poor men who are also ex-con-
victs,
My worst enemies have never
charged that I have ever gotten one
penny from a pardoned convict. and
as for political influence, I doubt if
there are five men, either among those
could influence five votes for any mar
q" woman running for office in Texas.
The accused men who have influence
get their cases continued 80 they
never get to prison.
One of the most remarkable sources
of opposition to my pardon record has
come from the preachers of Texas.
Political Ministers.
Men who make their living preach
ing about the forgiveness of the Saw
iuur on Sunday, on Monday morning
have forgotten about their sermons
and have gone right back into the
political game.
A lot of this opposition may be laid
to the door of my ku Klux enemies.
1t is a well known fact that hun
dreds of the preachers of this state
were leading members of the hooded
order during its heyday in Texas.
Not only We're they active members.
hut they allowed hooded and disguised
men to walk into their churches dur
ing services. and they publicly ac-
cepted donations from the invisible
empire.
Some of these men have led in the
hue and cry against granting par
dons. They have forgotten that
just" They know better. I am sure,
but their actions only show the ex-
tent to which men will go when con-
trolled by prejudice rather than by
reason and Justice.
Up in Dallas last Summer. two ne
groes were convicted of a horrible
crime. They were sentenced to be
electrocuted in 80 days-and the exc
cution day fell OH a Sunday.
I extended the day of execution five
days. so that the State would not be
called on to turn the Sabbath Day into
d butchers day
What happened?
This is what happened: My Office
was deluged with kilograms, telephone
calls and letters, demanding that I re-
woke that extension and allow those
negroes to be electrocuted on Sunday,
I was condemned, threatened and ac-
cused, And u large number of those
messag ages came from ordained min.
listers of the gospel!
Think of that; a man who has taken
as his life work the preaching of
mercy and love, who claims that he
walks the paths the Saviour trod, who
represents the Man who pardoned
thief on the cross, would see the day
dedicated to God turned into a
ShambIes and would criticize me be
cause | refused to join in such prac-
tiCe!
Served Long Time.
There is a statute on the Texas
books known as the indeterminate
sentence law. This provides that men
may be sentenced from to 10
years. 10 to 25 years, and so on. 1t
provides that when such a convict
has served the minimum time of his
sentence with clear record, he is
eligible to executive clemency.
Dozens of the men | have pardoned
since I took office are men who have
served almost the maximum of their
time. with clear records. They were
promised by the law under which they
were sentenced that they might look
for another chance, and / have given
il to them. Yet my enemies publish
their condemnation of me because
am upholding that law.
I have no maudlin sentiment about
convicts. l know there are men in the
H. Ia aI o1