New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-07
trnpK FOR TIE coHHtcfS.

ThA state Legislature should be put uhdee
tho strongest pressure of public opinion untli
n bsnvidps work for the oOnvicts in the state
nrisors and uenitentiaries At present there
.p.o sovaral hills pending with this object in
view. but q strong Opposition 10 each one Vi
tbam has been shown and between apathy On
ono side and reluctance on the other there Is
danger that the session may come 70 an emu
bAfote aStion u taken in the matter. Inae
could he worse than a misfortune. lt wouid
s,bIect the Legislature to responsibility III
al q at all. short of being criminal and 10
,,a,,,a antail lasting evil and discredit upon
n,o st,to ~ New-York. To have 10 repeat the
fundamental principles which teach the oruei.
a.. tolIv and barbarishi Of keeping hundreds OF
r,ssonerS without any employment Is ihueeu
bumiliatine. for il seems to involve a oistlncO
rotrooresSiou in the intelligence which gmdeS
,ho community, aud upon that which governs
tla 1ea,slattrre It Is certainly o sharp ana
.aus+,c commentary. But the situation is too
grave 10 justify neglect Of any opportunity "
stimulate our sluggish and DacK"aru rspre-
ssntatives to do their plain duty, ana thefeIore
Il must be again insisted upon that SooieV ms
m warrant in ethics for inficting upon It's cnm-
inbls s,ch penalties as are involved In enforced
idlehess during Che service 81 pennl sentence
Idle conyiots. II secluded, suffer in their in
,ol,;annha golitary confinement without oc-
cfratlhs will overthrow the strongest mind.
C,nnbnement which il not solitary tends always
IN the debalchina Of the couvicts subjected TO
~ To herd together the vioio'isly trained ana
inclined, and deprive them OF engrOssine work,
IL Co open a regular academy OF crime, out OF
which viii graduate with the highest dishon0r
those who entered the prison tyros and neo-
INVITES. Lawmakers too obtuse to realize the
extent Of the wrong done the convicts IN OK
posing them to these dcbasng influences may
be acute enough to perceive that " our prisons
are ~ managed rs to make criminals worse In
stead Of better the public will have to pay
hith price for this experiment Id the steady
growth and intcnslhcation Of crime. For we
cannot convert State prisons into schools OF
vice without paying for the support OF the
scholars and finding exercise for their talents
whom they return 10 the world. Heavier taxa
finn therefore, Il what the present situation
signifies. aud a demand for more prisons and
nolce and courts and all the appendices oil
criminal administration. II the roscaIs are 70
he maintained In idlcness, in other words tho
honest men will have 70 do extra work to pro-
vide for them: and thus New-Yurk will pre-
sent the singular spectacle Of a State with an
nrstocracy Of criminals, served and supported
by A oommonalty Of upright citizens.
The objection to convict labor based on tho
ories about the competing capacity Of It's prod
nets Is chmerieal II has been proved repeat
edly that the fouoied competition has no actual
existence, Ahd Is really nothing but deluHon'
imposed upon unthinking people for interior
purposes. But the consequences OF indulglnR
this fantastic hypothesis have already been
grave, and threaten TO be still more so. So
r,pty has quite as much ground Of complaint
moreover, az the convicts have. IL Is the taS-
PAYERS of New-York who are put under tho
harrow In all such cases. They are the purse
bearers, and oil bills for damages arc handed
30 them II crime increases, II prison expenses
are left without Offset in remunerative work
done. If new OUTLAWS are made necessary, il is the
taxpayers who must bear the burden. Some Of
these times the memory Of the principal victims
may acquire more vigorous tone, and then the
representatives who act "a II public opinion
was matter Of complete Indifference TO them
will experience disagreeable surprise. At
present there Is bnt one course, and that Is to
insist upon the ub solute necessity of agreement
upon some one OF the pending laws providing
work for the convicts. Surround the law with
az many precautions "a may be thought deair-
able but see that the cohviots are enabled TO
return to wholesome and steady work, and re-
nenber that picking oatum and breaking
stones are not wholesome occupations though
thGy may be continuous.