The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-03-04
FOR GOOD ROADS.
Address of T. NJ. Garvin ut the
Recent Farmers Institute.
HE WOULD EMPLOY CoNylCTs
In Making Good Road. All Over the
stste-Hls Talk Listened to with Interest
by All And Received with Very General
Appr6yoi-The yains or Good Roads TO
All CLASSES, and Especially 20 Farmers.

thdpJtShnVk LAWS AheSeAhb hAAS = ee
mer.p OF the Farmerss Institute. which
just closed at Elm Grove, in which. he
recommends the use OF convict labor In
the making OF roads where 1t will not
come in competition with other labor In
the country or city. His remarks were
well received and approved by AL those
who took part in the discussion which
followed. Among other things he said:
No one really interested in the pro.
gress and welfare OF his country or local
community could fail to be interested in
good roads. The numerous reasons tof
good roads are too apparent and tamll"
far 20 every one to need particular re"
iteration here. But "a few reasons
claim our attention in this discussion
10 the farmer the matter OF good roads
Is OF vital interest, with him easy access
20 the best market Is OF the greatest
Importance.
Many times 70 avoid travelling to
market over bad roads the farmer Will
choose 10 take at his home enough less
for his product to pay a good profit to
some one else who will buy II and take
IL TO market. This, OF course, Is so
much loss TO the farmer. and when he
does go to market himself he must COM
tend with the double disadvantage OF
taking small load. which Is q loss OF
probably half the time really necessary
and the exposure OF his team to excess
site and even cruel TAX.
Aprominent man said In q recent ad-
dress: THAT actual tests show that the
same horse power or force that draws
one ton on q. muddy country road can
draw four tons on a well built Macadam
road. This economy of strength II
changed into money value and applied
20 the way freight Of the New York
Central railroad. would stand for a saw
ing OF about 100000. Nor have the
turner's been slow to see their need IN
this respect.
have helped 20 awaken a new interest
in this subject. In some OF the states OF
the Union, especially in Massachusetts,
New Jersey and New York, there has
been a great deal OF activity in this
matter and they have set excellent e&-
amples to their sister states.
The members of the League Of Amer
lean Wheelmen have also vigorously
agitated this subject. This organlza-
ton has done more to encourage the
making Of good roads and contributed
more to attain the conSummation OF the
same than any other class OF men. ex-
cept the farmers themselves. Their
suggestions should be treated with
great consideration because the league
a composed OF Intelligent and energetic
men.
Mainly through these two classes OF
men, the farmers and wheelmen. quite
popular sentiment has arisen in nearly
all OF the older states concerning this
subject
But the chief difficulty In the way OF
securing the end sought Is the inacces-
aNt.tfE&,, 80 ttn5Ss IN aafYav tho aYnRnHRA
Many methods have been advocated for
raising the necessary means for this
purpose. All OF the methods that have
come to my attention would require an
additional tax on the farmers, who are
already too heavily burdened In this
respect.
desire TO advocate amending the
present law so that II would undues-
tionahly benefit all, farmers, rnanutac-
tlirers,- merchants and laboring men OF
every class. the grading OF old and the
making OF new roads by convict labor
in such a manner that It would not in
any way come In competition with the
interest OF any other labor, whether at
present employed in that capacity or
otherwise.
what to do with our convicts Is a SER
iors problem that now confropts us and
which must be solved In the not far dis
tant future. Our prison labor Is
brought into competition with our man
nfacturers and workingmen and under
the obnoxious contract system contrac-
tors Of prison labor become million-
aires ut the expense OF our competing
free labor. Our manufacturers cannot
pay from two to three dollars per day
FOR labor and compete with contractors
az prison labor who only pay from
twenty-five TO fifty cents per day for
the sarne service.
We have law at present permitting
any county to work convicts on the
public roads free from hire. SO long as 1t
does not Interfere with contracts pre-
yiously made, provided, that when said
conylcts are furnished TO q county to
work on public roads. the expense OF
Z guarding, boarding and medical atten-
dance upon said convictS shall be paid
by such county, as wen as the salary OF
the guards. It also provides for con-
tracing with the highest bidder for the
use Of convict labor. which 10 usually
but little. II any, above the expense OF
their keeping.
permits the use OF prison labor by con-
tractors upon almost the same basis
that II proposes their services TO the
county. Any one can see the injustice
OF this plan. Contractors are usually
corporatlons whose work or business Is
intended first OF all TO bring returns TO
the company itself. While the state or
county builds its own roads with Its
prisoners, without any plan to get re-
turns for the money thus spent. The
prisoners belong TO the state ind are
maintained ut the expense Of the people.
The building Of the roads is also busi-
ness OF the people.
Contractors OF prison labor could fur
nish employment for deserving people
who are wholly. or in part, dependent
upon such for their living. Now. It is
unjust TO bring cheap convict labor into
competition with the labor OF our
worldly citizens. The only advantage
which accrues Is 70 the company en-
ploying the labor, while II Ia great dis
advantage to those who should have It.
Now, as already noted. the chief dill
Guilty In the way OF building better
roads Is the lack Of funds. and to do this
would impose heavy burdens upon the
farmers who are already too heavily
taxed. Why not, therefore, take the
prisoners, who arc the servants OF the
state and maintained at the peoples
expense and build new roads and grade
old ones which we are not able to build
or improve for the want OF means
/ advocate the amending OF this law
40 that II viii permit the use OF convict
labor to do this work without expense
TO the county.
The number allowed any one county
could be apportloned In accordance
with the amount OF taxes paid by such
county, or where most needed. The
county commissioners should have full
control OF the prisoners. employment OF
siiards, directing where and how such
work shall be performed under the i'm
mediate supervision OF the road super.
visor OF their respective districts. The
Snaintenance OF the prisoners, such us