Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-21

provements drumming hign nv ~con,
lions) all turned out disastfouS.y e,ote
the Valley turnpike. ON TINS, "u ,orest
has always earned a handsome in.e,
I'm tho shane Of Increased assessments
by which | mean. that the lah"S
tieuous TO the "yalIey pike are assess ,i
much higher than equally as soou ,""1
In other parts OF the state, p"' .,asod
turnpike. Again, besides tne ~ 1900,
revenues 10 the State. TINS nip,o
highway has benefited the ci'iNeno III, ~"
ON H. II has made their ldnGs saieav','
and being salsable, 1t is also Naiu"o'e
as security for loans. -, valley
The beauty OF the SHENANDOAH 90, =
lives and will live in song anu s.o a,h
How much OF It Is due to the S"ei'''''''
pike? .na,
This question OF good roads IS one tnat
IS absorbing the minds of the people ali
over the commonwealth more ana more
and will soon be an issue in the po'iei MI,
of the State. and is a question when VIII
not down" ., o.
As sensible men we should treat IL III
n business way The people need good
roads and should have them. ISM ..'
cheapest and most feasible way OF set.
ting them through convict laool
US see: There are now IN the pe"i'e"
tiary Din round numbers about I,,V' Gun,
victs. Suppose we leave "ltnhh tic a..
and TO work on the penitentiary IadIn
40 and nut 100 on the public rcahs' ~
10 each of the five grand divisions OF tne
state Those left within the walls wouid
be amply sufficient to make ciothes' shoeS'
carts. tools. &c, &C.. for those OF 'ne
roads ,,s a.
divide the go allotted TO each grand ol-
vision into forces Of 30 TO 10 each, making
say. four forces fer each grand uiVlslol'
II would take probably $lo0oOJ 10 pro-
perly oouip the entire l,25o men WIN II ova-
bile vans. improved road nachi,eiS'
stone crushers teams carts, tools' ~
The present cost to the state 10.
ing. clothing. and guarding inside me
Ills is about - - cents per day for
each convict (see superintendent re-
morn and II will rot cost more thah
twice that per day on the roads. or say
SIP 200 per annum: to this add SLOW lot
feed of team. wear and tear OF tools anu
machinery powder. &C. Nc, ana we INV
a grand total of $4,000 per anilu"i.
These convicts ought to make ZOO mics Oh
permanent road each year. 1t Is, there-
fore. easy TO see that within a lew years
they will put new phase on the Ioau
question. will create very perceptiplo
increase in land and other taxable Values,
will encourage immigration, ana pu,
heart into our farmers and' lndeed' ih'o
our whole people.
The support OF these convicts should De
horne nv the State. because of the inter-
county trade and travel. and because the
cities and towns are benefited by good
roads through the territory tributary 10
them almost as much as the county II
self. In short. the support OF these men
should be paid out OF the common iuhu,
because all the people will be pehehteu
by their labor.
Many thinking men believe that this
will be a wise and economical tnlng ior
the State 10 do The saving to the people,
the increased facilities for the sale oil
property. the encouragement OF immigra-
ton. and, lastly, the constant and per-
petuag increase in taxable values, all
commend this scheme to its advocates.
To be sure. there are some who object
ON the ground OF humanity; thinking TINS
life would be a harsh and cruel one 10
men under bonds, who cannot help tnem-
selves. but this objection Is not wen
taken. because there is no reason why
these men should not be made and kept
as comfortable outside as inside the walls
of the pententiary. They have always
been well cared for in building railroads
in the State, and would be in building
turnpikes.
ground that the penitentiary is now not
only self-sustainng. but a source OF pro-
fit to the State. Is not this fallacy?
/ do not mean to impugn the truth or
correctness of any report made by any
of the officers Of the penitentiary, but is
is not a fact that betterments consume
these profits. and more besides?
BY betterments we mean
l. The purchase of the penitentiary
farm. which We all agree was wise ex-
penditure.
2. BY first the building and then the
enhancement OF the shoe shops. TINS
may or may not have been a wise mea-
sure but it was one which raised the
bristles" on a large proportion of our
mechanics and other honest laboringmen
who feel keenly the injustice of the State
i'm thus fostering the competition Of con-
victs against them.
3 The proposed enlargement OF the
penitentiary itself, which will cost pro-
badly $1,000 but which will not add l
cent TO our taxable values.
There are other betterments, but we
have mentioned enough. We think the
penitentiary sufficiently large, and that
it would be wiser and add more to the
prosperity of the State to find some en-
ployment for the convict that will bene-
fit the whole people, and remove him for
ever from competing with honest men
The people of Virginia are not now.
and never have been. satisfied that the
convicts Of the State should be employed
in direct competition with our honest
mechanics and laborers, even though it
be done at n profit.
In building highways. they do not thus
come in competition. because we have
no means Of employing other labor.
OF course we all know Of the existing
shoe contract but this need not deter
us. We have a sufiicency OF men out
side of this to try the public road ex-
pertinent and II IL proves n success, the
shoe contract need not be renewed.
Then there is the objection that IT Is
unconstitutional. This is very doubtful,
but II it be true, let us change the Con-
stituton.
Won't YOU please encourage. through
vour valuable columns. a discussion OF
This question? II is one of far-reachlng
importance. and one i'm which much in
terest is being manifested. Let us dis
cuss It fully and calmly. and for the best
interests of all. II the above figures are
fallacious. let some one correct them.
II this plan Is not practical or feasible.
LET somebody suggest a better one. but In
anv event let us "strive without ceasing
until we arrive at some plan that will
certainly give us good roads, and then
nut that plan into active operation.
Very respectfully. your most obedient
servant. JOSHUA BEHINDTlME. Sr