The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-03-08
AUSTIN LETTER.


tated over the penitontlary lease matter anu
AZ this all.important question has cut ana
destined yet 70 cut, 81 prominent hgure
In the history Of this legislative session. ana
10 have much bearing IN the political
sphere for tue future, will outline as well
AS can to our readers the chief features,
pio and con-, TO the end OF putting them in
intelligent possession Of the main'iacts.
1t will be remembered that the Seven
teenth legislature created a PenitenUary
Board, giving thereto the general manage.
ment and control of the penitentiaries and
convcts, defining its powers and duties,
and, in measure, indicating the policy OF
increasing the number Of convicts within
the walls by lessening the number employed
on the outside. This board was composed
of the governor, D. M. Roberts; the state
treasurer, +. r. Lubbock, and the superin-
tendent. Thomas J. Goree. The said act also
placed at the disposal OF the board funds,
list. The proceeds of the lease of the
| Huntsville penitentiary, to be used in the
| improvement and security OF the peniteh-
tiaries. ID. For completing Improvements
work and buying machinery for kusk,
SlOO 900; for work and machinery for Hunts
Vile, $50, Some time last June, the
board determined to offer the penitentiarles
for lease, on the basis of contracting rapldly
the outside labor, and to foster the building
up ofinside industries. To this end advertise
ments were inserted in some leading
state papers proposing a lease of each peni-
Tertiary with 500 or more convlcts 10 be
confined within the walls, and also one Tor
lease of convictS by shops under the CON
tract system;" also advertisements inviting
bids to contract for about 800 convicts on
farms, in numbers of not less than sixty;
The bids for this outside labor to be opened
on the 18th of August last. There were
about dozen applicants for this OUTSIDE
labor, and contracts were made
with these for something over l,ooo
conyicts at SIS, the contractors
to furnish prison houses, iced
convicts and guards and get ten
hours labor per day, the state pay
ng a monthly cost to the same OF some
$500 per convict per month, or q net ne
monthly revenue to the treasury OF say SOU.
But, by the middle OF September when the
board met there was only one bid for
lease in response to advertisements as
aforesaid, and, as this was coupled WIN
conditions not to be acceded to, re-adver-
tisements were made until the LIST OF Nov
ember, and down to the Goth 10 bids were
) vet in. A day or two subsequent
to this there were two, PROPOSE
lions made to the board Tor lease,
the one from Cunningham g. Ellis for the
Huntsville ,penitentiary Tor hfteen years s.
Nashville Tennessee, for the Rusk branch;
but as these did not suit, they, were also re-
iected. Finally, about week later, these
same applicants made a proposition for the
lease with the following terms, which were
accepted, viz: l. "The state to lease each
penitentiary for fifteen years, one,ha!I 81 az
the convicts to be assigned to each. 2. Inc
lessees to assume and carry out In good
faith the contracts for farm labor made Au-
gust Is. 3. The lesSees to pay all expenses
: connected with the penitentiaries OF what;
} ever description, that the state, would
have to pay TO if n,,os op ana Keen all all
property belonging to penitentiariesin good
repair. To have use OF buildings, machin-
cry, etc., and appropriations for machinery.
5. To commence on January 1, 1888, Win
800 convicts at Rusk penitentiary, to be IN,
creased in equal numbers each year, untii
J the number reaches 800 at the end OF third
year. 6. At Huntsville penitentiary, to
commence with 400, and increase to 6oO by
end of third year. Z. To pay SloOoo per
annum for each penitentiary, and in add
ton thereto, after the end oftwo years, to
receive convicts at county jails and carry
to penitentiaries free of any expense to the
state. s. The state has employment OF
guards, and only parts with the labor oil
convicts. 8. The right is reserved by. the
state to, withdraw boys from the peniten'
tiaries,' il reformatory be provided Tor
} them and if new prison he built to have
proportion OF the convicts thereafter re-
ceived for such prison.
The foregoing is substantially the history
of the lease and the actions OF the board.
Under it, it is conceded, the revenue to the
state will not be so great as from the former
lease, but the board contends that better
provision is made for the security and COM
fort of the convicts, and all done at the ex-
pense of the lessees, who under the require
ments for compensation and increase OF
guard force, will cost these lessees about
S25. 600 annually more than heretofore paid.
They further contend that the saving in
transportation after two years will save
about $4,000 per annum to the state;
and that within three years all
the conyicts that can, be proftabiy
employed will be confined within the walls,
and further, that in a couple of years from
now, the two penitentiaries will pay to the
state q net annual revenue OF some S4o,-
900.
Now, on the other hand the minority re-
port ofthe senate committee, as made lew
days ago, opposes the lease on the following
grounds, saying:
First.-We think the state can resume
control, and confine as many convicts with
IN the walls az the lessees are required ~
copfine, and cause the outside labor to earn
about 81 ,335, 200 within fifteen years.
Seoond.-We think the sCate can resume
and confine about 800 convicts within the
walls dong term men) and save. above the
profits OF the lease-contracts, about $780,
600 within fifteen years.
Third We think IL the state can save
these sums, Il ought TO do 30; and 1t can be
wisely appropriated TO schools, public
roads, or reduction Of taxation, or other
public use; and the contamination Of such
a result Is more desirable.than to expend IL
| in paying II TO induce the confinement OF a
\ limited number of convicts within the
walls, who are not self-supporting, while
the greater portion are worked outside oil
the prisons.
Fourth.-we think the state can better
manage It's convicts, alter its policies, regu.
late me character of labor and industries Of
the convicts, IL II remains unembarrassed
bv the rights and interests Of lessees.
Fiffh.-We think II we ratify the lease,
we commit the state 10 the policy OF the
lease for fifteen years; for while the law
prior TO 1881 provided that any future leg
stature might revoke lease for any cause:
the law Of 1881 seems to coniine the right OF
approval or rejection 10 the first Legislature
fercept for violation OF the terms OF the
contract).
siTth,-If II Is 10 be the policy Of the
state 70 withdraw convict labor rom any
lind of employment al which free labor
can receive remuneration. that class which |
cannot support themselves can be placed
nnou tbe frst-clsss public roads and biidges |
al the state a. a charge upon the counties
for their actual expense only. and this
would relieve. TO q great extent, the free ls-
boring classes from . heavy tax and burden
and establish good system OF roads.
6eveuth.-We are opposed 70 the approval
~ fhr leaass for the other reasons more i
fullv set out In the foregoing statements.
The opposition further specify their OBJ
iecfious 70 the proposed lease By saying /
thaf- ssaruoue other things, IL IL urged IN