The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1882-12-09
Eor the GreenyIIle Timss.l
The PenltentIsry 20 be Made Manu-
featuring.


ent law for employing con Ticts ont
of the penitentiary. owing to many
causes, some plan might be adopt
ed that would condne them within
the walls and render them produc-
tive of much revenue. 1t is well
known that the State is indebted
to the common school fund about
s600,0O0. This large sum was col
lected from the taxpayers on ae-
count of the school fund, in State
warrants. These warrants when
paid into the State treasury were
cancelled and the amount each
year charged to the credit of the
common school fund; or the State
took this amount from the fund for
which il was collected and became
responsible for it as trust. This
transaction was neither honest nor
just to taxpayer or to the common
schools. The State distributes
annually to each county its pro
rata share of the school fund, but
this amount so distributed is de-
rived from licenses. fines and from
other objects, aud not entirely
from this 100000. We would
here suggest a plan by which the
c0nvicts could be retained within
the walls aud this fund made avail
able for improving the common
schools.
Let the Legislature issue State
bonds or warrants as required TO
the amount of this sG00,000, and
the funds be applied to enlarging
the penitentiary and when a suf.
ticient room is prepared then pur.
chase machinery for spinning and
weaving cotton and WOODEN cloths.
Or change il into a manufacturing
establishment to be operated by
the couvicts. If, as has often
been published, Southern manu-
factories pay large per centage on
investment it would seem to follow
that a manufacture worked by the
labor of conyicts ought to be as
profitable. Let the law require
that the dividends shall go to sup
port the common schools. The
State would thus make vice and
crime assist TO dispel ignorance,
and give them the means to better
their condition aud becoming bet
ter and more intelligent citizens
to understand their rights and
their proper position in the affairs
of the State. Two very important
changes would be effected by this
arrangement. The conviets would
be kept in the prison where they
could be properly treated and have
the benefit Of hearing preaching
and other Christian exercises, and
those who are disposed to read, to
improve, to reform, would have a
better and more convenient oppor-
tunity than they now possess.
The State would then invest in q
profitable business the funds held
in trust and due the schools.
1t seems to us that the Legisla.
ture could frame q law and select
competent persons to put this I'M
portant change in successful OPP
Grafton so as to render highly
productive to the invested fund,
increase the manufacturing inter.
est and render more useful, com.
Portable the State convicts and
give them moral and Christian OPP.
portunities. One thing is certain,
if this is consummated it will not
increase the present Indebtedness
of the State; only invest a fund
now collected and due.
This, Mr.Editor, is a mere outline,
a suggestion for future thought
and discussion aud c0geney. We
believe it is very practicable and
will succeed if properly managed
and taken out of politics and be
emphatically a common school in
vestment ; it's property and man
aged for its sole benefit and adj
yancpmput. DEER CREEK.