The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-08-17

We extract from the aumlraDIe auuTSsS VI
Hon. Barnett Gibbs democratic candidate
for the state senate from this district, the
following remarks on Convict Labor, and
commend their perusal to our people
They are views which we are
sure will meet with general favor.
Texas has now about $500 convicts, OF
whom the larger portion are at work out
side the walls Of the penitentiaries, some in
small squads on plantations, others on
railroads, and, in fact, engaged i'll what
ever In Dor the lessees can find to contract
them to.
1t is hardly probable, in view of the rapid
increase in our population, that ther" will
be any decrease in the number Of co VIC (;
and for so large number Of UNPAID, In
moral, and, i'll one view oft, unproduclive
laborers to be allowed to compete with the
honest labor of our state, cannot but have
u damaging effect on some localities, to say
nothing OF the gross injustice to honest
men, who have TO support themselves and
families by labor.
Say there are 1,500 convicts engaged
outside of the walls on railroads, farms
and other work. These men get nothing;
yet really deprive the legitimate labor OF
the state out of wages TO the amount OF
-, $50 per work day, putting wages at 81 81
per day. Annually this convict labor de-
a million dollars in money; for this is all
work necessary to be done, and would be
done by legitimate labor.
The greatest expense OF every state is its
paupers, and here we find ourselves max
ing paupers out of laboring men and their
families, by bringing this convict labor in
competition on the usual work of the cOun-
try. IL is not only unjust to the laborlng
man, but is, for the taxpayer, a short
sighted piece of economy. It's unjust TO
the merchant in the locality where the con-
vict labor is employed, because a larger
portion OF the wages which would be earn
ed would 90 into the hands OF the mer-
chant for The support Of the laborer and his
family.
am almost assured of the fact that in
Dallas county alone convict labor has de-
prived the honest laborer and retail mer-
chant of at least one hundred thousand
dollars.
The state is, according to the reports of
the proper department, making the ex;
penses of keeping the convicts and about
one hundred Thousand dollars profit per
annum, but at last this only represents so
much money taken from her own citizens,
and that class, too, which need it most.
If We could correctly calculate the pau
perism caused by this system, the lumber
OF Migrants and criminals caused thereby,
and the amount Of productive labor driven,
or kept out of the state by it, VIC no doubt
would discover That the people are paying
dearly for the keeping of the convicts.
Every state which desires prosperity and
wishes to avoid internal strife and dlscord,
must seek to educate its laboring classes
and to give them every facility for earning
livelihood for themselves and families,
If deprived OF labor, they or their families
become a charge on the state, either as
criminals or paupers; and, moreover, dis
Contcnted laborng class is dangerous ele-
ment in social life.
| am well aware of the fact that the state
canEot afford TO keep this large body OF
conyicts in idleness. Neither do believe,
III order to avoid this, that 1t is necessary
to use them in direct competition with the
honest labor Of the state.
Probably one-third OF the convicts can be
utilized within the walls of the penitenti-
airy in manufacturing enterprises in which
the people of Texas are not themselves en-
gagged, and could manufacture heavy goods
Tor home consumption. Those whose labor
cannot be thus made profitable must be
used in some other way, and i'll order TO do
this without competing with the laborers
of the state, the state must either work
them on public work that would not other
wise be done, or on work which is done by
the people without any compensation. For
under the present law the people
are required, at stated intervals, to work
the roads, and the time at which this work
is most necessary is frequently the time al
which the farmers crops need most his at
tention.
The consequence of the present system of
roads working is, that we have very infe-
rior public roads, and the loss by bad roads
in the wear and tear of wagons and teams
is immense, compared with what 1t would
be if we had good roads. Nothing contrib
utes more to the local attractions of a coun-
tgy than good roads, and they have ICON
the most ancient times been considered a
necessity as well as a matter Of pride, and,
Texas is further behind in this
particular than nearly any other state. We
should, by some means, have good roads,
and my idea is that convict laborcaa be
used TO this end.
Let each county have the right TO apply
10 the superintendent of the 'penitentiary
Tor such number of convicts as it eau use il
Inc county, giving bond for their support
aud sale-Keeping. Let these convicts con-
,titute permanent road force to work the
roads the year round. The cost Of caring
Tor them would not be near as great as the
Expense of working the roads at this time,
Il we consider the neglect OF crops and the
oss by property resulting from bad roads.
II this is not considered feasible or desira-
Die, let the state, from its own lands, ii it
la. any sui able, reserve a tract OF say So
100 acres, and on this establish a perma-
nent convict farm, where the convicts can
he worst Of Sc Asons make at least as much
IS il costs the state to keep them.
Fifty thousand acres would employ and
more than support 300 convicts and IL
would be developing lands which would
otherwise nOf be developed, and, therefore,
would not be competing with the honest
abor. They would not produce enough 10
fleet the current price OF products. The
aud commissioner, in his annual report,
avs that the state has some fine coal and
,iher mineral lands. IL this be true, why
rot develop some Of the mines with con-
net labor and thus create work for them.
/ am sure we can, whether considered
rom q financial or moral standpoint, find
more reasonable and profitable manner OF
utilizing thens, and that too IN way that
would not afford such opportunities ior
heir abus as are offered under the
present system.
Ii elected. / promise to give this as wei I
lsother questions Of like importance, IS
nuch care and study as I can, In 20 short a
line. devote 20 II. IL may be very difficult
!, ELECT a change from the lease asylum, a.
Z has become ~ thoroughly part Of our
tate policy, but an enlightened pablo
,tiiliOn viii ere long demand change. ana
re had a. well devise waFs and means Tor
a ia fiinfent.
Governor Roberts called the attention 81
be last legislature 20 the nbuse 81 conslcts,
nd don't believe the people u Texas
ralit economy ~ the eNpeuee o. huin1n
.ie unnecessarily taken, any more then ~
BE- rElssnss 81 some Of fheIr feilOu-f1fiz-f-
be- must esther have VIZ ~ become
charge On she Substance d tlio-e VINO
ave IT,
Bailev's Saline Apenent r White pow /
- "a when risced IN wEfer. foams.
,.-.~t1as and frsrea inst lie soda water. I
4 = - "a $1,000 rrfa r-r~I1w /