The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-02-26

tenn be abolished an additional annual
appropriation OF SIS 900 will be necessary.
Where or how do the directors get these
figures? Where are the items for this i'm.
mense sum? Are we expected TO gohble
1t down without any data to support. ~
II the directors believed what they say
they would have been very careful q
have set forth every item In detail. Stand
: ing alone as 1t does, the statement Is sim
ply an assertion, and is worth no more
than my assertion. Now, mark how plain
tale will put this bugbear down. Work
ed as the ConviCts now are, at 81 cents pei
day, it costs S9S, 900 for their subsistence
OF this sum $4,000 is paid by the con
tractors, the balance Of $4,000 by the
State. And here is where the d.
rectors get their $4,000. Their state
ment is based on the superstition that. the
prisoners are to be kept in idleness, but
this bill does not propose any such thing
1t proposes, as set forth in the first sec
ton, to work them, and work them hard
Therefore, the premise on which this
statement is based being false, the conclu'
sion is false.
The friends Of this bill recognize the
fact that
SOME SYSTEM OF LABOR IS NECESSARY,
that idleness Ia the parent OF vice and
labor is a necessary factor in any plan
Of prison management looking to the
reformation OF criminals. We believe,
also, that the Stateis entitled to and should
receive the full value OF that labor; that
the profits OF that labor should go into the
treasury OF the people, and not into the
pockets Of few pet contractors. l have
shown that under the State account system
the State will save annually $4,000. ThiR
calculation Is based on the reasonable sup
position that each convict can earn fifty
cents per day, 1t isnot an untried ex'
pertinent; 1t has proven successful when
ever
MANAGED ON business PRINCIPLES.
1t is in operation in Maine and the
directors report that the prisoners earn
fifty cents per day, with very little
machinery, Itthey do 1t there, why can
not they do 1t here2
We have heard q good deal about the
cost OF the necessary machinery-it has
been estimated as high IS $40 900. have
taken the trouble tn obtain estimates from
practical men on this point, and their
statements show that 81, 600 will purchase
more and better machinery than is now In
the West Virginia Penitentiary, emitting,
oil course, the motive power, which ID
owned by the State.
The present affords more favorable OPP.
portunity for abolishing the contract sys.
TEN than will again occur for years, all
the contracts, except that for the manuiaC.
ture OF wagons, expire In few months
the wagon contract runs until 1883. So
tho new system can beintroduced without
interfering with the industries OF the
prison or shocking the finances OF the
State. Let this opportunity go by aud we
continued for five years longer the con-
tract system, with all its injustice 10 the
prisoners, and the robbing OF the State
and her honest laboring population.
Mr.. sEABRIGHT,
also made an earnest appeal for the cause
Of the workingman, We regret that space
will not permit our printing hia remarks
In full. He deprecated the proposal Of
amendments tending To deprive the bill oil
its value TO workingmen. He wanted them
protected from the ruinons competition OF
cheap convict labor. He favored the es.
Enlistment Of penal colony on some
distant island Of the sea for the graver
classes OF criminals, those sentenced for
long terms OF years. BY cooperation OF
all the States he thought this could be
done, and the lesser offenders thus pre-.
served from contsCt with those whose pre-
Cepts or example would sink them deeper
yet In crime,
But at any rate Mr.. seabright thought
the aboring classes had right to demand
10 be protected from the degrading com.
petion OF the inmates oil the penitentiary.
He thought It made no difference whether
that institution was self.sustaining or not.
He thought the people OF the State would
willingly contribute to make up any deficit
In the revenues, and offered TO head q sub.
scrptiOn paper for that purpose with his
individual pledge Tor $500.
Mr.. Riley proposed an addition 10 the
amendment prohibiting the letting Of con-
yiCt labor for work upon cigars or tobacco,
which addition was adopted, and the sub.
stitute Of Mr.. Depue as thus amended was
agreed to. i
A motion was made by Mr.. Steere, and
was carried, to strike out section Of the
bill, as followst Il
8. The Board Of Directors may hire all
the conviCts, or as many Of them as the
Board may deem proper, for stated peri.
ods, to the county court OF any county Of
the State, 10 he worked In building and
repairing roads, but the State shall not
pay the cost Of Bubssting and guarding
such ConviCts while they are working for
the county; and the authorities oil the
county having control OF the prisoners
shall be governed by such regulations as
the Board OF directors may prescribe.
DR.. Crumrine wanted to do away with
the Chaplain Of the Penitentiary, but the
House refused to act on his suggestion.
They did, however, on motion Of Mr..
Holt, cut his salary down 10 5000, instead
OF 5000.
Mr.. Mcneil moved 10 amend the section
which provides that the Superintendent
OF the Penitentiary, under control Of the
board, shall, at the expiration OF the pres.
emit contracts, commence the manufacture
of such articles as may be determined
upon by the Board Of Directors, such man.
uiacturers TO be diversified as much as
pOsBlDlet ullPatlv,e WIN nVuuu Huau'
cial policy, by adding a proviso that no
conyicts shall be employed In the manu.
iactdre Of tobacco or cigars, but the amend.
ment was rejected.
A restriction offered by Judge Ferguson,
that no article manufactured by the con.
yiCts shall be sold Of less price than the
average market price in Wheeling, was
adopted.
One OF two immaterial amendments In
rsVard 10 The Penitentiary werO proposed
BY Mr.. MofIett and adopted, and the bill
YVES ordered 10 its third reading.
Mr.. Watson, Of Monongalia county,
asked and obtained leave Of absence for
bis colleague MIR. Cox, Tor yesterday and
to-day. ,m
was taken till 2 o'clock r. NJ.
Al Tho axniFatiOn of the recesa the