San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-09-15
MAKE GOOD ROADS.

| From New Jersey westward the
demand for good country roads grows
The cry is as imperative in New York
and Massachusetts, in Pennsylvania and
Ohio as it is inTexas, IllinoisMinnesota
| Colorado and elsewhere in the great
west. The cry is not only general,
but the remedy tor the evil complain
ed of is very similar. The employment
of county convicts upon the roads,
under the direction of competent
road engineer. is the remedy suggest
ed in nearly every instance. This
uniformity of sen timent on this sub
ject is not meaningless, and the voice
thus heard should be needed. The
state and the county should join
hands in this work, 80 that the roads
begun in one county might be ex.
tended into another and no cessation
of the work permitted on account Of
the arbitrary Intervention of county
lines, the state cOnvicts con-
tinuing the road beyond county
boundaries and constructing continu'
Gus highways correcting important
cen ters. There are more reasons than
one why this course should be pur-
sued. 1t not only provides for the
construction and maintenance of
good roads without ruinous outlay,
but it also solves the question of EN-
ployment for short time cOnvicts and
those doing Jail loafing Or misde.
meanors. Therei no dou bt that the
list of small criminals would be
greatly diminished if instead of being
we'll fed and cared for in the idleness
of a jail they were put to work as daily
laborers who work on the streets and
along the railway lines, who are COM
PEELED to labor to secure a living for
themselves and families by honest
toll. Such labor by convicts aud jail
habitues would not come into COM
petition with any other form OF labor
and would serve to restrain
from crime by making the penalty
hard labor, aud at the same
time do very much-needed work up
on the public thoroughfares. There
is very growing Discrimination to
continue the present system of convict
leasing, and the demand is made for
work in shops within the peniten-
tIary walls. In those states, however,
where shop work, as shoe, harness,
wagon, furniture and other manufac-
lures is carried on, there is great
outcry that such manufacture be-
comes a dangerous competition to free
labor, and the question becomes at
times a very perpleXing and serious
one. The employment of short-ime
cOnvicts on the roadways of the coun-
try would ohviate a very large por-
ton of this difficulty. The majority
of all penitentiary sentences are for
two years or under, and all convicts
of this class would be more profitably
employed on the public roads. The
eastern and middle states are
waking up to the Importance OF
good road making. 1t would re-
lieve the farmers of an intolerable
load and make all country markets
more accessible by them. In the
rainy season, the very season that o.
all others farmers can best afford tC
leave work, they cannot reach mar
ket on account of the impossible con
dition of the public thoroughfares
There is no view that can be takeI
of the subject that does not point TX
the necessity of good roads, and NJ
method that has heretofore been pre-
sented that promises so good results
= as the employment of short time con
victs upon these constructions unde
the direction of good road engineer
The state papers of Texas have beef
3 almost a unit in demanding that tn
short time convicts be put to worl
{ upon our state and county roads
q The attention of the people is agail
called to this matter, and our citizen
are urged to take into consideration
l the views held by candidates for tn
: state legislature, in selecting tn
q members of that body this year.