The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-04-05
llOnSTONS SPEECII

tlhry Lcaae-Tho Humanitarian Nluo W
the Question Ventilated ana u Now Phase
Presentsd.-A Few Formidable Figures.
Mn. President. had hoped that this
question would have been settled without
the lengthy discussion TO which the senate
has listened, and | regret that feel called
upon myself to discuss IL, for / do not know
that my discussion OF will throw any light
upon the subject But, sir, 1t is question
of great importance not only to individuals,
but to the people at large, and l have &C
cordingly given it my close attention, and
hence feel that l would not be doing MY
duty not TO give the senate the benefit of
my Investigations.
take different view of it from most of
the senator's who have spoken. 1t is not
question of sympathy or sentimentality,
but it is o question which should address
itself to the senate from business ana
practical standpoint. | do not know that
am right about it, but feel that | am
correct VIXEN | say that in all civilized
countries the convicts are considered bur
den upon the good people OF the country.
This position cannot be disputed. 1t must
be admitted to be true, and in the deter
mining of what shall be done with the
present system, as how to guard, feed and
clothe and work them, rs 10 what is TO be
done with them, they are to be considered
a burden upon the good people OF the state,
and every effort shoNld be to make thai
burden as Light as il possibly can be made.
Now in the discussion OF the question the
argument has not been confined TO the
amendment, but it has embraced the whole
field. The last speaker (Terrel) considered
the whole question, the whole system, and he
VnnE tho npGitinp that leE-
ter than the lease system. IL was rather
remarkable speech, coming from senator
of usually fair views and matured Judg-
ment, senator who usually confines him
self to the legitimate bounds OF argument.
But, sir, in this case, he seemed to forget
himself and to be carried away into held
of maudlln sentimentality, which the
question at issue did not justify as the &C.
casion merits. his speech was Tor resump-
tion, and those senators opposing the lease
in its present form are in favor OF the state
resuming control, not sir, Tor the purpose
OF carrying out the democratic platform as
laid Down for some time past, and not as
ratified by the people with the object of
combining the convicts in the walls of the
state penitentla-ies, but, sir, to bring gain
to the state from speculation IN the labor
of these convicts, hoping TO make
much money out of the project. Such is
the fair deduction from the speeches and
the question. If the state were ready to
resume, and to place all the convicts in the
walls of the penitentiaries, and II such were
the sentiment of the people and OF the legls-
lature, / would not be here favorlng any
lease whatever. But take it from all that
has been said here that it is considered I'M
practicable to-day or at any near time to con-
line the convicts within the walls. Then
say that resumption is also impracticable
from business standpoint. If then the
object is to make the burden upon the
country entailed upon it by these convicts as
light as possible, it must be by the lease
system. The experience not only Of Texas,
but of all the states of this Union,
is that they have found the bur-
den is heavy when the state
undertakes to manage the. convict system
and convict labor. The lease system, it is
well known, is the only one by which the
people have found relief from the great bur-
dens growing out of the support of these
criminals, from the heavy taxation re-
quired to support them, and just here let
me say with reference to the support OF the
convicts of Texas, without taxation, that the
remark of the senator from Travis (TerrelD
that rather than see what has been going
on in this state, the lease OF the convlcts and
their nire to contractors, he would willingly
increase the taxes to five cents more on the
500 to support them sounds to me strange
from the lips of that senator, who, when we
were contending for tax i'll support OF free
schools and the education of the children OF
this state, opposed it. / say it comes i'll
bad grace when it comes from the lips
of that senator standing in front OF those
who advocated the lowest minimum tax for
free schools.
Mr. President, so long as the state can
dispose of this convict labor, so as not 70
make it burden upon the people, io
that long will / oppose any increase OF lIE-
alton necessary to support these conNicts
under state resumption, and perhaps "a ell
forced idleness. By the lease system
heavy burden has been taken from the |
state and placed upon others, and upon in |
dlviduals. 1t has been burden upon tue |
lessees who hope TO make money out OF 1t. |
IL of course would be folly to expect to
lease convict labor TO men who did not ex-
pect to make money out of it. But say |
the state cannot and never can make money |
out of it as individuals can. And l warn |
YOU when you put this business IN the |
hands Of the state relying upon the deluslve |
figures and estimates OF senators on the |
other side who are not well posted, and can |
not be as well posted, as the state officers, |
who made the contract; warn you that
you will make most inglorious failure |
when you place this business in the hands |
of state officials, who are interested only in |
drawing their salaries; you place these con-
yicts where they will be subject to all the !
dire results Of ill-treatment ana neglect SO
vividly painted By senators, ana Whcrc I
their suiferings will be Increased rather |
than diminished. The dreadful pictures
drawn by senators may be indeed certainly |
looked for when the convicts are lett in the
hands of men having no interest in their
labor, their health or their liyes-nen who,
dealing with the worst classes, care little
how hardly they fare, how much they SUI
fer OF soon they die, 50 their salaries are
promptly paid. You would create a horde
Of sergeants, guards, inspectors and under
lings paid by the state, regularly drawing
from the people their salaries and caring
no more for the life, health or well being Of
the convict, or for his reformation, than II
he were dog or a wolf.
On the other hand, take the lease system,
and we know the lessees are interested IN |
the convict's well being from the fact eat
when he Is sick or dies he can't perform la
Dor, and they lose the profits from his labor.
So far then as the conyicts are unable 70
perform labor from ill-tfeatment or bad
food, the inducement is greater 70 the lee
sees 70 employ responsible guards and hui
name employees than IL would be 70 state
managers who would have no interest IN
the c0nvci's well being or his labor.
This much / deem necessary in reply
10 the humanitarian argument There
nave peep abuse. there have been actual
and seeming hafdships upon these convicts;
there il no doubt about that, but Is Il con-
ceived by any senator what kind of people
they are dealing with? Remember that the
lessees have under their charge and control
the very worst classes Of society, men made
desperate BY the loss Of everything that
attaches men 70 virtue and obedience 20
law. men who have no regard for them
selves, their families, their country or their
God. And IL Il not TO be expected there
will be abuses; r. il not 10 be expected that
fbess desperate men will attempt 70 escape,
and that they viii be shot down when they
attempt 10 escape and free themselves, an1
viii not the country Justify those who shoot
them down when they are making their
- - TIf. - rf~hf I dontf enr IL IL