Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-10-27


per annum, by one OF his calculations,
and, by another, $500 per day, or $780,
500 per year. The number of convicts
at the time of the lease.swas 739. They
must then haverealized each per annum
SPILLS, over and above the cost of
keeping, guarding, clothing, feeding,
medicines, etc, in order to pay this
amount. Mr.. Faulkner estimates this
expense at u cents per day. The in
spectors, who made the actual expert
ment, state thatthe cost was $3.50 cents
per day. This would amount TO S102.-
20 per year for each convict, making
the actual amount to be realized per
head, 1908 per annum- This does
not allow anything for sickness or loss
Of time; it makes no allowance for med
icines or attendance; it does not take
into consideration the idle days
that must necessarily be spent
when constant labor cannot be
obtained; it does not include bad debts
incurred, nor the incompetency of the
laborer himself.
Previous to the war, a negro slave
hired for about Sl60 per annum, if he
was an average laborer, while women
and children commanded from $40 to
$50, or possibly 500. But the class of
labor which is sent to prison did not
reach these prices, and yet it is pre-
sumed that convicts, worked under all
the disadvantages and drawbacks at
tending such a system of labor, should
realize one hundred per cent. more
than they would have brought under
the old regime.
1t is remarked by Mr., Faulkner that
such labor is compulsory. So it is, and
for that very reason is all the more I'M
satisfactory And neither is convict
labor "a fixture" No supply. is more
uncertain Old hands are going out
and new ones coming in all the time.
The number Of the convicts and the
restrictions, as to when and how, and
at what they shall labor, prevents their
steady employment. Some of them do
become skilled, but large proportion
are decrepid, lunatic, diseased, degra-
ded in person and mind, so as to be I'M
FIT for the meanest occupation.
Il do know" says Mr.. Faulkner,
''that the institution is more valuable
now than at any former time, from the
fact that labor outside is so demon
allied and unreliable that no party can
depend upon it in any enterprise, while
on the other hand convict labor is a
certainty" Now, upon this point we
might well turn our friend over to the
tender mercies of the mechanics, who
are strongly opposed to the employ
ment of convict labor outside of the
prison walls. Upon tho one hand the
State authorities are urged to relieve
the tax-ridden people of the State by
making the institution paying one,
and on the ether, the outside day-la-
borer or mechanic insists that prison
labor shall not be brought into compe-
tition with honest industry.
The convict cannot labor at anything
that will not place him in opposition to
honest labor of some sort. Shall he
be placed alone in competition with the
day laborer who barely ekes out mis-
cradle sustenance at least, or shall his
labor be distributed 50 as to compete as
little as possible with any given trade
or occupation? We do not subscribe
to the cry about the competition of
convict and honest lobor. So long as
convict labor is employed in making
useful articles for which there is de-
mand in the community, 50 long is it d
benefit to the general interests Of that
community; and whatever may be lost
IF anything to individuals, is gained
in.the general good in a two-fold sense
first, furnishing a supply, and, sec
ond, preventing resort to taxation to
sustain the prison.
If the conyicts are at work in prison
their labor cannot certainly be any
more in conflict with the interests of
the public than if they had remained
honest men. 1t has been well asked
ITO what end does this cry of convict
labor tend? All labor is honest, from
the highest to the lowest-the mechanic
and the day lsbOrer. If the convict
cannot compete with either, then he
should not labor at all. If the people |
of the State are willing to be tax d at
least 100000 per annum to maintain
criminals in idleness, with all its train
of evils, then let it be so.
There are many sides to this question
of convict labor and prison manage
ment, that we would be pleased TO see
discussed, but we do protest against
placing it in false light on the eve of |
an election, and under the worst posi-
BILE circumstances for proper investiga-
ton and reform.