Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-11-21
llnnuini. lnhnr.

One Of the questions TINT has on
gagged the serious thought of sorinl rc.
formers IL the disposition of prison
convlcts- whether the protection of
society against the criminal classes
mud the nincllorHtion of crime chi best
bc promoted 10y Nero imprisonment
and isolation, on by combining dis
| cipline Of labor with confinement.
Tint The employment Of convicW IN
useful labor IL conducive to the cnds
sought TO bcobtnlnuh ny such system
of punshnput Il proposition that
meets with no discussion; but It's mo.
dinte effects do not rest here. II Is
protested That the products of their
workmanship drive honest lnbnr from
The market ~ the contractors for such
labor, paying the state but u small
price for the use OF the conviCis, aud
working them like slaves, IRE able 10
undcrseIl manufacturers who pay fair
wngcH to free worImen. The very
reasonable nnawcr to this ~ that such
competition is not general enough 10
effect the market; TINT convicts from
the necessity Of their circumstances,
can bc put 10 use in but few ortho
branches of manufacture, and the
impression on tho world Of tihdc mndc
by them Is very small. Upon
one point, however, men are generally
agreed, that what n known rs noul-
sido' convict lnbpr that IL, where the
prisoners nrc hired TO parties for en-.
ployneht anywhere in the state and
ut anything they niny be put 10, the
contrnctors guaranteeing their safe
Keeping to the stntc- Is opposed 10
public policy aud dcbnscs the DiDyoic
of the ronvlcts At the Into session Of
tho Eighteenth legislature of Texng
the outside rontrnct system was abo.
ished Ia this state. aud existing con-
tracts were aunullcd. Now Yor, voted
on the aninc proposition within the
last month and 10y practically tpan.
impus vote rejected the syaton Ia Tint
state. IL IS now allowed in very few
states.
The protection of society against the
violation Of her laws IA the coutcsit'ln. |
ton OF the lazy IN imposing penalties
Tor crime The criminal is not to be
looked upon II reprobato beyond the
pale of lazy and the regard Of human |
ny, but ns n indicator whose punish
Went ia for his own good, rs well ne
the protection of society. There
fore pennl institutions should les
nnd corrective ~ well na
punitive Iinbor Of some sort there
must be in prisons; the problem IL TO
under what regulations IL
'Ilny be nude 10 play u useful pnrt In
'De reclamation ofciiminhl, and NJ The
'hihe time 10 relieve 10 II considerable
'Ntenl the burden Of taxation which
LheIr support entails upon tho state,
'hefe can be ne doubt that labor, If
enforced "a pnit Of the avg.
.ein of punishment, may beron,n
powerful agent IN the rpformntnrv nrn.
'ess' ne Involving mental instruction,
raining and useful work nud tbs llv-
ny quiet and orderly life, free from,
wi associations aud injurious IN
'hlgonees such regulation Of lalJor
n prisons Is posslble; aud under such
system Of regulation, and alwaya
With n Wow to the discipline Of tbe
'onviei4, their labor nay bu mndo 10
'lsId to the state such return ns viii Z
ender the pehitentiaies -elfsupport.
ng, and In time sources Of revenue to
he state, instead Of busIpusoine
'harges upon the tax payers