Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1877-03-03
CONVICTS IN COAL MINES.

As We stated some weeks ago a con-
tract has been entered into between q
Mr.. Price and the inspectors of the pen
Itentiarv tor the labor Of four hundred
convicts, which the said Price proposes
10 work in the coal mines of PettiS coun-
~. 1t was generally thought for some
time that there would be a strong oppo-
sition 10 this measure from the citizens
among whom these convicts are TO be
quartered. but the parties interested
have succeeded IN making them believe
that their location in Pettis county will
be OF great benefit TO the farmers in the
vicinity, As they will he enabled To sell
the produce consumed by the ~cunvicts.
and thai considerable outside abur Will
be required. such as teaming, &c (which
the citizens VIII be called Oh - furnish.
We were told in Jefferson City. where
We went q few days ago 10 inquire into
various matters of interes: /" our peO-
pie. that a petition had been sent by
citizens OF PettiS county in favor ut the
! location Ut these couvicts i'll their midst.
We do not know the character OF the
names signed to the petition. but sup
pose that the above arguments were
used 10 obtain the signatures. We were
told that = small number OF the signers.
nineteen We think. were miners. That
ictti, county farmers would be enabled
10 sci. produce for consumption by these
cunvicts Is no doubt true. but would this
compensate them for the unavoidable
! risk that would inevitably be run by the
community from these insecurity guard
ed rutliaus. The gentlemen interested
NAV talk OF their stuckades as much rs
they please. but it IS well known that.
even with the best of care. escapes are
made from the penitentlary. with its
massive stone walls. rigid discipline and
many means of restraining prisoners.
In Cole county. We are told. there have
occurred many crimes OF robbery from
escaped convicts. and the still worse
crime OF rape is Z common one, more
dreaded thar all. where these villains,
breaking away from restraint. give reign
to their beastly instincts. Mr.. O'Neil,
of 81. Louis. in a speech which he made
in the house, recently, cited the startling
fact that nineteen such crimes had been
committed in the country adjacent to
the penitentiarv in the last few years.
Do the farmers of Pettis county want
such demons as these n customers tor a
little produce for which they already
have good markets? The second argu-
meut. that much outside labor would be
needed about the mines Is incorrect. In
ail well regulated mines, coal is hoisted
out of the shaft or drawn from the DRIFT
and dumped Immediately into the cars.
This would be done in this instance, and
be done by the convict labor. We have
no desire to say q word or do an act that
would initiate against the interest OF
our n~cighboring county. but we are OPP
posed IL convict labor beng brought
into competition with honest labor,
F.; outside lut Wills vi the pei beh
liary, and we can see 10 good that
wou!t result 70 Pettis county. The
profit, on this enterprise would 90 to
parties who do not i've in her borders,
and who are no Interested in her WEI
lare, and there is the only gain thai we
can soc in it, as the price Gt coo wtt(
not be ch"GpeHed, Tor as soon as the
honest miners are driven out the con-
tractors will get AS high 4 price as
they can. We have, in the vicinity
OF Lexington. some tour hundred miners
at work. The digging OF coal is their
trade. They are honest, industrious
men. many OF whom own their little
hornesteajs. Their number l. entirely
adequate to supply all the demand tor
co d in the region round about, includ-
iuy s,eialia and Kansas City. II these
striped rascalS at forty cents q day are
brought into competition VITA them, II
simply drives them out OF their legitl'
mate employment. The mines OF Lex
IDglpN NtI4l nav u NC SItSSi- u ~
operators in Goa! would he compelled to
employ convict labor in them also. We
would rather have our four hundred
- honest labUrers than four thousand con
To- victs. and we do not want them, bu'
i what other recourse would there be lei
{ for men who have large coal interests
te II.,tis crDpty- ,ninoS ranDIt pnmnpt,
: with ours with honest labor. how wOulc
u they be any better able to compete will
the striped gentry? But what concern
US more nearly is that we do not wan
G to see honest labor driven out by con
vets. In these stringent times 1t woulC
{ be a fearful blow upon our miners Il
have the bread taken out of their wives
and chi!dren's mouths and to be told 4
60 hud some other occupation than tina
To which they have been trained TO
years. We hear 1t intimated that prob
IT ably no one but Mr.. Price could procur
; convict labor for this purpose. This how
ever we do not believe. as we do nc
c think the inspectors would be guilty Z
l iobberv, and this would amount to jus
that. Then where is the benefit to Petit
= county . The scheme is broached TO
the..purpose OF saving money 10 tn
s~tate-making this number of convict
" sc'f-supporting. We are rs much i
favor OF economy in public matters q
!. any one. but We certainly think that tn
It problem can be solved in some NOR
" satisfactory way thar this. How Ion
=" would it be. if this plan was carried gu
II before the quarries at Warrensbur
&c would be worked by convicts, and all tn
~ little mining enterprises of central Mi:
- souri,. which are now struggling to g
i on their feet. be monopolized by them
~ There is Il mistaken notion on this sui
~ ject in regard to the law. 1t is held
many that there is no law authorizin
ed the making OF such 4 contract; this
ea not so; there is 4 law for it, and the col
. tract is already closed; but the parti,
:. are doing nothing because they fear til
legislature will repeal the law aud null
ty the contract, 80 they are quietly wal
in1 an adjournment to 90 tn war