Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-13
A SUGGESTION.
xIlsxA FOR CONVICT LABOR

a s<hsw> ssr s<ssnss . Ns~ CssssrS ana
e.sssns Ma ere rrsssssscs.e csss"'"'
10 tie Editor Of the DispatcA:
have read with avidity everything
IAsye seen in connection with the en-
ploymsnt Of convict laber. IL Is q
much . question with tho country no.
A. Is the immigration Of Chinese. Ina.
n must 20 /" is settled question, on,
the question still remains, What VII,
Won do with it?" Now, this iire-orand
X the hands of the socialists and revo-
lutionists, and at the same Sa'e
"sweet morsel" that the Ponu.
cal eemsgogucs are in the haoi'
NJ rolling under their tongues
o. m argument by which to Int them
selves into Office, may be removed from
politics and made to serve good ana
useful purpose by colonizing convicts
for certain crimes in Alaska. AS yet
there has been discovered no employ
meut for convicts which will not con-
flict with honest labor. My plan is TO
colonize them somewhere in the south
eastern division Of Alaska, which, You
know. is below the Arctic circle ana
which, consequently, would subject the
eonyicts to a much less rigorous ell
mate than that Of Siberia, or at least
much of its territory. Alaska IS a
vast country, most Of it unexplored,,
Int enough has been discovered
for geogrsphers to say tha' IL
embraces more than one SKIN Vi
the area of the United States,
and its territories, with the river fo-
kon flowing through it, river when Is
said TO discharge in the Behring sea
one third more water than does the
Pstber of Waters" into the Gull.
American enterprise has already taken
hold OF the fur trade Of this almost I'M
known region, sand there are trading
stores from Behring sea to the eastern
boundary" Now as to the tempera-
ture of this region, Mr.. Ivan Romanoi'
the American agent near Sitka, mas
stated the mean annual temperature tor
winter to be about 10 degrees above
zero. and the average temperature
for summer at Sc degrees. " Turnlps
and radishes and lettuce appear to be
vegetables that can be cultivated. The
winters last about seven months-ex-
tending from October to May. Mis-
sionaries in the central Yokon region
have said that :" in this fertile valley
millions Of agriculturists might be sup
ported" but this statement, ] think, is
somewhat exaggerated. In many
places " the best crops OF cereals and
tubers may be grown" The census
report informs us that coal, in accessi-
BILE veins. is found. Vast forests OF
cedar. spruce, and pine are waiting
TO be developed into great
business. As the reindeer, walrus,
polar-bear, seal, and other fur
bearing animals find refuge
in this desolate region, a fur and
walrus-iyory business, might be de-
veloped by the colonization scheme
and. from a scientific point of view,
foothold here for Arctic explorers
might thus be made. Sitka might be
made the base Of operations for the
colony. 1t is in the eastern geographl-
cal division, where Christianity has
found q Judgement. Greek. Roman
Catholic. and Protestant schools have
already been established; English is
taught in q Presbyterian missionary
school, which has an attendance Of
one hundred pupils. In brief, by
colonizirg convicts in Alaska
vast lumber, fur, ivory. aud fish
trade might be developed that would
add millions TO the wealth Of this coun-
try, and at the same time remove from
our politics the vexed question of con-
vict labor. For precedents for this
colonization scheme we have the action
of the most enlightened governments OF
Europe. such as England, France, Ger.
many, and Russia. What is the OBJ
lection to this plang Why is it not
practicable? The more | read OF
Alaska, the more convinced | am of
the utility Of the colonization of con-
victs in it, and | should like to be
heard further upon the subject, if you
would allow the space. ID.