Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-01-21

prompted him TO express the hope
that the legislature consider the
wisdom OF retaining title to this
property Ito await the development
OF its prospective mineral -alue, and
make provision for its develop
ment."
IF the legislature considers that
some OF the land should be sold,
then certainly the law should pro-
vide for q reservation OF the min
erals in any conveyance to any
part Of the land" he said.
Prison Failure
"Our prison system has proved a
dismal failure from many stand
points. I assert that any business
enterprise which holds the posi-
bility OF losing Is per cent OF its
capital investment in any one year
Is an unsound business. The prison
system this year will lose approXi-
mately S1,250.000, or about one
fourth the value OF all real and
personal property owned by the sys-
tenn. No sensible person would con-
tinue in any private business that
was attended with such hazards,
and II 1t Is not good business for
private individuals it is not good
business for the state"
y. Floods Damage
He said that floods over prison
farms, with the damage 10 crops
amounting to almost destruction.
were largely responsible for the
heavy losses sustained last year"
II estimate that the final &C
count OF the years operations will
show that every pound Of cotton
which the system was able to raise
sold below the cost of production.
and that ii was a case OF the more
acres planted in cotton the more the
loss" Governor Moody said.
He said facilities for housing
prisoners ARE pitiful." and added
that prisoners escape with APP
parently little difficulty"
". Expensive
Hundreds Of thousands Of dol
lars are being expended annually
from the funds of the taxpayers of
the state in guarding prisoners. and
amounts TO almost one half the
entire cost OF maintaining each
man." he said. Notwithstanding
this expense the prisoners escape
and ! think 1t a logical deduction
that the prison farm and surround
ingS are conducive to and encourage
escapes.
The prison at Huntsville Is q d.
lapldated. run down and worn out
makeshift. 1t makes one shudder
to think what might be the re-
suit Of any large fire within the
walls Of the State Penitentiary.
The facilities for caring for the
men are Of the most archaic type.
The physical properties fit my idea
of a Siberian prison. Then en-
forcement of sanitary and health
regulations are almost impossible.
Nothing worth mentioning Is done,
or can be done. In the present sur
roundings for the moral n rmation
Of the prisoner. or towaro restor-
ing him to useful citizenship"
System Has Evils
OF the fee system he said that
while 1t may stimulate the activ-
ity Of the offices, its evils for out
weigh the advantage gained by this
added activity
The provision Of the constitu-
ton makes it impossible to abolish
the fee system in this state, and
any attempt TO amend that pro-
vision would be bitterly opposed BY
practically every officer who Is nov
compensated through the fee sys-
| tenn" Governor Moody said. MANY
citizens would vote against such
amendment with the misapprehen-
sion that under the fee system vio-
laters OF the criminal law are made
to pay the cost Of supporting our
public officers. a more mistaken
notion was never abroad in the
land. When one considers the
millions Of dollars in fees for the
collection Of ad valorem taxes, the
error Of this conception Is apparent
The fees OF officers IN felony cases
arc paid by appropriations from
The general revenue and the general
revenues are raised BY taxation
The fees Of the tax assessors and
collectors are likewise raised through
/ the imposition Of taxes. The pre-
sent fee bill has been patched ur
and changed here and there to give
a man here. and one wonder. more
fees. until II Is difficult for a law
yer to read the statute and under
| stand It.
NV. Facts Gathered
The committee wnlcn was ap-
pointed at the last session or tine
legislature to investigate the cper-
aAon OF the lee system mas gathered
some rather interesting ana i!iu-
mnating facts. 1neir report states
mat they found that some Officers
were collecting ana retaining III tees
as much as $4,000 a year. That Is
an excessive amount Of remundera-
ton for any officer or any office
holder IN Texas. The committee In
its report has directed attention tc
some of the defects in the present
law. You will also find in this re-
port reference to the contract Sys-
tenn that seems 10 have gained
popularity recently for the collec-
ton OF delinquent taxes; the com
mittee reports that some counties
have entered into contracts for the
payment Of excessive percentage fol
the collection of delinquent taxes
This imposes a burden upon the
revenues Of the state and the com
mittee says thar the state will pay
this year $4,000 moro than q rea-
sonable amount for the services Of