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

wisdom or retaining title 70 thi.
property TO await the development
OF its prospective mineral -alue, and
make provision for its develop
ment."
III the legislature considers tina
some Of the land should be sold
then certainly the law should pro-
vide for q reservation OF the min
erals fri any conveyance 70 an,
part OF the land" he said.
Prison Failure
Our prison system has proved
dismal failure from many stand
points. I assert that any business
enterprise which holds the posi-
bility or losing rs per cent or III
capital investment IN any u yea
Is an unSound business. The prison
system this year will lose approx
mately $l,250.0O0, or about one
fourth the value OF all real ant
personal property owned by the sys'
tenn. No sensible person would con
tinue In any private business thai
was attended with such hazards
and II 1t is not good business for
private individuals II Is not gooc
business for the state"
". Floods Damage
Ee said that floods over prison
farms, with the damage to crop:
amounting to almost destruction
we're largely responsible for the
heavy losses sustained last year"
Il estimate that the final &C
count OF the years operations will
show that every pound OF cotton
which the system vas able to raise
sold below the cost OF production
and that 1t was q case OF the more
acres planted In cotton the more the
loss" Governor Moody said.
He said facilities for housing
prisoners "are pitiful." and addet
that prisoners escape with ap,
parently little difficulty"
VI. Expensive
Hundreds Of thousands OF dol.
lars 7 being expended annually
from the funds OF the taxpayers O
the state in guarding prisoners. anc
the cost per nan for guarding
amounts 70 almost one half the
entire cost OF maintaining eacl
man." he said. Notwithstanding
this expense the prisoners escapt
and ! think IL a logical deduction
that the prison farm and surround
ings are conducive to and encourage
escapes.
The prison at Huntsville Is q d.
lapidated. run down and d OH
makeshift. 1t makes one ShuddeI
to think what might be the re-
suit Of any large fire within tn,
walls OF the State P~enitentiary
The facilities for caring for the
men are Of the most archaic type
The physical properties fit my ide;
of a Siberian prison. Then en-
forcement OF sanitary and health
regulations are almost impossible
Nothing worth mentioning Is done
or al be done. In the present sur
roundings for the moral reformation
or the prisoner. or toward restor.
ing him to useful citizenship
System Has Evils
or the fee system he said tina
while it may stimulate the activ
ity Of the offices. Its evils for out.
weigh the advantage gained by thu
added activity
The provision or the constitu
ton makes it impossible to abolish
the fee system In this state, am
any attempt TO amend that pro
vision would BIZ bitterly opposed b
practically every officer who Is nor
compensated through the fee sys
tenn" Governor Moody said. Man
citizens would vote against Sucl
amendment with the misapprehen
sion that under the fee system VIC
laters OF the criminal law are mad
to pay the cost OF supporting on
public officers. "a more mistaken
notion was never abroad III I'll
land. When one considers Til
millions or dollars IN fees for til
collection az ad valorem taxes, tn
error or this conception Is apparent
The fees of officers in felony case
are paid BY appropriations from
\ the general revenue and the genera
revenues are raised by taxation
The fees Of the tax assessors Rn'
collectors are likewise raised through
the imposition ar taxes. The pre-
! sent fee bill has been patched VI
and changed here and there to CIV
A man here. and one wonder, NOR
fees. until II Is difficult for a Law
yer TO read the statute and under
stand IL.
NJ. Facts Gathered
The committee wnIcn WaS ap
pointed AT tine last session o. III
legislature TO investigate n oper
auon OF the tee system mas gaLnere'
some rather interesting ana IIu
mlnating facts. 1helr report state
mat they found that some officer
were collecting ana retaining In tee
Us much as $4,000 q year. That !
an excessive amount OF remunnera
\ ton for any officer or any oitlc
! holder III Texas. The committee 4
It's report has directed attention b
some Of the defects III the presen
law. You will also find in this re
port reference TO the contract sys
tenn that seems to have gainel
popularity recently for the collec
ton or delinquent taxes; the com
mittec reports that some countie
have entered into contracts for til
payment OF excessive percentage 10
the collection of delinquent take
This imposes a burden upon th
} revenues OF the state and the com
mittee says thai the state will pa
this year 100000 more than a rea
scnable amount for the services o
these contractors III the collection
Of deliquent taxes"