The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1880-02-12
The Penitentiary and the Leasing
System.

| EDITORS CLARIoN--As this is question
Of great Importance to our State, and is JUS
now attracting the earnest attention of the
Legislature as well as the press, I propose
in brief way, to deal with it as simple
business problem, one Of dollars and cents
to our State Treasury.
The present lessee, Col. Hamilton, states
in his communication to the Joint Commit.
tee on the Penitentiary, published in your
issue of January 30:
"Our lease will yield to the State over
$40, 1000, with no expense to her."
Again, he says, ill same document:
'The State will owe us, at the termina-
ton of our lease, between $40, 900 and $685.
900, according to the law and the terms Of
our contract"
|. 1t would appear, then, that instead of
$4,000 of clear profit being realized
by the State, from the lease to Hamilton &
Co, that from $4,000 to $4,000 will have
to be paid them from the State Treasury, at
the expiration of same, Jan. 1st 1881. How
canswe reconcile those two statements show
ing as they do, manifest discrepancy of
from sixty to sixty-fve thousand dollars on
final settlement?
Referring, next, to the annual report of
the Superintendent, to be found in your
issueof Feb. 9Th, we learn, under the head
OF amount due the State by lessees under
the terms of the contract, and the amo UNITS
of Improvements, etc.
"By the terms of this contract of lease, the
lessees obligated themselves to pay the
State for all convicts over one hundred and
forty, (14O,) one dollar and ten cents per
month. X n II n
The total amount Of funds accruing to
the State from date of lease, June 18th,
1876, to January LIST, 1880, is 1929, 1884 49,"
"The total amount of
improvements and repairs contracted for
from date of lease to present time, is $685.
1897 68."
In addition to the above bill of repairs
and Improvements, he then makes total
of 1884 SO of permanent improvements,
which are to be accounted for at the expi-
ration of the lease.
In other words, "the total amount of
funds accruing to the State from the date
of lease to January l, 1880, are already alb
sorbed in "repairs and improvements" and
our State Treasury, has not to the present
time, and cannot hereafter, receive one dol
lar in cash from this source. The large in
come which the State should receive from
one thousand able bodied hands, for the
four and half years embraced in this
lease, dwindles into the simple repairs and
of our State prison, with
contingent remainder of$20,0O to $4,000
to be paid by the State, at the expiration
of the lease, to Hamilton & Co.
But this is not all. By the terms of the
the lessees have the use during the
whole period of four and half years Of 14O
adult laborers free Of charge. Computing
the hire of such hands at ten dollars per
month, or even at 500 per year-certainly
a reasonable estimate-we find the lessees
are enjoying an actual bonus of $14, 900 per
annum, or total of $4,000 for four years,
whilst the State suffers an actual loss of
like amount.
Is it to be wondered, with these figures |
confronting them, our Legislature should |
pause before renewing or extending such a |
ease; and consider if some plan cannot be
devised by which this valuable and increas-
ng fund of labor can be made a source of |
revenue to our State, at the same time that
of the-eonvicts is provided for? /
By creating a Board of Public Works, as
provided for in the bill yesterday, reported
rom the Joint Committee on Penitentiary,
md coniding to their hands the manage
nent of our State prison and its convict
abor, simple and efficient agency would
,e established, and at trifing expenae to
he State, by which the Legislature would /
,e relieved of this embarrassing and per-
,lexing question, in future. Composed as
t should be, of good, practical business
nen, they should certainly be able to soem-
10y and direct this labor as to make it a
ource of considerable revenue to the State.
should it be found impracticable or expen.
i've to employ il in building railroads and
svees, can they not hire out the oOnvicts
S is now done by the lessees, and make the
tate the recipient Of all profits, instead of
be lessees
The objection urged by some, that the ,
Ian proposed is an experiment and new de-
arturo, is scarcely a tenable one in the
zee of the facts above referred to, drawn
ON the statements of the Lessees and the
superintendent.
It's full time a new departure were de- {
,rmined on, and no time seems more favor
bic than the present; when nearly year ]
ould be given the present Board to inform
lemselves fully, mature their plans, and,
] LIST January next, assume the manage
ent of this institution, with the sole I
,ject ofnot only making it seIfsustaining, {
1t source Of income to the Treasury,
d general benefit to all our people. :