Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-01-18

IO wv NV Poy oASos
prohibition in the constitution
against the levy OF q poll tax There
fore, whenever the legislature shall
think proper to impose q poll-ta1, to
be applied TO the support of the
schools and institutions OF learning,
to the support of the state govern
ject not prohibited by the constitu-
ton, it has the right SO to do: During
the last session of the legislature l
did recommend q poll-tax to be
levied, to be paid Into the revenue
fund. This recommendation was
contained in the message in which
advised a loan be made in order to
supply the Deficiencies in the v
nue.. The loan was granted, but no
provision made for additional rsve-
nne. A bill for that purpose passed
the senate, but failed to receive the
approval of the house.
THE PENITENTIARY.
The maintenance of the peniten-
tiary has been a very heavy drain
upon the treasury. 1t would seem
reasonable to expect the prisoners
would not only be able. by their Ia
Dor, to earn an amount SUFFICIENT to
support themselves, but also to pay
the salaries and wages of the officers
aud guards of the p~enitentiary. But
this has not been the case. The
leasing system has been tried at dit
ferent times, and has not proved a
success. During the period the pris-
OIL was first leased, the lessees made
great improvements by erecting
buildings aud furnishing implements
and machinery which were paid for
| by the state. In this manner the
~lessees paid the amount stipulated to
| be paid the state, but had large de-
mands against the state for improve
ments made by them. The second
period of leasing was SO recent that
it need only be referred to, as all
know it was not a success either to
| the state or to the lessees. The state
has BY its officers in former times,
conducted the penitentiary as a large
manufacturing establishment, aud in
SO doing has always lost money. 1t
is not advisable for the state to again
embark in manufacturing, but 1t is
desirable, if possible, to make the
penitentiary a self-sustaining institu-
ton. Legislation was pro-
| posed in each branch Of the general
assembly at its last session respect
ing the management of the peniten-
tiary, but beyond the appropriation
of money and its earnings for its sup
| port, nothing was done.
On the 31st of December, 1876,
| there were III the penitentlary 1882
| prisoners, convicted for violation of
| the criminal laws of this state, and
| IA convicts sent to the prison by the
| federal courts. On the 31st day of
last December there were in the pris-
on 1924 convicts of the state, aud so
couvfc.s of the United States. The
United States paystor the board and
| care of its convicts, and the state has
the benefit of their labor. During
the two years ending on the 31st of
December, 1876, thirteen hundred
and seventy Q,37O) prisoners were
received, and for the two years end
ing on the 31st of December, 1873,
eleven hundred and sixty-ive Q,165)
prisoners were received, all of whom
had been sentenced to the penlten-
tiary by the courts of this state. This
shows that in the two years first
named POS more persons were con-
victed and sent to the :penitentiary
than in the last two years. A rigid
enforcement of our criminal laws has
diminished the commission of crimes.
When the present warden took
charge of the ~peniteutiary there we're
many prisoners who were not en-
ployed ny contractors, o were they
performing labor for the state. They
were in ldleness, because no one
would employ them, and at that time
the state had no work which they
could perform. Many convicts were
then worked outside the prison walls.
Some were employed as servants in
this city some were employed in
grading and macadamiziug streets
others at quarries, at lime kilns, nj
farms, and some o N a steamer which
navigated the Usage aud Missouri
rivers. The cost of maintaining the
p%rnitentiary had become very great.
1t Was proper and right to put the
convicts at hard labor; and if labor
could not be provided for them with.
i'll the walls, it was right to put tbem
1T labor without the walls. There
was no doubt the law permitted this
to be done. The object was to make
the prisoners support themselves
aud was not this right2 A contract
was made for the labor Of couvict>
in some coal miues. This contrac,
was made by the inspectors with j
B. Price, aud l approved of the same
lu the communication of the inspec.
tors to the house OF representatives
they described the condition of affairs
at the peuiteutiary as follows:
"They beg leave to suggest thai
there are over SIX hundred convicts
locked up in their cells, whose labor
can not be utilized within the peni
Tertiary for want of contractors tC
employ them. If there were contrac
tors to work them inside of the pri.
son walls, there is not shop-room mol
facilities for SO doing. This large
number of idle and non-producint
convicts is a great expense to tn.
state, Independent OF the immense
costs of their trials, convictions ant
transportatlons to the prison. They
can, they think, make the number le'
under the contract more than self
supporting, aud their desire is Il
make the penitentiary self-sustain
ing. Their estimate is that the stat,
= will receive over the sum of $50. OO(
per annum for the hire of the SAT-
convict labor. under said contract
, which otherwise would be non-pro
ductive."
But 1t is said that when the con
victs are worked outside of the prison
walls their labor comes In competi
ton with the labor of the honest man
, Is not this SO when the prisone,
labors within the prison walls? Whe,
: the prisoner is worked within tn,
walls he must be employed in som
: mechanical pursuit; and ia not tn,
labor within the walls of the prison
: by the convict. then brought in com
: petition with the labor or the me
chanlcs and the skilled workmen ofth,
country? And if we are to proven
!. convict labor from coming in com
petition with honest labor, then nj
labor whatever can be performed b,
b convict, and he is to be Kept il
: idleness, fed, clothed and guarded a
the expense of the honest men of tn,
country. If this is the policy to b,
pursued by the state, let the Law
making power so indicate, and til,
. will of the general assembly in thi
respect will be observed. All the of
Ulcers of the state, in any name
whatever connected with this braIci