The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-03-01
lnl rrslttNIrAn. LgAsg.
1ctl Of tho Minority neport In Opposition
10 Ratification.

10 lfNiintNluh
1omml,iss Room, Austin. Texas, feoo; ", lsa5,,
lion Marion Martin, President OF the bshH'.
Your penit nliary committee have had
under consideration senate concurrent re'o
luton No. 2, entitled: Concurrent Resolu'
lion Ratifying Penitentiary Leases
A majority recommended its pass &C.
The undersigned members oil the commit
tee are opposed to the ratification OF the
Lease. and are in favor Of the state resuming
direct control and management OF its penn
tentiaries and convicts.
Ia view of the magnitude of the question,
aud interests involved, and the fact that we
differ with the majority of the committee
induces us to present our views at greater
,enrth than we would otherwise do.
The first inquiry is, viz! II, in orr ludg'
ment the lease.contracts are unwlse on the
part ofthe state, are we Justineu III uecl'ni"s
10 rati!y them?
The statute authorizing the lease pro-
v,ded that every lease shall be subject TO
the approval or revocation of the first legis-
lsture thereafter convened" (Sec' ~, laws
of 1881, p. 49, ..,...;.,,
The lease contracts under GonsllIteratloh
contain the following clause: 1t tine con-
revocation of the next legislature.
Il appears, therefore, that the proposed
lease.ccntracts ought not to be approved
unless their provisions commend theih
selves 10 the judgment OF the majority ol
the legislature. 1t was made known by
both me law and the contracts that this
was a condition, and the lessees have
neither been mfsled or deceived with re-
gard thereto. If the legislature are ex-
pected TO approve lease-contracts by iegls-
fatiye act or declaration, when, their Judg-
ment does not do 50, it is a useless ana ldIe
ceremony to submit them for approval
We therefore proceed to the consideration
OF the merits of the lease contracts and the
policy upon which they are based, I'M
pressed with the view that if they are wise
they should be approved, or ii unwise they
ylould be revoked.
Among other things, 1t is urged III FAVOR
of approving the leases, that they increase
the number of convicts to be confined within
the walls above the number heretofore CON
fined, and that this is done, not only with
out risk of loss by the state, but with an
ascertainad profit Of $4,000 per year for two
years, ~sg4a $4,000 per year Tor thirteen
years. .,,,
consider the following facts: The peniten-
tiary convicts now number 221S. The
annual net increase per year, as shown by
the report OF the superintendent Tor 1857,
page Ii, is i2J per year. For fifteen years
the net increase will be 1875. The total
number at the end of the lease contracts,
fifteen years. will be 4,l53, not accounting
for increase in population.
The lease contracts require 400 conyicts
to be confined within the walls after three
years, but under its provisions at the end OF
the fifteen years there may be outside 2, 1913.
AS above shown, there are 2,276 convicts
at this time, and there will be at the end OF
~ Cn a al
average for the term will be 9,2l5 and we
take this number as basis OF calculation.
The average number OF conyicts
during the next fifteen years will be
8, 2l5. Convicts confined in the walls
|, 400; annual average outside of walls l, us
Il therefore appears that the provision OF
the lease most commended, because it con- {
fines an increased number of convicts with
in the walls, will leave many more on the
,utside than it will place on the inside. {
The lease contracts save the state from !
'isk and secure 5000 profit for two years c
md $i5, 900 for thirteen years. t
What could the state realize, if it carried t
,ut the policy OF the lease, If it confined
!, 400 within the walls, and worked the bal v
lnce outside for profit? e
As above shown there will be an annual a
verage convicts outside of the walls of S
.8l5 for the term. The state can hire them Fl
ut at an annual profit of $72 per capita, or S
Va JIl6 I,OlO tut pIOHb VI SlOOiOOyi u
nd for the fifteen years, u net profit over Il
nd above that of the leases, of 81 1895, 200. Fl
~ Of this sum the state would have to a
ay Tor the support OF the 400 in the walls
Dr. nearly whatever sum consumed above j
heir earning, or whatever they lacked of o
eing selfsupporting, if anything.
But we understood the pblicy Of tb state
cap be Comfortably accomm' odated and
1tahly employed " and mott nat the state
place 400 within the Y lie srho cam
,e ''profitably employed !, a an5 consnme
,rotts OF those worked outside TO sup
hem, ou'siue W sup
81 su ri !. nI. Ir. T. ]. Goree, in
Joint commit Idress,. delivered be,
nj ran,esanta. tee of the senate ana
rnished son lives, on February "a
relatinc ie very valuable infor-
20 penitentiary manage
sbsi of the printed address, he
"a "a ~ are stated, it may be safely
cop at the profit from outside labor
.ired for some time to support
IN the inside" And on page
There Is a very large class
yicts in Texas, as in other
states, who, being totally
skilled labor, can never De
employed in the walls; and If
or isto be remuneratiye, outside
TsnL Mil be a necessity" Again, on
he saws: "While there is a clamor
TO place convicts in the walls, BE-
competition with free labor, there
or In northern states, where all are
alls working at skilled labor lor
lcal or manufacturing industries
to work them at unskilled labor, to
competition.
"a hound 10 realize IL as a fact that
ands. with no experience or adapta-
90 mechanical or manufacturing in
es. cannot, within year or two, OF
short time, az at ALI become suf-
tly skilled to earn enough proht TO
clothe and supervise them. a very
,nroportion Tor about 50 per cent? OF
c5nyicts are called short-term men, aud
unskilled laborers; and are therefore OF
class that cannot be made seiisupP0H,
within the walls, where few but skilled
,orers can be.
" Estimate that 500 or GO Of oonyicts
, ~ on hand are long term men, ana may
! utilized within the walls at mechanical
nd manufacturing pursuits Tor seii-sup-
port. -,
a. tate ar pe1ple 10 place every cow Ct ,
utthin the walls, whether he can be made
Incorporating or not, and levy taxes and
,u-dafs upon the honest and law Abiding
nj upon the industrious Of the state 20
rapport them 10 whole or in part.
Therefore, II We base calculAtion OF the |
ssorv that. say 600 selfsuppOrting con- .
A. ior 20 become self-suppOrting), shall b. !
1aced in the walls. and The balance hired
"A in groups 70 be secluded from the pub I
II and worked At farming (shich IL not Of
haf character Of labor which injurousiy !
,ompefes with free labor, 81 proht OF :
So1s 81 per head. we Ind the following :
Ptf,able result: -. !
vrrege number o. cguvicI Tor D. Tears sL5 {
ITeraEs number seif-surportins IN 80. !
eTn|Ia. saaas ..sas- .sses-- ~ =
|rerars number Of unsklled ihpo-ers - :
zee Pros, psr mouth q o ........ tiss9o