The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-01-07
Convict Labor on Public Roads.

There Ia considerable discussion going
on In tho newspapers OF tho state 70.
garding tho necessity for law provid.
Ing for convict labor on tho public
rosdu. and petitions arc In circulation
for tho passage Of such bill by tho
coming legislature. Ono bill that 10
being politloned for Ia known as tho
Edwards bill, which was before tho last
legislature.
Tho proposed bill Ia very good ono,
but many Of our contemporaries, who
arc clamoring for its passage, or for the
enactment OF q law Of similar nature,
arc seemingly in ignorance OF tho fact
that thorc Is already such law on tho
statute books, but which, since its pas.
sage by tho last legislature. has noycr
been applied.
It's possible that tho reason for tho
non.oniorcencnt OF tho present law is
that, in tho minds Of those charged with
bringing it into object, /. doc, not go far
enough, but It's wording isvery explicit,
and 1t scema to convey all the authority
necessary for tho employment OF the
convicts on the roads by tho board OF
public works. It Is hard TO conceive
how it can BIO improved upon in that
particular.
Tho law, which was introduced by
MI. Floyd, OF Kanawha county, may DO
found in tho Acts Of 1898, in sections
50-5i OF chapter 40. Following is tho
first section:
That tho board OF public works is authorized
TO furnish 10 any county In this state. TO work
on public roads. free OF hire, as many able
bodied male conyicts from the peritcntlAry as
may now or hereafter be there. Rs may be spared
without interfering with contracts heretofore
made: Provided. that when said conycts are
furnished To county 10 work on public roads,
the expense OF guarding. boarding and medical
attendance upon said conyicts shall be paid BY
such county. Upon furnishing convicts to any
county. q Aforesaid. the said board o! public
works shall at the same time appoint superin.
tendcnt OF the guard. and such other guards as
may De necessary, who shall be under the charge
OF said superintendent. . The coinpeusa.
tion OF the guard shall be agreed upon between
the board OF public works and the county court
TO which the convicts are furnished.
Tho remaining sections rotate TO the
manner Of making acquisitions for con.
vict', their treatment, etc.
Though this law is nearly two years
old, no county has so far availed itself
OF its provisions. Ono criticism OF it 10
that it does not prohibit other kinds OF
labor by tho convicts-labor that COM
petes with honest FREQ wage.worksrs,
and that it docs not make it compulsory
for tho roads to be worked by the peni-
Tertiary convicts. The fact that the
presentlaw simply leaves it optional with
the county courts to employ the con-
vic,s. is doubtless the reason that it
has not been employed. A simple
amendment would remedy this defect.
However. there is nothing in tho act to
prevent the exclusive employment OF
convicts on the public roads. Such ex-
elusive employment by the county
courts would cover tho objection
urged by workingmen against the pre-
sent system OF employing the convicts
in way which brings them in compe.
tition with free skilled labor. and
would at the same time insure US bet.
ter roads.