Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-05-17
THE PENITENTIARY.
Fight in the State Senate.

-
The special order, house till No. 444,
to provide for the government of the
state penitens1ary, and the appointment
OF officers therefor and defining their
duties, was taken up.
The question being on the adoption of
the substitute for section 16, offered by
Senator Cottey, ON last Friday, provid-
ing tor the employment of convict labor
outside Of the prison walls. Senator
Cottey said that 1t was tho duty
of tho-Wardeu to work tho con-
vlcts inside the walls, but If they can
not be worked advantageously within
the walls, then we should permit the Of
Lfcers to make contracts under proper
restrictions to work them outside. The
state had made from thirty to forty thou
sand dollars by the working OF the con-
victs fer the last two years. He held
that there was nothing in the argument
| that they came in contact with honest
labor, because if carried to its logical
conclusion, the shops IN the penitentiary
| would have to be, closed up. They came
in contact with honest labor inside the
walls as we'll as outside. Considering
the condition of the treasury it was the
duty of the legislature to curtail expen-
ses. and if by adopting this amendment
| they would save S3U,OO to the state, IT
was their duty to do so.
Senator Lloyd offered an amendment
to the substitute providing that no con-
tract shall be made for the employment
of convict labor in any lead OF zinc
mines in this state.
Senator Lloyd said he could not vote
for proposition that would permit the
state to turn the convict labor out upon
the miners in his district. The miner:
who work the lead and zinc mines ir
Southwest Missouri have after years o.
toll saved enough of their earnings tt
erect for themselves and families com
Portable homes, and it would be unjus
now to displace them and drive then
from their homes BY the introduction o
convict labor.
Senator Major delivered an eloquen
speech IN opposition to the substitute OF
tered by Senator Cottey. He hoped tha
the bill would pass as reported from th
committee on penitentiary. He was as
tonished that such proposition shoul'
be made in the senate OF a state who's
growth and prosperity Is largely due t
its vast mineral resources. For the SAX
OF saving a few dollars to the state the.
would put convict labor in competitio
, with honest labor. As well might the
: put Madame Fortmeyer on the com
J. mittee on accounts and save the stat
: 81 60 per day. The passage of such
e bill would result in mobocracy. and b
would not blame the people for jolnin
a mob to drive them off. He hoped ths
the senate would to- day by its vote Sc
!. tie Tor ever the question OF bringing COZ
vict labor in competition with hone:
labor.
Senator Mackay said that both for til
good OF the convicts and for the con
= munity the convicts should be worked
He was as much opposed to workin
;S convicts outside OF the penitentiary 8
te any one, but under the present circun
y stances they could not be worked insid
and common sense dictates that they |
worked somewhere Work them ou
side until such time as the state shall
j. enabled to enlarge the penitentiary.
- Senator Major: Would you be wlllir
IL to see one of them sitting there min u
clerk?
Senator Mackay Certainly not.
Senator Major: Are we any bet
than the farmer or mechanic in the cou
try?
Senator Hockaday was opposed to Il
he amendment. The present bill was Il
Ses Ss result of conference between the cor
" mittees on penltentiary of both house
The question whether the penitentia
-. was self-sustainlng or not. was a que
D.. p. ton for the people to determine, al
e. their wishes as to working convicts OF
m m side the pcnitentiary was amply e,
W denced by the passage of this bill by t
x house.
: Senator Hudson was also opposed
y! working convicts outside the penitent
nd ry. They were sent to the penitentia
'es to be punished, and he favored keepi
II: them there if it cost the state one-h
OF its revenue.
= Senator Murray said that if it "
profitable to work convicts in coal
2 lead mines. he was in favor of dol
Il so, under certain restrictions. He hi
L that the labor-strikes made the work.
rye OF convlcts a necessity.
nb ;1b Senator Edwards, Of Lafayette. ask
,as Senator NJ urray if he was willing to We
IL, ~, convicts in Pike county. or IN the II
:. chine shops in the city Of Lop:siapse