The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-29
The Convict Question.


Editor Morning Netgs: I see that the
question as TO what is best TO do with the
convicts is again being discussed. II was
legislator would not for a moment doubt
as to the best policy to dispose Of that ques-
tion. As 40 editor twenty-five years ago,
discussed il when the penitentiary at Nils
ledgevills was destroyed 10 1864. With free
negroes, knew that no penite 10 tiary, such
as We had had, would begin to do; knew
that stealing, murder and ell other sorts OF
crimes would be the rule and not the eX-
ceptlon. knew the negro, and knew his ill.,
born character. What l said OF him then, as
an editor and looking at him as a free man,
knew that he could not be made a mechanic
Of as were the white prisoners In the days
when none but white men were sent 70 the
penitentiaTy.
have thought much on the subiec.. .epd
my views Of twenty-five years ago have
been only strena thsned by facts as they now
exist. True political economy develops
labor encourages labor, and adds to the
public wealth. All this stuff about putting
convict labor against free labor shows sim
ply want Of thought and common sense
Craftsmanship. All labor is honorable, and
no man lie BUNDLED or Inundated because a
convict is made to do labor that some one
must do. What the convicts are doing TO-
day free labor could do; but must the con-
viots he locked up, fed and cloahsd because
their labor comes in conflict with free labor
and the state put to great expense on ac-
count OF a sentiment devoid of reason argu-
ment, common sense and true political
economy!
My idea is for the state to buy Stone
mountain and put the conVicts to getting
1t up into all sizes; for build
ing purposes, monuments, side
walks, street pavements, etc. But the cry
will go up at once; o. you are coming in
conflict with free labor, you will iujure the
business of every stonecutter IN Georgia;
you will drive them out of the state and
play the devil in general.
What says true political economy to all
such nonsenses Where there ia cheap ma
terlal, cheap labor, there will DO more de
mand for such material and labor The
convlots would furnish material so cheap
to free labor that the demand for the ma
terlal would bring in workmen TO work the
material so furnished. Il is the high price
of material which forbids its use; but les
it be plentiful and cheap and then there Ia a
demand. AS an illustration, suppose we
could buy coal at IS ton; it would call for
more labor to get out the coal, for the de-
mand would be great. Suppose that brick
could be bought at SO a thousand; where
would wooden houses be in timei No one
would want such a house.
Then put the convicts to getting out
granite in the rough, throw IL upon the
market, and it will be IN demand ali over
the south. It's cheapness would create a de-
mand. Stoneoutters would come TO Georgia
to take advantage Of the, cheap material,
and instead Of driving any one out more
would come In. The old saving: 'STempta-
ton makes the thief" is equally true in
every relation Of life. Tempt msu with
cheap prices and he will buy when he does
rot really need the article. But when he
sees a material that has real merit in it
always desirable, al ways wanted-if il can
be had at reasonable prices there will ever
be demand. Granite will never be drug
in the market il 10 10 cheap aud to-day the
reason why it Is not used more freely is
because Of its price.
l need not elaborate my views, for any
legislator who has brains enough to under
stand the first principles Of political economy
must know that cheap material will develop
instead Of retarding labor. Suppose that
Georgia had to-day 100000 OF tons of
granite cut out in all sizes and shapes, and
sc cheap as TO defy competition, she would
be- flooded with orders from all parts of the
union. Had we but have had the Stone
mountain. and convict labor to get out
the granite, our state capitol would have
been built Of Georgia granite All the
money that was sent out of the state would
then have been kept at home. All the labor
would have beeu dene in Georgia. Such is
the voice of true political economy.
r NO