The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-04-17

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Times Democrat would make it appear that
Mr.. Depew has laid down the charge. But
what he says is true in this respect at least,
and investigation will prove it, that hun
dreds of men are serving excessively long
sentences for trivial offenses. In no other
section of the civilized world are such dis
proportionate sentences imposed. But we
may not be considered reliable authority.
therefore let us turn to the Century Maya
zine of Feb. 1884 and quote from the pen
of that eminent Southern writer, Geo. w.
Cable:
One of the peculiar temptations which the Lease
System holds out to the communities employing
it. such communities are represented in the
jury box, needs a moments careful notice. The
States where this system is in vogue are now, and
have been for some years, enjoying new and
great development Of their natural resources and
of other industries than that colossal agricultural
system that once mOnopolized their attention.
There is, therefore vigorous demand for the open
| ing and completion of extensive works-mines,
| railways, turnpikes, levees and the like-and for
ways and means for getting them done as quickly
and cheaply possible. Now. it is with these po-
tent conditions in force that the Lease System pre-
sents itself as the lowest bidder. and holds forth
| the seductive spectacle of these great works,
| which everybody wants and no one wants to pay
for. growing apace by convict labor that seems to
cost nothing. What is the consequence? We
might almost assert beforehand that the popular
sentiment and verdict would hustle the misbehav-
ing, with shocking aacrity into the states prison
under extravagant sentences or for trivial offenses
and sell their labor to the highest bidder who will
use them in the construction of public works.
| The temptation gathers additional force through
the popular ignorance of the condition and results
of these pententiaries, and the natural assump-
tion that they not so grossly mismanaged but
that the convict will survive his sentence. and the
| fierce discipline of the convict camp teach him
| to behave himself"
But there is no need to reason from cause to
effect only. The testimony of the prisons them
selves before u.s. either to upset else to estab
| lish these conjectures. single glance at almost
any of their reports startles the eye with the
due length OF sentences and the infection of pen
altes for mere misdemeanors that are proper
only to crimes and felonies. In the Georgia pen
itentiary, in 1880, in total of nearly 1900 con-
victs, only % prisoners were serving as low term
| a one year, only So others as low a term as two
| years. only 76 others as low term as three
| years. while those who were under sentences of
| ten years and over numbered 53S, although ten
years. as the rolls show, is the utmost length of
time that convict can be expected to remain
| alive in q Georgia penitentiary. Six men
| under sentence for simple assault and battery
mere advantageous of two years, two of five
years. one of six years, one of seven and one for
eight. For larceny. three men were serving un-
| Eva nooI
each fifteen years; one fourteen years; six, twelve
years; thirty five. ten years; and l72. from one
year up to nine years. In other words large
| majority of all these had for simple stealing,
without breaking in violence, been virtually
condemned to be worked and misused to death.
This of course was written six years ago
and the evils have been on the increase at
fearful rate ever since. There is but
little doubt that if he chose to 60 into the
matter. Chauncey Depew could bring forth
facts that would convince even the people
of the South that their mills of justice were
taking more toll than that eye-for- an eye
and tooth for "a tooth law would allow
| them.
1t may be that the editor of the Times
Democrat is ignorant of the true workings
of the lease system; then again, 1t may be
that he knows all about this evil and con-
siders it his duty as loyal Southern gentle
man to defend the honor of his state against
all accusations. However. the evils of the
lease system do exist and WILL from their
very nature continue to exist until their
very greatness will prove their destruction.
The system has strong grasp upon the
country and will hold on until it becomes
so rotten that the people will shake it off.