The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-09-28
DALLAS. TEXAS.
TUESDAY MORNING 80: SEPT. ~
THE NEW PENITENTIARIEs-THE
IRON IsTEREST or THE STATE.


The report OF the Penitentiary Com.
mitee to the Convention submitted the
other day, concluded by expressing u
decided opposition to the creation OF
the two new penitentiaries. 1t viii be
remembered that the Fourteenth Leg
islature provided for the erection of
two new institutions, one to be located
In Eastern Texas, for promoting the
iron interests In that section Of the
State, and the other In Western Texas,
as an aid In the encouragement OF the
growth Of wool and cotton, we believe,
by entering into the manufacture, by
convict labor, of wooden and cotton
fabrics. Commissions were appointed
by the Governor To select locations,
who proceeded, during the past sum-
mer, to discharge that duty. The town
of Rusk, I'm Cherokee county, was
selected for the East, and San Marcos,
in Hays county, for the West.
The objection, to our mind, is not so
much TO the establishment of two adj
ditional penitentiaries, us to the oh
jects for which they are to be devoted.
Convict labor should be used as little rs
possible in conflict or competition
with the industries OF the citizen.
Especially is this remark applicable
when applied to the development Of
the great iron interests of the State.
The manufacture of iron, If left to pri-
vate industry, is destined to become
one of the leading elements of our
prosperity as u people. The progress
may be slow, Tor the reason that II re-
quires u large amount OF capital, nut
the great abundance of the raw mate
rial now lying In the hills of Eastern
Texas will soon attract the attention Of
capital, and rs soon as the demand
shall increase, the development will
surely follow. No industry or Interest
in the State is more fully entitled to
the fostering care of the Government,
for none will add greater to the gen
eraI welfare and prosperity. Whilst
the agricultural and pastoral sections
of the State are filling with emigrants,
and the production of cotton, of wheat
and of corn is increasing with uneXam-
Piled rapidity every year, the vast
mineral resources of the country are
still undeveloped.
Shall the State, by her cheap convict
labor, undertake to develope these rich
resources? We unhesitatingly answer
no. Just 80 soon as the State, through
her penitentiaries, shall enter upon
this business, just ~ that moment al
private enterprise engaged in the sam'
Industry will begin to decay; and |
persisted in ON the part Of the govern
ment, the result will be the utter DIES
truction to all private interests in tina
line. However profitable such I
course may be made to the State, ant
however successful rs II project to give
employment to the numerous convicts
which infest our state-prison, yet, as
measure OF political economy, itshoult
at once be abandoned. Let every en-
enlargement be extended to the intro
duction of capital from abroad In the
development of our iron. With al
abundance of private capital thus in
vested, large population of skille,
artisans and industrious mechanics
with their families, will be induced t.
come to the state, and in those sections
where now the population is sparse
the country will TEEN with people, ant
the State in her mineral productions
will enter upon II career of substantial
prosperity.
Already have the sagacious grangers
of Texas seen the vast importanc,
to their interest In the development
of this iron, and the manufacture o
all implements made of iron ut home
They are practically at worl
In one section OF the State
and will soon have at least on,
extensive establishment in opera
ton under their auspices. This is |
mere beginning, and others will fol
low as the wants OF the people demand
From the northeastern corner Of thu
State as far down as the Angelina Riv
or, the country is full Of iron, and AZ
the other sections of the State shall
become largely populated, and the de
mand for the manufactured article
shall correspondingly increase, the
whole iron country will begin, as
other iron countries, to manifest it,
development
Is 1t right that the State, with Its i'm.
mense swarms of eonvicts, shall enter
this field in competition with the
Changers. and other private capitalists,
and utterly destroy them In their in
fancy? Free labor and enterprises
like these cannot successfully compete
with convict labor. The State may
make the work a success, but 1t viii
be at the utter sacrifice of every efior
of individual and private associations
Is this true craftsmanship? Is 1t tra,
national economy?
We have no particular objections e
the location of the Penitentiary al
Rusk, except that 1t is geographically
too near the one ut Huntsville--only
about seventy miles on an air line