Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-03
The Convict Problem.

The Governors message relative 70 the
conFiets is conservative in tone, aud
shows that be has giventbst troublesome
question careful consideration. He
points out fairly the objections 10 tie
/ present convict system. and admits that
tcey are very grave ones. /, cannot,
lOweEeT, as he points out. be changed
hastily, frs, because there may be le2 al
objections in tie way of a change. and
second, because Of the uncertainty as to
the system that would be better and at
the same time not put heavy burden
upon the TAXPAYERS.
The Governor reviews the proposition
20 employ the convicts upon the public
roads, and reaches the conclusion that
although the improvement Of the roads
would Increase the value of the adjacent
lands it would be unjust to burden the
ia payers Of the whole State with the
care and support of the convicts while
engaged in improving the high ways OF
only small portion OF it. He suggests,
however. that there could be no objection
to any county having its roads improved
by conylcts II it provided for their sup
port.
The main point OF the message, how
ever, Is the suggestion that an expert
mental convict farm be provided to ties:
the practicability of employing all the
convicts upon farms owned and con-
trolled by the State.
The suggestion is a good one, and
doubtless will meet with general ap-
proval. If one farm can be worked sue
cessfully-that is, made 20 meet expenses
there is no reason why a dozen cannot.
Honest and capable men Will be required
TO manage them, and if individuals and
corporations can secure honest and capa.
BILE managers why cannot the StateI The
convicis upon State farms would be as
completely under the control of the State
al If they were Inclosed within prison
walls. Sucn separation OF sexes could
be enforced as would prevent immoralities
and efforts at reformation could be ma de.
The youthful offenders who are suscepti-
BILE Of being reclaimed could De subjected
70 such treatment as would tend to in
spire them with a desire 10 become useful
and honest citizens. In fact, they could
be kept on a farm apart from the hard
ened criminals, and reformatory school
maintained for their benefit.
The Governors suggestion has double
purpOse-one to provide better convict
system and the other 10 promote the agri-
cultural interests of the State. When the
convict farms became self-sustaining-
and not till then-eXperiments could be
made, under the direction Of experienced
agriculturists and chemists, to discover
in what respects the soil OF one section OF
the State is superior to that of another,
what soils are best ADAPTED to certain
grains and grasses, and what kinds OF
fertilizers different soils need to increase
their productive power, etc. 1t can
readily be seen that convict farms, prop
erly managed, could be made a source Of
revenue TO the State, greater than that
now received from the hire of convicts, a
source of Information that would be bene-
fetal to agricultural interests, and
means OF dealing with convicts vastly
superior to the leasing system. Every
thing would depend, however, upon the
capacity and integrity or those entrusted
with the management of the convict
farms.
OF course the Legislature would have
to make small appropriation to start
the initial farm, and would have to open
the way to secure the convicts for it.
These convicts, the Governor suggests,
might be obtained through for
fixture, voluntary surrender or other
wise. 1t is hardly probable that
the lessees will forfeit their
right to any convicts Or would vol
unfairly surrender any who are capa Bile
of being worked prontably. If the Legs
lature should determine, therefore, to
adopt. the Governors suggestion, care
would have to be taken that the convicts
obtained to start the experimental farm
with were not incapacitated for the per-
Torrance Of hard physical labor. Con-
victs OF that sort would make the expert
meht failure without having tested it's
merits.
Perhaps the Legislature could not do a
wiser thing than to act upon tue Gov
ernor's suggestions. 1t can be deter
mined quite accurately within TWO years,
! as he points out, whether they are worthy
OF permanent adoption or not.