The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1893-05-05
CoNYICTs AND ROADS.


There have never been and never
will he two subjects Of greater impor-
lance or greater interest to the State
than those of making good roads and
properly employing convict labor
that is, of using convict labor in tue
manner most conducive to the well
fare of the couvicts aud the State,
ana with least injury to the int rests
of honest mechanics. Both of thes'
subjects are to-day receiving the
interested attention Of many thinkers
in this and other States; any informa-
ton therefore which may be offered
bearing on these subjects is parttcu-
larly timely and aptOpOs.
A late number OF the st. Louis
Globe-Dem ocrat contained this fol-
lowing statement:
Mr.. Robinson, the Commissioner of
Agriculture of North Carolina, told the
Southern Governors at Richmond of an
experiment his State is making. y
county is permitted to Withdraw It's
convicts from the penitentiary and put
them at work on the county roads.
This has been done, notably in Neck
lenburgh county, and four miles out OF
Charlotte in all directions the roads
have been reconstructed by convict
labor. So we'll pleased is the county
with the result that the work is to be
continued. Other counties are adopt
tha Vlop JuSt fast the road
construction reaches farm, that farm
Immediately appreciates in value.. The
effect is so marked that there is devel-
oping a very strong sentiment in favor
of this disposition of convict labor.
Commissioner Robinson believes 1t
will spread until the whole convic t
force OF North Carolina is engaged in
building county roads.
1t is not surprising that the peo'
pie of North Carolina have sought to
solvt these two veXatiOus problems
in this way. o. the contrary, it is
surprising that this solution has
been left 30 long without fair and
reasonable trial. The use Of convict
labor on the roads has been thought
of by thousands Of people in all OF
the States. Tue sufferers from bad
roads in many communities have
sought to obtain relief in this way
and have petitiOned legislatures to
enact laws authorizing the use OF
cOnvicts for this purpose, but never
before with satisfactory results. II
has been held, whether with good oil
poor reasoning that it is not feasible
undertaking. 1t has been assumed
that there would be general oppOsi
tion on the part OF residents along
line of road to having convict camps
near them, and also that the expense
of guarding the convicts would bt
greater than the cost Of Building thu
roads. 1t ia evident that both of thes,
are uniounded assumptions. The eX
pertinent in North Carolina demon
strates that, as do also, similar ex
perime1ts in u small way in Missis
sippi.
With the present development il
making firearms as we'll as i'll the us
Of electricity it would be both cas-.
and cheap for few men to cOntro
absolutely a large body of cOnvicts
A Gordon OF lice wires run around
squad of oonvicts on portable post
would make barrier beyond wticl
no man could pass and live. Ant
this is but one suggestion out Of
poss BILE great number for controlling
the convic at very small expense
This would appear to remove the tw,
principal difficulties usually urged
This is q matter in which som
member of each State. legislator
may cover himself with glory b.
securing the enactment of goo
law. Let US hope that before thi
State makes any very great eXpend
ture on coal lands and State prison
this disposition OF convicts will re
ceive some consideration.