The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-02-21
THE CONVICTS.
They Should Not Be Maintained
IN IdleneSS.


In Idleness.
SAN MARCOS, Tex, February IS, 1889.
To the Editor of the Statesman.
1t Is certain that no man outside the
walls of tho penitentiary, except he be an
inventor or a discoverer, can engage ID
any honest labor without competing, in a
greater or less degree, with some other
man engaged in honest labor. The thief,
before he became convict (unless he was
an absolute idler, in which case the state
ought to take charge of him and put him
at some useful labor, was competitor
in labor with some one. If the state
after his conviction, requires OF him hon
est labor, he is only RELOCATED
to the line of competition that
he occupied before convictions; and
in the penitentiary, he does not occupy q
higher or more ingenious line of competi-
ton than he did before conviction. The
only change is, as convict he works for
the state, before conviction he worked for
himself.
Is there any just reason why a man, be-
cause he is convict, should not be per-
mitted to be employed at honest labor?
His labor, if devoted to useful ends, ID no
more dishonest or any less useful to the
state or society after conviction
than before. If, as con-
vict, he ia to be denied
the right to work, the whole expense OF
his maintenance is a charge upon the
honest labor of the state, outside of the
mills; and, if the outside lsborer, by these
means, Is rid of the com petitive effects OF
the convict's labor, in the place of this he
has assumed much greater charge and
burden-the support of the convict. Is
not the result loss instead of gain to the
outside worker?
There Is another aspect to this ques'
ton of boycotting the labor of the CON
Wet. 1t has in it the very essence of mo-
nopoly. Monopoly can only result from
the destruction of free competition. Our
Constitution says: "Monopolies are con.
trary to the genius of free government
and shall never be allowed" Free com
petition is the antipodes of monopoly
whether in labor, trade, capital or any
other lawful enterprise.
There is another view of this question
in boycotting convict labor that is most
| repulsive to all of our ideas CT moral right
and justice. If any class of our citi'
zers are entitled to be support by
their fellows in idleness, woulC
not good morals and justice
say it should be that GLASS who are honest
and virtuous? But the boycottiug of con
| Wet labor removes this automatic prin
ciple of justice and good morals and en-
tails the support of the criminal and vi
cious portion of the community upon the
| honest and virtuuus.
presume none will deny the right Of
the state and society to punish crime
With this right to punish crime goes an
other right-the right to exact compen
sation and restitution for the injury done
by the crime. If enforced idleness is tC
be thrust upon the criminal, what becomes
of the idea of restitution aud compen
sationH If the criminal is punished by
the loss of his liberty for the time being
society is punished with the expense o.
maintaining him i'll idleness. Which
suffers the most, the criminal or society
1 am safe in saying that the average cost
to the taxpayers of the state for escl
man put in the penitentiary is not les
than $500, to say nothing of the lnjur!
to society and individuals by the com
mission of the crime. Now, is it not just
to the state and individuals injured by tn,
convict that the convict during the tern
of his confinement, by being reasonabl!
worked at some useful employment
should be compelled to some extent a
least to reimburse the state for the cost o
his conviction, and society and Individual
for the injury done by his crime? If thi
proposition is not just and right, VIII!
| not? Or is the convict go sacred feticf
that compared to him the honest tsxpsy
ers of the state have no rights but to fal
down and worship him? Ava.
with such doctrine. Let u
treat the convict With humanit,
and then compel him by honest labor tt
repay the state ard society, 80 far as ma.
be, for the cost of his conviction and tn
injury he has done by bis crime.
What was the object in view in estab
fishing a peuitentiary? Penitentiary-
the word conveys its own meaning
place for penitence, for reformation
Enforced idleness on the part of the con
victs is not calculated ito induce sorrow
for past misdeeds or resolves to d.
better in the future. Reason
able activity and employment lie essentia
to physical health and vigor, and just a
necessary to purity and health of mind
IL is said that "Sstan always finds mis
chief for idle hands to do" and just ~
true it is that he is always putting ugl,
and evil thoughts into idle minds.
In conclusion, wherein does the labor o
the convict interfere by competition will