The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-16
CONVICT LEASING IN MISSISSIPPI

THE APPEAL must not regard us ns recruit IN
the cause OF the convict reform. For the last
twenty yean the obnoxious system has been NJ our
door an eye sore aud puzzle Having no mines
like Tennessee. Arkansas aud Alabama, in which
to hide iu horrors, Il IS m especially difficult sum
for Mississippi 10 solve
our Memphis mentor thinks that We should be
encouraged by the present state Of the public
mind In Mississippi IN opposition 10 the leasing OF
Couycts 10 protest loudly against he whole sys-
tom" II Is not the estate OF Mlsssslpprs mind
which obsirucis our editorial operations TIIE
ArrrAL looks solely upon the humanltcs, feeling
aud not thinking. This Is tho habit Of philan.
thropc enthusiasts Practical people cannot ~
jcci conditions. The resources and Industries of
the State and the fitness and training OF .ho con
ycs are potent iactoB In disposlng Of the labor Of
the charge, TIN ArrEAL ays build leyc@ with
the conyicts. Lcycc building is governed by
economical considerations. our lcyeo authorities
have moro than once computed the cost OF con.
sirnction and rejected H.
Proving how ~ intensity Of feeling has oh.
secured hct In the case Of TnE ArrrAi. We quote
another suggestion the building Of roads with the
c0uyicis
Nowhere 40 much as In the Delta are good,
safe roadwnys nccdcd, and nowhcrc Is gravel more
plentiful"
Now, there d Just enough gravel In the Delta,
aud No located o. obo nn eternal puzzle 10 gcoo.
glsi' ~ TO how any got here.
IN all cnndor, and after much consideration, II l.
our rpugnant conviction that the only feasible
disposition OF the cuuylcis Is In some form Of lcas.
Ing 20 planters. But We DO not believe that the
snle has heretofore bud the bcst possible psult,
~ which the system Is capable Certainly no
other plan pgroscd has commended Itself to
| practical thought The Gyomuus Tno.
Tm ArrEAL is willing to be corrected as
20 The Times being veteran in the cause
Of convict reform. Thus strong 10y length
OF service II should be all the moro valua.
bic as an ally aud co-laborcr. But We 70.
greet TO see in the last paragraph Of the
above editorial the yielding 10 "a rcpug-
nant conviction that the best method OF
disposing Of convict labor is Gin some form
Of leasing TO planters This would
bring the conyicis In direct competition
with the honest free labor Of the State
rhE ArrEM, therefore. Is constrained
still TO differ with The Times ON this head
and il does ~ not In the spirit Of phi
lanthropic enthusiast, butin that inspired
by practical business experience. We have
tested convict labor in making macadam
lied roads In this county and are quite sat
ishcd from that test that Il Is the only 30.
luton of the convict labor problem. by
It good, scrviccablo roads are supplied to
the farmers by which they can readily
reach market and by which their farms
are enhanced In value, the conyicts ART
employed In work that keeps them In III,
open air, and therefore tends 10 their con
tinucd good health and consequent useful
ness, and without coming Ia competition
with the honest labor Of the State.
As 10 the material for such roads
for the Delta We intended to say
that 1t could bc found on the line Of the
Valley road which runs through the
Delta aud inicrsccts with branches at
several points. But besides gravel, the
blue limestone OF Arkansas IL M accessible
TO the people Of the Delta ~ TO those Of
Shelby County and can bchad ~ chcaply,
II tho planter. Of he Delta were to take
another step IN tho direction OF progrcs,
aud add macadamizod roads and 4
thorough system Of drainage to their fin,
system Of loyccs, the Yazoo basin would
within the next twenty-five ycar, be 4
garden from which no man owning lane
therein would willingly remove. Tnr Ar.
rrAi, happy 10 be n,cl among thC
"philanthropic enthusiasts" claims 10 b,
also culircly practical, and therefore urges
AMI will continue 10 urgc ~ the result o
experience In Shelby County, the employ
mcni oi conyicis Ia the making II macad
amizcd roads a, the only practical ant
satisfactory solution Of the convict qucs
/ lion.