The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-12-27
Convict Labor.

Convict Labor. &
We print below the report OF the spe.s
cial committee appointed. last spring to
examine into the management Of convict.
labor by other States, and to suggest re.
forms in this respect: s54g.
The special committee appointed dur
ing our last session to communicate with
the officials of the different States of the,
Union, in reference to the management
of convict labor, beg le.ye to report that
they did communicate with every State
in the Union, the most; If not all of whom,
responded to our request for information
on this subject. From the numerousr re-
ports received We could, and have, COM.
piled large amount of information. that
might be interesting to the House, but In
q practical point of view, from the great
diversity of plans and opinions. it would
be too voluminous and perhaps unsatis-l
factory in reference to the cosS of their.
respective penitentiaries, for in this par
ticular they vary very materially. Some
make very large annual appropriations,
some make small and others pay into
their treasures various amounts of money
realized from their convict labor. 4 ~ q
After an examination of tne whole
subject, we have come to the conclusion.
that the condition of our neighboring
State, Georgia, is more like that Of our
own State in climate, population, wants
and necessities than any other State, and
think she is managing her convict labor
with more than ordinary skill AID profit,
and would respectfully refer the General !
Assembly to the system of management Z
in that State and recommends its adop-;
ton. About three and q half years since
they entered into g. contract " ith some
responsible companies, to take charge of
all their convict labor for term of Eve z
years, the company to pay the State for
each convict $11 per snnum. The COM
pany pays all expenses; including guards,
&c. They have at this time between;
], 100 and 200 conYicts in the hands, Of
the different companies who keep. them
employed at various branches: :of business
some on farms, ron railroads, making
brick, working; in coal mines, &c. Their
| Legislature has been pleased with this
|'plau of working them, and recently en-
tered into contract with three different:
companies to take charge OF all their con-
vict labor for twenty years, for which they
areeto pay the State $25, 600 annually.
The contractors pay all rexpenses from
the time of conviction until released by I
the authority of the State. This contract
regulates the number of hours they are !
required to work, including all the de-
tails that may be necessaryto provide for
their comfort, protection and safe keep.
ing. The State furnishes one. general I
superintendent, one physician and one
chaplain, whose duty It is to look after:
their various wants. There is not q SIM
gle convict within the walls Of the Geor.
gia penitentiary. The contractors take
all classes of convicts, including Che vi
cious and invalids. Ex-G Governor iIrown,
who is one of the most successful basinesss
men of this country, and one who, has
had more practical experience in;.thes
management of convict labor, on a.big
scale, than almost any man South, was !.
one Of the first contractors for this labor }
His first contract expires n,April; 1879.
He, with two other companies, have con-
tracted with the State OF Georgia Ito take
effect after April, 1871 for all their con-
vics for twenty years, entering into a.
suitable bond, to pay the State $500, 600 J
in annual instalments Of $25, ,O00.a .t
Gov. Browns argument and experience
is, that the conyicts of this section of the
South, if worked within the walls of the
peniteniary, will do their work so badly
and "spoil so much material that the re-
suit will be in every instance in practice,
that they will involve, the State in q
heavy annual expense" He also takes
ground against the policy of educating
this bad population in the different me-e.
chanical pursuits, as hardship against
the honest mechanics, both of. the white
and black race. He also says under this
system s'they will be as healthy and as
cheerful as under the close confinement
system-indeed, my observation has been
that they are more so.e
When we remember our financial EN-
barrassment and the large amounts that
have been appropriated from year to
year, and the amount 7lo,o asked for to-
support this institution, we think it would
be good judgment to profit by the 7expe.
rience of our sister State Georgia and
lease this labor to some responsible per-
son or company for at least one year, nor.
more than fve years, under such rules
and regulations as may be thought pru-s
dent and safe. We would also respect
fully suggest that no person or company;
should be allowed to contract for this
labor who will not take at least twenty
five convicts, and at the same time re-
quire them to give suitable bond for;
their faithful observance of the contract.
Our argument for this suggestion Is,
it would be necessary for the convicts to-
have strong, comfortable and commodi-,
Gus barracks or stockades1 fot their CONF
fort and protection, including>a liberal
supply of reliable guards, that no person
hiring less than this number would find
it convenient to furnish; besides, it
would limit the number of. contractors
which would make it more convenient
and practicable for the State officers to
| look after their various wants and me-
cessities. -
From recent conferences and commu-
nications with persons interested in the.
phosphate works on the seaboard of our
State, am convinced we will find nor
difficulty in making contracts with them
that will be satisfactory to the State; at
the same time, we think it would be cd
visable to favor as much as possible; all
individuals or companies, working this
labor on railroads, canals or any other
public work in which the State has q
general interest. In addition to the
above, we think this system of laborwill
do more to accomplish the real objects of
L Ala lau, than 70 naa&inra IN. .,.oaa,,f