The Forrest City times., 1894-04-27
WHAT TO DO WITH CONVICTS

| The following sensible suggestions are taken from the Arkansas Daily
 Press, of Little Rock. and emanated
 from the brain of Mir. G. w. Sapping-
 ton, of that city. It treats of a matter
 which is of the utmost importance to the people of this state and others, and
 solves in practical manner the ques- ton of making convicts self-sustaining and profitable.
 The convicts. like the poor, we have
 always with us and steadily increasing yes. as an official of the pen says, at the rate of 90 the last ten months. What is to be done with them? For century or more it has been mooted question, and does not seem much
 nearer satisfactory solution. 1 would suggest that the commissioners be au- thorized by cur next general assembly to take enough of them to make sup port for the others and let the rest be
 put to building one or two railroads through the state. We now have 900 conyicts and 1 assume 500 could, by hiring and otherwise, raise means to sustain. clothe and guard the other 400
 while engaged in grading and tlelng the roadbed. It would be an easy mat ter to bond the roadbed for equipment
 upon the completion of each ten or twenty miles. Indeed one of our most
 progressive bankers has assured me he could place them at premium. Rights of way could be obtained through the state and United States lands, with privileges fer bridge and tie tinberS, without cost. What system could build
 roads so cheaply? Roads have been
 built successfully in North Carolina with convict labor, which see by rail-
 road commissioner report yield about 3400, GOO net rental per aDnum to the state. Georgia taxed her properties S6 ,000, ,000 to build what is now known
 as the Western Atlantic, and which 1 see by the Governor recent message yields net rental of $420, GOO. l learn from prominent citizens of Geor- gia other systems have tried to purchase and control 1t. but an attempt to sur
 render it to any other system would provoke civil war. am advised upon good authority that great Illinois Central pays the state 7 per cent of its gross earnings. Now, with these llv- ing examples before us, with our great natural resources undevelOped. with convictS to be cared for and worked by the state, why should we not arouse ourselves from this Rip Van Wrinkle slumber and utilize them in this way !? The Lord is said to aid those who try to help themselves. Then why should we go out of the State-to the Goulds. VaDderbilts, HuntingtOns and others to build our roads while we have these facilities at hand and when the benefits would accrue to the State-and we would amass some of the wealth that other systems make. When main line north and south and east and west shall have been built through the state, we could employ the same force to build turn bikes as feeders to these main lines. In few short years we would have facilities afforded for an outlet from every part of the state. and every product of the state; and as to perishable products in which we abound, this lapid transit would enable them to be shipped all over the conti-
 nent in good condition. Again, we
 would overcome thatsserious friction as
 this labor would not come in competition with any skilled labor in the state. Would it not be well for every news 1 paper, the great educators in the state, to take up this suject and let thelr
 people understand that these advan-
 tages could be enjoyed by them without one dollars expense or taxation? It
 might we'll be made an issue in this
 state campaign. and every candidate should be pledged to work for meas
 urc that would bring Railroap facilities
 to every couthnty in state.
 Pursue this course and in few years the immense resources of the state
 would be in fair way for full develop
 ment. From our towering forests, fertile soils and genial cline Son our Southern border through our mineral
 zone to Pomona's paradise on the north. and from our rich alluvials of
 the Mississippi on the east through our coal fields and forests to the Indian Territory in the west-what develop
 ment it would be to the denizens of these localities, and what tempta- tion to the home seekers of every cline !! These suggestions are submitted for
 what they are worth, believing. how
 ever they, aIe practical and worthy the
 consideration of our people.
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