The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1885-08-22
THE CONVICTS.

over the cOnvicts,in the ~Penltentinry.
A few papers are disposed to treat the
question ia y practical manner, but the
majority of them run wild with a sick
" sentimeEtality, while some indulge
in clap trap about the wrong OF bring
ing convict labor in competition With
honest free labor. The seutimentallsts
60 almost into spa>m> over the hor-
rible treatments of the ''poor and nn
fortunate" cOnvict<. Some OF them
even 60 so far as to complain thai the
convicts are seldom given ice water to
drink this hot weather that the con
victs are half-starved, cruelty treated.
and those who have been gently reared
are forced to do hard labor in heat and
cold, and as a change they advocate
that they be kept within the walls. OF
the Penitentiary and not required or
permitted to do any such work AS is
done by the laborer, the mechanic or
the artisan of this country. Now the
fact is that these convicts are maletac-
tors, undese:,ing of the pity and senti
mentality so gnshingiy expended upon.
them. Some of them are mnrderers,
some are guilty Of rape, some OF a'son,
some burglars, some thieves, ana all
of them have viola ed the laws Of God
and man. and outraged society. Their
arrest and persecution has cost to the
parishes thousands of dollars, taken
from the labor and enterprise Of the
honest men Of the country. We ask
now. what do you, the hardworking
people Of the agricultural districts OF
Louisiana, think of the proposition to
cOnfine these outcas.s and scum ;Ot the
earth within the walls of the peniten-
riay, where they are to sbe maintained
in idleness and fed on the fat of the
land ut an expense to the
State ? Are You prepared to be further
taxed for such a purpose, when you
can avoid it by adopting such a system
as will force these culprits, by their la
Dor, to maintain themselves, protect
the country from overflow and open the
%unoccupied lands Throughout the State,
and thus, in a manner. compensate for
the great expense incurred by their ar
rest and prosecution !?
Just laws have condemned these con
victs to hard Ylabor-forced labor. In
Our opinion the intent Of the law can
be best carried out. aud the State he
most advantageously served, by con-
victs employed in building the levees
aud opening up highways. we mean
good roads tor free public travel.
We are opposed to the convicts work
ing 70, railroad corporations. The EN-
ployluent of the convicts III building
levees and new highways will not
bring their labor in competition with
that of any great number of citizens Of
this State !; for outside of the city of
New Orleans the great mass of the la
boring population are agriculturist=.
and their occupations leave them but
little time which they could give to
levee and road building. Even IN the
city of New Orleans there are but few
of the citizens of this State who engage
in the character Of work which
required of convicts. Make the
convlcts build the levees and open IN
good roads throughout the parishes,
both hill and alluvial, and thus an in
calculable benefit will be conferred up
on the honest free labor of the State.
Cary out faithfully the idea here sug-
gested. and settlers will pour into
those portions of our State which are
now only wildernesses or waste places,
and soon make them blossom like a
garden.
In connection with this subject, we
can add that much Of the talk about the
II treatment Of the convicts, is gross
exaggeration. From frequent personal
observation, the editor of this paper
knows that the convicts are comfort
ably clothed. not over-worked and
they are better fed than three. fourths
of the agricultural laboring population
of the State. Good treatment is the
rule-bad treatment the exception
Pointe Coupee Banner.