The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-04-02
MORE TALK ON CONVICT LABOR.

EDITOR News DEMoCRAT-In your Sat.
urday's issue, commenting upon the
course the county commissioners have
taken regarding the employment of the
convict labor in the county workhouse
for the improvement of the country
roads, you are headed In the right direc.
ton. 1t is good, so far as IL goes, but IL
don't 90 far enough. The commission
ers have only Caught the bull by the
tail. They should take him by the
horns.
At least FIVE months in the year, the
weather is inclement for road work.
That means five months of idleness and
lost labor: and especially at that time of
the year when there is the largest num-
ber of prisoners in the workhouse. 1t
seems that the employment of the labor
in the workhouse only seven-twelfths of
the time, comes Just ive-twelfths short
of a. solution of the problem. Stark
county has within her borders the very
best material, and in quantity sufficient
to last for centuries, to keep this labor
employed every month in the year. No
taxpayer complains that the employ
ment of the convict labor for making
good roads will enhance the value of the
land, through which the good roads are
made WITHOUT COST, or will it interfere
with any other industry any further
than one road concern now interferes
with another?
The making of vitrified brick to be
used in our streets and county roads is
the true solution, and outlet for convict
labor. Only small amount of skilled
labor is required to produce the brick
which makes the industry preferable
one. Why should Stark county not own
her own brick plant? Should the pro.
duct be larger than could be consumed
in the county, it would be easy to enter
the market at the same price as other
consumers now sell their product. The
county has the same right to own and
operate plant, as has any private indi-
vidual.
The county ownership of plant Of
| this kind would be God-send to anoth.
er class of unfortunates. There are a
large number of worthy citizens who are
every winter fed on charity, and who
could be given few months employ
ment, which would be thousand times
better than doing out charity, and far
more acceptable. The clay land about
| Canton is easy of access, and cheap, and
the employment of the convict and idle
labor would be plausible one.
Do with the present workhouse the
same as anyone would do with factory
that did not pay. Get rid of it at the
best possible figures. The present work.
house does not pay, and anyone with q
little bit of sense knows that.
The Superintendent, while out looking
for something with which to employ his
charges, is only following in the foot
steps of like older concerns. Why &C
over the same ground, and continue tc
make the expenditures exceed the re
ceipts?
Accept the experiece of the proprietor,
of other concerns as a guide, grasp an
opportunity that few counties in the
state possess, and settle forever this con
vict labor problem in Stark county.
All the wriggling and squirming that
the superintendent and the Trustees
may do will not make the income pay
the expenses, except some tangible and
practical plan be.adopted like the onG
proposed. HENRY d. ALEXANDER.