The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-02-22
THAT PENITENTIARY LEASE.

head per month, tne CONTIGUOUS IdhinS
the convicts for series of years. After
that the penitentiaries. with the
convicts that could be employed
inside the walls, were advertised for
lease, and when the time for consid-
ering bids came no propositions to
lease had been received. 1t
was then that the peniten-
tiary board sought consolation from
the penitentiary lessees, and negotia-
lions were begun, leading to a re-
markable contract made between
them and the state. The present lessees
did not propose upon the proposition
contained in the advertisement
referred to, because they did
not want portion of the convict Ia
Dor. The same reason kept other per-
sons from making propositions, and
hence there were no bids in answer
to the advertisement. As stated, the
board then asked for consul
tation with the present les
sees, and, without notifying
any one else of such purpose, lease
was closed for all the convicts and
both penitentiaries for $4,000. The
sum is not $4,000, as some suppose,
for one penitentiary, but it is $4,000
for each prison, the convi:ts being
equally divided on account of
each penitentiary. In this
arrangement all the convicts, al
ready leased by the state, on the
states account, at Sl5 and SIG. per
month, to farmers and companies,
were transferred to the lessees,
and this extraordinary bargain was
closed. Ex-Gov. Roberts said, in
evidence before the penitentIary COM
mittee. that the purpose of the board
was not to make money for the state
out of the lease, and therefore it is
not at all singular that the lessees
were offered the opportunity
of making enormous profits
out of these same poor
devils, whom the board proposed to
dispose of without profit to the state.
Last year the lessees paid the state
over $4,000 for convicts. Under
the present arrangement, the
lessees, with two penitentia-
ries instead of one, will pay the
state $4,000, or less than one-fourth
of what was paid last year, the con-
victs being increased instead of being
decreased. This extraordinary agree
ment is to last, if approved
by the legislature, fifteen years. The
state sells, then, nearly three thousand
able-bodied men for fifteen years,
which is more than the average life
time of these men, for about 500
per head. This is so, provided the
number of convicts does not go be
yond three thousand. which it
will do in six months from
this time. With three thousand con-
victs the price paid under this con-
tract will be $3.50 per head, and when
the number reaches four thousand, as
it will in less than five years, the
price paid will be So per head. What
remarkable consideration the board
had for individuals other than con-
victsl The ex-governor is simply
mistaken rs to personal considera-
tons. which are evidently against
an enlarged and for circumscribed
humanity. Under the lease which has
been in force for some years, the
state received $3.01 per month
upon every convict. Here then is the
evidence that shortly the state will
receive not more than twice this sum
for whole year. Why did not the
board readvertise, and let such people
who would have bid for eonvicts
know that the state would throw
in this magnificent bounty
from the convicts already leased to in
dividuals and companies. Had this
been done, there can be no doubt that
a hundred proposals would have been
received from persons in Texas,
while propositions would have
poured in from all parts
of the United States. 1t was an I'M
paralleled proceeding, and it is not
excusable under any circumstances.
As to the representation before the
committee, members of the board can
be expected to do nothing else but
defend themselves. Even Treasurer
Lubbock, who is member
of the board that performed this
splendid piece of financial engineer
ing for the state, defends it. He not
only spoke before the committee in
defense of the lease, but in his speech
he abused the newspapers
that had commented upon the
improperly of the transaction in
which he took part. Some months
ago the STATESMAN charged COM
plicity between the manager of the
state printing Office and firm doing
printing for the state. An in
yestigation was had before
board OF which Mr.. Lubbock
was member. and he denounced the
charge as false, but subsequently this
same manager of state industry adj
yised the suspension of the state
printing Office and takes his posi-
ton in the printing house where
it was charged collision existed.
In that investigation Mr.. Lubbock
abused the STATESMAN, as he now
abuses the papers that dare comment
upon his wonderful feat as a state
officer in finances. Mr.. Lubbock
is a great financier; Mr.. Roberts
Is the humanitarian. But the de-
Tense of thise by two Off
GERS cannot make the transac-
ton pass muster before the people of
Texas. To speak of it in the mildest
terms possible is to call it an outrage
upon the public, and if a Dem
ocratic legislature assumes to white
wash this wretched transaction, it
will bring to the Democracy of Texas
untold SORROW The STATESMAN eaD-