The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-09-04
artisans or Iaborers' work, but wit

the work itself.
The stonenasons, carpenters, paint
ers, etc., would not suffer from the re-
duction in the wages, but the market
for their work would be cut off to the
extent OF the public works to be con-
structed.
Again it has been suggested that the
State work the convicts on some work
that artisans would not do, such as
macadaming the public roads of the
State. To quote from G. D. Wright,
United States Commissioner of Labor,
who has given much thought to this
subject and observed its workings
closely: "This would necessitate one
CT two things, either the preparation of
stone at the prison, involving the. trans
portation to the prison from the sources
of supply, and from the prison to the
place for use, or the mobilization of the
convicts at the points not only of sup
ply, but of consumption, involving a
heavy expense for guard duty and tenn
porary confinement.
This proposition is made upon the
ground that the State should not make
the expense or profit one of any i'm
pOrtance, but should seek to keep con-
victs at work as the best policy, and yet
itself receive some lasting benefit from
the necessity it is under of feeding and
clothing them. The chances of escape
under this system, of course, are multi
piled greatly. Wherever convicts have
been employd on public works, and
land, the expense has been very much
greater than il would have been through
the employment of free labor. "A
At best the plan offers q mere pala-
tive, shifting the burden from skilled to
unskilled labor, and would result in ag-
grivating eventually all the evils which
grow out Of the employment OF con-
Therefore, Ibelieve as long as Ten
nessee has so large n number of crimi-
Ia and IN nIaaa IA Of 0nnnlU Ia
cut OH the number will be annually in-i
creRsing, so long. will there be trouble
with the eonviet labor question: wheth-
or under the lease sysbenls the contract
The great question 20 decide lis, under
what systenI will this competition be
reduced to the minimum and the prison
made self-sustainingf While believe
that prison should Ahave proper re-
foFmatory' discipline, the material in
terest of the State demand that 1t be
made self-sustaining, and, II it can be
done without detriment to the best in
terests of the criminal, source OF
II the criminal laws are amended /
would recommend the State. account
system think that the penitentiary
should be located on 3 farm OF sufficient
size to MAINTAIN the cOnVictS, and that
they should be employed in tilling the
soil and misunderstanding whatever Is
needed for their own consumption
that could be done without power
If the State should go to the expense
of purchasing power machinery, then
some industry that was new and would
therefore bring no competition either
in prices or wages, ana that would
bring revenue to the State should be
introduced. --f.. fr.,.ft
If the criminal laws are not changed
and the State has from l 500 to ZOO con-
victs to employ, believe that it would
be the best policy for the State TO pur,
chase or lease coal and iron lands ana
locate the prison thereon and employ
the cOnvicts in mining coal and iron ore
and manufacturing iron.
The cOnvicts being confined IN the
States mine would not compete with
free labor; the coal beng used in manu-
featuring iron, for public institutions,
and special purposes, would bring no
competition in prices; and the iron out
put would not be sufficient TO bring
hurtful competition. These plans are
offered with view of the abolition OF
the lease system after the present con-
tract OF the State has expired, and with
a view to so locating tho penitentiary
as TO employ the convictS in productive
labor, and reduce the competition to
| the minimum. s...
If the State-account.system of labor,
| and the above suggestions as to location
| OF the penItenLiary meet your approval,
| 1 recommend that immediate steps Do
| taken toward selecting commission
| for building a new peniteRfiary. This
/ commission should consist OF u compe-
tent architect, a physician who has
| given special thought.to sanitary sub
| iects aud the promotion OF the public
| health, and two or three business men
and good financiers.
| This commission should be author
| lied to Investigate prison systems, to
| purchase site, to select plans, to enter
| into business contract, and assume the
| responsibility and management OF the
| whole.
The State should build with such fore
| sight and wisdom as to avoid trouble III
the future.
But if you, In your wisdom, looking
| to the material interests of Tennessee
| to the conditions of the State Treasury
| the obligations of the State which musl
| be taken care OF, and the limited
| amount of money in the hands OF the
| taxpayers decide that it is not so much
| a question of what the State ought to dc
| as what it can do, and that the besl
policy is to continue the lease system
then 1 recommend that committee be
appointed to confer with the lesSeeS tC
ascertain ii such modification OF the
existing contract can be made as VIII
bring about the withdrawal OF the con
Victs from The mines where they are
now employed and restrict them to one
mine or two mines, one OF coal and the
II other of iron, to be worked exclusively
by cOnvicts, and that such mine Oh
mines be in new fields which have no
yet been entered by free miners. L
this be done It will go far toward reliev
ing them from harmful composition
q iIt seems plain TO me that the feature o.
the lease system, which has affected
free labor most injuriOusly, is the privi
lege OF the lessee under the existing
lease contract To employ convict Ia0oi
| in all mines without .restriceion. arhs
lhminers themselves say that this is theil
chief objection to the lease system, and
, that In this way convict labor is made 8
4 f-scburge 70 drive them TO terms.