The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-13
CONVICT LEASED LABOR.
A PLAN FOR THE ABOLITION OF THE
NEFARIoUS SYSTEM
By tho Employment OF the Convicts In
Making Public Roads and Keeping
Them in Repair-A Loaf or Two From
History.

To the Editor Of The Appeal
The history OF the earliest civilization
known 10 mankind reveals the TACT that
among the ancienis slavery. either tenn
porary or permanent has always fol-
lowed conviction for crimes.
The old Mosaic law, IAN eye for an eve
and tooth for tooth" gave place TO the
penal codes OF the early conquerors. by
which all captiyes were made slaves. Tho
Chaldeans built cities, palaces and tenn
pies, the Assyrlans tho famous walls of
Nneveh, and the galleys Of the Romans
were manned by men convicted OF crime
aud sentenced to labor
Despite the Christian era, which followed
with lis doctrine OF mercy superadded 10
justice" the mark Of slavery attached to
crime, and until l776, when English sub
iccis were transported to the American
Colonies and sold TO our forciathers, ~ a
consequence OF their conviction OF crime.
France, too, transported her convicls hithcr,
and French convicts cleared and drained,
in l7ls, The site on which the city Of New
Orleans IL now situated.
Latcr the environments Of industrial
progress supcrseding the art Of war,
espoused the cause Ol the unfortunate con.
Wet aud more advanced civilization de-
mandcd the abolition OF the badge Of
slavery. the cruel fortunes OF the knout,
the trsadmill sud the Sitting OF the ears
"a mark Ol conviction common among
the ancicnis. ! take IT, therefore. that we
have fallen upon On epoch 1T advanced
thOught-an era OF more enlightened hui
manlty, when the prusi Of the country,
with one voice, cries out against the bar
barous lease system, which now prevails 30
extensively la the several States. cniailing
slavery In ia most degraded form upon the
unhappy convict-a system by which pri-
Naie individuals coin money out OF the
blood OF helpless and dciensoless human
ity. Though tmnl Jury Ut Mississippi,
In It's solemn deliberations, said that God
will not smile upon people Who treats
It's cOnyicis as Mississippi docs'-ihough
jury In Arkansas sentenced one man
10 death and another Ia State prison for
five yoars tor ill-tUaiment Of conyicts,
yet, 80 long as the lease system prevails, a
condition OF slavery, a scHidom equal Ia It's
a rOciousnea. 10 that OF the Middle Ages
will disgrace the civilization Of our coun-
try. No sane man will deny that tho con.
Wet should labor and, II physically fitted,
should labor hard. The question as 10
the economic utilization Ol convict labor Is
problem not easily solved. | have, how.
ever, long entertained tho convection that
the public highways, the building oi turn
pixies ano bridges, tie draining OF state
lands aud other works Of public improve.
mcnt, Is the legitimate field 81 convict
labor. IL has tho special virtue OF non.
interference with nee labor, aud thus one
feature oi the difficult problem is solved.
What, next 10 steam railways, M coninccs
20 the public benefit ~ good public high
ways or tufnpikcsi Let Us take tho
state OF Arkansas for example. That State
has about 200 cun,lctA The laws of
Arkansas Impose road tax Of $40 per cap.
TIA ON IL male population, between eight
cen and ioriy.lvc years OF aye. Tho
farmer with his teams and hi. clrfifgcs.
II over lortyiive wears Of age, paws no
road tax, while the poor lablrrf, whose
ago IL within the law, contributes his $40
IN labor, although lac may not own cart
or n hoOi. Through ihc operation oi this
law Arkansas has no public highways Nc
Tor travel. Abolish ne road tax. Abolish
the lease system. Have Board OF Prison
Commissioners rcppsynting the State
geographically, OF which the Governor and
Sheriff are cX-uilicio mcmbon. These
form Board OF Public Works. lot this
board elect In what counties public high.
ways aud bridges shall hc built and an
road taxes being abolished, let each county
be taxed Tor the actual cost OF work done
thereon. II public lands be drained AMI
private lands BE- enhanced Ia value there.
by, lot the board asscss the owner with q
fair pro rata OF cost This o. be- added 10
the fund Tor maintaining the conyicts. let
a prison or State guard OF picked men
sober. humane and discreet, bc organized
and paid hy the State 90 guard ihc.c
prisoners. The moving OF the prison-
crs from county g. county would neither
be expensive nor difficult our southern
ton In siockadcs for The prisoners than the
close cells OF state prison. IL will not 10
60 turn prisoners over 10 the Sheriff. In the
counties in which they may be convicted.
They would losc their status ~ state pfis-
oncrs Thcc would b. want Of orginizt. |
tion-oi uniform system aud intelligent !
and economic utilization OF labor. |
What Is true Of Arkansas Is true OF all the |
States NJ least Let the UNEQUAL /
road taxes be abolished Lot tho States /
take chargo OF their conyicls and place |
Thorn at work upon the public highways. |
Tho result wpnd be good public roads, |
less burden u taxation, and this unskillcd |
convict labor OF our southern county will |
be used for the bCnoal VI the public and q