Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-02-09

of the law and in spite of the action
Of the courts in holding that the
board Of pardons have no right to
parole the prisoners, the conditions
which existed there during the last
summer shall not prevail this next
summer. / decided that either the
building must be constructed or that
/ would instruct the superintendent
of the prison to turne the women
loose rather than keep them i'm
prisoned under the conditions that
existed last year.
There will probably be criticism
from political sources of the action
of the board of directors of state
institutions and I want to anticipate
it by announcing this policy to the
peace officers of the state of Ari-
zina, and to invite those of you who
are passing through Florence on
your way home, to stop at the
prison and inspect the women's quar-
ter. / want also to invite the wom-
ems organizations of the state Of
Arizona to send representatives to
the prison to inspect the women's S
quarters SO that they may be fully
advised of conditions, and be able
to understand the motive which has
actuated the board of directors Of
state institutions in building a wom-
ems prison without authority of law.
1T might be well to comment here
on the fact that adobe walls may
I not make the strongest kind. of a
| barrier against escapes, but we shall
endeavorA to maintain discipline to
the best of our ability.
The board of directors of state
institutions have also assumed the
responsibility of relieving the con-
gestion in the mems quarters by
utilizing several of the prisoners for
road work in Pinal county. They
have formed a very efficient road
camp, run entirely on the honor sys-
tenn, and have been at work since
the first of the year. We shall
endeavor to keep them employed as
much as possible during the balance
of this year, as we find that where
work of this nature is convenient
to- the prison, we are able to keep
the prisoners employed under prac-
tically the same expense as we are
within the walls of the institution
This is of special help in view OF
the fact that the legislature failed
to appropriate any money for road
work. In order to do this we are
receiving the assistance and co.
operation of the highway department.
and the board of supervisors of Pinal
county. Thus the labor Of these pris-
onres is being utilized for the adj
vantage of the state, rather than to
have them lying idle and unproduc-
tive.
THE program as mapped out by
the governor, though a small one, is
very important, as the roads when
completed will open up a section of
the country that will come under
cultivation on the completion of the
Coolidge dam. At the present time
the people in that section have no
means of getting to and from mari
kets
This program includes the recon
structfon Of the. old Hunt highway,
running from Chandler to Florence,
and new road connecting with the
Chandler highway at Sacaton, and
the Tucson Casa Grande highway at
Pichaco. "A
In conclusion, want to thank
the peace officers of Arizona for
their cooperation on numerous occa-
sions when ! have called upon them
to furnish information and to en-
force the law. It has been a pleas
ure to work with you. / trust your
convention will prove a success and
rebound to the interest of the state
OF Arizona.