Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-08-21
The Ponttentiary and knights of Labor
Editor Evening Post:

! Editor Evening Post NJ
I am reminded of a recent very com
mendable article in your paper, by tn,
late action of the Board ofControl Of tn,
, Penitentiary, on petition ofthe Knight
of Labor of Jackson and vicinity. Thai
article quoted, with commendation, Sec
13 of the Act Of the last Legislature
creating the Board of Control of the
Penitentiary; wherein it is made the
duty Of the Board to investigate and re-
port upon the general question of pris-
on management Having been the
author of the main features Of that Act
Except Sec, 8. which virtually GAVE
AWAY the Penitentiary until 1892, to
the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad !
am of course in sympathy with the
views expressed in that article.
In all the older States the question OF
competition with honest labor has been
a serious one. 1t will become question
with us. This, taken in connection with
the "odious system" of subleasing in our
State, induced me to emphasize, in
drawing of that Act, the idea of a
State Prison Farm. But the learned
committee struck out of the bill
1
those parts which particularly re-
ferred to the question of a Prison Farm.
The committee contented themselves
with embodying the idea that the Board.
of Control should report to the next
Legislature "a practical and comprehen-
sive plan by which the State shall be en-
abled to exercise direct control and ex-
elusive management of the Penitentiary
and convicts at the earliest date posi-
ble." The following are the other
features of the bill, as | wrote it. See
printed copy of S. B. No. 339.
SEC. II. Be it further enacted, That
the said Board Of Control shall frequent
ly inspect the Penitentiary and see that
all the laws and contracts relating to the
management thereof, are duly complied
with by the Lessees or contractors, the
Superintendent, and all others connected
Herewith; and they shall carefully ex-
anime into the matter Of the discipline
and management of the Penitentiary
and investigate the general question of
mr. 4,,Il
informed themselves, shall lay before the
Legislature at its next session, practi-
cal and comprehensive plan, by which
the State shall be enabled to exercise
direct control and exclusive management
of the Penitentiary and convicts at the
earliest date possible 1.-The said Board
of Control shall also take into cOnsidera-
ton the propriety and feasibility of |
establishing model prison farm; and
shall enquire and seek site for such |
model prison farm, in such healthy and
central locality as shall be reasonably |
accessible from the different counties of
the State and they shall find out, and
report as to the number of acres such
model farm shall contain, in one body,
and the price at which such lands could
be purchased, Cor the value thereof, if
the same should have to be condemned J
as well as the quality of the lands select
ed, the water supply, all other facts of
which the Legislature should have infor-
nation and shall also inquire and re-
port the probable number of county con-
victs which might be properly sent to
such model prison farm.
Sec. II. Be it further enacted, That
the said Board ofControl shall cause all
the monies arising from the rent and
hire Of the Penitentiary property and
convicts to be paid into the State Treas
lry in cash, and to be by the Treasurer,
1t once, invested in interest bearing FIVE
per cent bonds of the State. in order to
provide for the accumulation of special
fund for the purpose of carrying into
effect the plan for a model prison farm
heretofore mentioned; and it shall be
unlawful for any money hereafter arising
rom the leasing Of the Penitentiary, {
and convicts, to be used other !
wise, than as herein directed and all
monies which hereafter may be received
Dr collected from the present lease of the
Denitentialy shall be invested in the l
anne manner as above provided for Ii
monies arising from any lease or leases
o be hereafter made as herein provided I
or.
From this it will be seen, that there
Tas 'plan" proposed for the Board Of
control to act upon. The Committee a
hought best to leave the whole matter Q
0 the Board II
The 'planr at once an escape from r
ne ''odious subleasing system, and n
ompetiton with honest labor | be- Il
eved, and still believe, to be the one e
sasible method, available by the State. tt
he State should not let out to the high Il
st bidder, her duty of Furnishing crimi- Ia
ais. She should punish them herself. a
very agent in the matter Of executing h
le criminal law, should be State off, /
ial or employee, and not a set of men 81
however good they may be- whose mo- 81
yes are mercenary. Besides the most il
farming part of it is, that the private O
erson who gets the bid is directly in Ia
crested In the INcRERsE of crime and is
is every interest is opposed to its SUP al