The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-10-04
CoNyICTs ON THE PLANTATIONS

MAN on the same question. IL says
Resumption under its present work
ing system is not such resumption as
was contended by the advocates of
resumption in the last legislature. 1t
was then contended by those who
favored the idea of state resumption
that the necessity for the same was
found in the fact that a very large
number of convicts worked on the
outside of the walls on railroads and
farms. Such was the argument of
The AUSTIN STATESMAN and the
few other papers which favored re-
sumption. 1t will be seen from the
report of Mr.. Brahan that the income
from convict labor on railroads
for the month of August amount
ed to the sum of $19,O96,
and in the same month for labor on
farms by convicts the sum of $l4,244,
thus aggregating fer convict labor
outside OF the walls Of the penltentla-
ries the sum of $33,34O, which shows
that instead of placing the convicts
within the walls, under resumption,
the number worked on the outside
are greater now than they were under
the lease system, while the working
of convicts on railroads and farms
violates both the letter and the spirit
of the law. Yet such system cannot
well be abandoned until the state in
vests money in machinery and mate
rials in such sums that she would be
placed in a position to utilize the
labor OF convicts within the walls of
the penitentiary, and this she ought
to do as early as possible.
TIE STATESMAN has held, all the
while, that there is an element of con-
vict labor that can only be employed
proftably in working the soil, and
while it has labored zealously for re-
sumption, thus mourning the dis
pleasure of the powers that be, it
has held to the economic pro-
blem that convicts, suited alone
for such work, should be en-
ployed on farms in producing sugar,
cotton and corn. but that these planta-
ton convicts should be placed directly
under the care of trustY and humane
agents of the state, who would watch
over them, see that they were proper
ly fed, clothed and housed, and treat
ed when sick. Even under the lease
system the convicts on plantations
were better treated than in any other
relation, and under resumption they
should be treated more in accordance
with natural demands and acquired
habits than in any other relation.
THE STATESMAN contended that more
especially could negro convicts be more
humanely treated, as well as properly
employed, on plantations than in any
other capacity, and it has no objection
TO seeing them, there so long as they
are watched over by proper persons re-
sponsible alone to the state. Its posi-
ton as to the employment of con-
victs on railroads and in lumber
camps was different. In these rela-
tions convict labor comes in competi-
ton with free labor, and besides, in
these employments it has been shown
there are the greatest inhumanities.
The employment of convicts on rail
way works and as wood choppers pre-
sents frequent chances for escape, and
their base treatment, their butch
cry, and multitude of in
human practices belong almost
altogether to these employments.
They should not be so employed. But
rs to present employment of convicts
on plantations and on railways the
authorities have no power to COM
pletely withdraw them from such
works. 1t should be borne in mind, that
last year about a thousand convicts
were so leased to planters and COM
panies for five years. and one of the
ugliest features of the lease
that was made by the old administers
ton, and which was attempted to be
perpetrated by this, was the transfer
of the account for these hired con-
victs, amounting to about $4,000 pei
month, to lessees for only $4,000 pei
year for all the convicts and the two
penitentiaries. There is no reason
however, why the convicts en-
ployed on railways and planta-
tions should be increased, espe-
cially on the railways. The
entire spirit of legislation was against
employment on railways and in wood
camps, and, if possible, those so en-
ployed should be withdrawn from
such service. It might be, wise for
reasons already given, to always work
good proportion of convicts on plan
tations, and to such service THE
STATESMAN does not interpose, nor
has it ever interposed, any objec-
ton. A thousand or fifteen
hundred convicts might be en-
ployed on plantations, with sat
isfaction to themselves and with
profit to the state, while to place all
these inside penitentiary walls would
prove an expense to the state. Not
more than half the convicts in the
penitentiaries can be utilized as arti-
sans and mechanics, and the wisest
management would keep the others in
fields, where their labor can alone be
made profitable, and where they in no
manner come in conflict with, or de-
preciate, other agricultural labor
There is no competition in convict la
Dor on the sugar and cotton planta-
tions, and it will be century, proba-
bly,, before there will be. OF course,
should the state be able to find proper
employment inside penitentiary walls
for all convict labor, even this that is
now only suited to agricultural en-
ployment, it would be well enough to
so employ them. But for the present
this is an economical question, and to
use certain convicts as farm laborers
is beneficial to the state as
well as pleasing to the convict.
1t is matter of note,
that on the plantations, even under
the management of lessees, convicts
were better satisfied than elsewhere
and there were fewer escapes than in
any other work. The butcher yards
and the burial grounds were. along
the railways and in the wood camps.