The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-04-21
TExA, PRISON HOMES.

CHAMPION. nor to the cause of the convict who
always wants friend Nothing to g i've to labs Z
a moral status nor to the prisoner conVlcts
home. Both are practicable, both fit and ne
cessary subjects for Legislation. both urgent
for recognition at the hands of those who dur
ing that debate said with more tiuency than
purpose many considerate things not map
propriate to the real interests OF convict labor.
The country was never more ripe than no"
for prison reform nor did any state ever offer
SO grand field for an experiment likely to be
of national value. 1t is time for new de-
parture in the government Of prisons. Wher-
ever transgression makes its house OF bond
age and its daily circuit of trouble ana Toll
something may be done to alleviate existing
ills to relieve of its Office the clanking chain,
and to open perspective of hope and Heaven
to the most despairing among the hopeless
and most reckless among the depraVed.
Every consideration public and private, is
inimical to the plan of hiring out convlcts ITO
any one in the county''-or out OF the county.
The restriction is probably salutary ii any
such system as hiring out conVlcts IS TO pre-
vail. But it is vicious and lntolerable sys-
tenn in many ways. 1t defeats the ends OF JUS
tice. The convict hired out to work ceases to
hold the grade ola convict 1tdegfades labor
for it drags to its base level those who con-
tract to work for wages under reputable social
conditions. 1t will cover with the ashes OF its
rotteness everything pure and beautiful in our
families and homes. 1t will vitiate, democrat
ize and deprave every mind with which 1t is
is brought into contact and leaven society with
the poisons of all its crimes. Such thing as
hiring out convict labor under ordinary con-
tracts of servitude is not to be thought OF, and
such thing as the State Senate passing the
Finlay house bill not to be entertained.
There must be something better done for
convicts than such legislation as this. A
measure worthy of Texas, one of which Texas
IS eminently fitted to become the theater just
at this time, may as easily find its way through
both houses as one that will bear no fruit.
The object in view is to have the convicts
labor where it will become a great factor IN
the states economy, and at the same time hit
itself out of the prison slums into a moral at
mosphere cleansed Of contagion. Wall in
1000 acres of the best Texas lands for her prls-
on grounds, and within these walls organize all
the industries, agricultural and industrial, SO
that art may hold its steady course hand IN
hand with labor, leaving out nothing which
convict's fancy may covet or to which con-
vict's ambition may aspire. Foundries will
ply the engine and forge, and warp and wool
build to the ceaseless music of shuttle and
loom. The fragrance of flowers will load the
air and agriculture and horticulture fill the
graneries and stock the cribs and barns.
Stately orchards and fields of melons and
grapes with the magnificent canopes of oak
and elm, will stretch over the rich acres that
shall be glowing with the wealth Of actual
homes.
Here convicts may labor, not for petty hire,
but each in the pursuit of his calling, and none
will lack an occupation or trade. All the nee
essary regulations for the government OF such
a colony in the heart of the state, legislation
will readily provide. Its revenues will be large.
and public justice will warrant an assignment
of certain gains to the laborer, as encourage
ment for good behavior and a means of sup
port when his servitude shall end.
We throw out these hints to our legislators,
hoping they will not be lost The measure
may be introduced and commission consti-
tuted to select site and take such further pre-
liminary steps as may be deemed JudicIous
with view to the completion Of the grea,
| plan at the ensuing session of the Legislature.
We should have men who can grasp this en-
terprise.
Now that the country is to have all the
moral stamina drawn out of it again by thai
inexhaustble fly blister the Black Crook, we
lust congratulate ourselves that we are able t.
drop kedge anchor that will easily keep u
from drifting. But without feeling any per
sonal concern we may say that we think it al
most time that this ghost should be laid. 1t
mission seems to us to have been accom-
plished. We remember the universal con
viction, before the era Of the Black Crook, tina
woman was made in the fashion of churn
and we recall the interest we felt in that wo
man question of our early days. We can liv