Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-12-09
Convict Labor and Public Roads.

To The Editor Of the Register:
Your suggestions in yesterday mornings
REGISTER, relative to the employment of
convict labor upon our public roads, is a
matter that appeals strongly to public at
tention and interest, and should receive
the serious consideration of every man who
is interested in good roads and the salts
factory adjustment of the convict labor
question.
A brief glance will show the Importance
ofthese two questions to the people OF TINS
State, and their agitation cannot be n
too strong, frequent or persistent Every
wage worker in the State is Interested In
the employment of convict labor at work
that viii not enter into competition with
free labor; and every citizen in the State
is interested in good roads, particularly
the agriculturist, as it enhances the value
of his acres, and the manufacturer and
merchant, as it develops business by m
proving the means of transportation
If then, some means can be devised by
which these two important matters can be
settled by the same stroke of legislative
policy, why not adopt them? The z
IsTER's suggestions present the means;
now let the Legislature legalize and enforce
them. 1t will settle two vexed questions
and will be q powerful impetus to bust
ness and the developments of our vast re-
sources.
1t requires no argument to show the
detrimental influence OF convict labor up
on the labor interests of communities and
States. 1t is patent to all and all admit 1t.
Products of unpaid labor have no legitl-
mate business in communities n States
where the large majority of their inhabl-
tants keep labor for barter or sale. II al
lowed there then free labor must become
deprecated in value and degraded in moral
worth. 1t is like counterfeit money, 1t
drives the good from circulation. And ltisa
bad principle in moral ethics to per-
nit a penitentiary to manufacture
articles that, perhaps, do not come INTO
competition with the free labor OF that
State, but do of some other State. What
affects our community affects all, and
what affects our State affects all the states
There is a sort of interstate comfy that
should be as rigidly observed in the bust
ness as in the politicallrights of the nation
West Virginia has no more right to iniilct an
injury upon the laboring men OF Maine OF
Louisiana than she has upon the laborers
of Kanawha or Ohio counties. | believe IN
prohibiting the manufacture by convict
labor, of anything that is the product OF
American handiwOrk.
Use it upon our public roads and 1t does
not interfere with the labor Off single
wageworker, but on the contrary relieves
the agriculturist from q grieyiOus burden.
The condition of our public roads is one
of the most serious obstacles that West Nir-
ginia has to contend with to-day and is doing
more to retard our progress than any other
single cause. This may seem like n
rash assertion by those accustomed to our
good sidewalks and elegant fire brick
Davements. But it is true, and know 1t.
Many instances have come under my per-
sOnal observation where citizens OF other
states have come to West Virginia TO buy
farms and settle here, but have been de
TERED from it solely on account of the
roads. Our people are not entirely to
blame for this, rs the soil is so porous and
the steep hills so numerous that 1t lsalmost
impossible to secure good roads except by
the McAdam system. Then we have the
greater reason for expanding more labor
upon them; and if we secure a labor at a
trifing cost, why not do it?
Our seridAs objection to this project, and
| admit that it is a serious one, is that the
convict is liable to be abused and maltreat-
ed by %tyrannical taskmaSters. This was
the case in Georgia, where the convicts were
put to building railroads, and were
so abused by unreasonable over
seers that many of them died
under their treatment and the scheme had
to be abandoned for the time, But take
it that this result was the fault of the law
regulating the system rather than of the
system itself. Let the law be definite and
minute as to all details, prescribing the
number of hours of labor, the mode of
treatment, the kind and quality of food,
and let disobedience be punished by soli-
tary confinement within the penitentiary
cells instead of corporal punishment.
l have no doubt that each county would
defray the expenses of guards and pro-
visions for their keeping while at work
within the confines of that county, which
would diminish the expense to the State
of keeping the prisoners and place the aG-
ditional expense of guards upon the coun-
ties where they might be employed.
| believe that the REGISTER has struck
the right key on this question, and | trust
that the press of the State will agitate the
matter until the Legislature makes Il move
in the direction indicated. >.
WHEELING, December 7, 1856.