The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-24
The Convict Problem.

A question that is receiving a great deal
OF attention in many of the states is what
shall be done with the conviets? In no
one Of the states has it been so satisfac-
toriy answered that the answer meets
with general approval. At the present
time, in New York, it is regarded as the
most troublesome question with which the
legislature has to deal, and in this state
the leading members of the legislature are
supposed to be giving much thought to 1t.
In New York all are agreed that it would
be cruel to keep the convicts in idleness,
and. besides. to do so would impose a very
heavy burden upon the tax payers. The
influences of the different trade unions is
sufficient to prevent them from being en-
ployed in any one OF the manufacturing
trades The indications are that they will
be put to work on the public roads. al
though there is much opposition to ex-
hiblting them in public, and, besides. it is
claimed by prison officials that employ
ment outside of prison walls is detrimen-
tai to discipline and moral reform. 1t is
conceded however, that it would be much
better to employ them on the public roads
than to keep them idle in prison
1t seems to us that here in the south the
question can he settled satisfactorily by
putting them to work raising corn and
cotton. This plan is being tried in Missis-
slppi and South Carolina with most graf
flying results. 1t is true the cotton plant
ers are grumbling a little, because they
are afraid if al the cotton states adopt
the plan the cotton crop win be so much
increased that the price Of cotton will be
forced down. There does not however.
appear to be much ground for their alarm
on that account.
In Mississippi not nearly all the con-
victs are employed on the thirteen panta-
lions owned by the state and yet last
year, after paying all the expenses of the
pententiary, there remained $55,4O0 to be
turned into the state treasury. The prof
its from the labor Of the convicts have
paid for all the plantations and all the
STOCK implements and machinery used in
working them.
In South Carolina the state owns 5000
acres of land, and the necessary live stock,
implements and machinery. There were
obtained at cost of about $4,000, the
whole of which amount has been paid out
of the proceeds of the crops raised by
convict labor. Not all the convicts are
employed on the states lands, but all of
them will be. in all probability, in the
very near future. Last year the state had
a profit of $4,000 after paying all the ex-
penses of maintaining the convicts. That
certainly is an excellent showing.
Another satisfactory feature of this set
Element of the convict question is that the
convicts are far better satisfied than when
they were leased or when they were con-
fined in the penitentary. The prison
officers say the convicts are morally and
physically better and that their death
rate is very much lower.
We have drawn attention to this way
of caring for the convicts with the hope
that our legislature will give it very care
full consideration. The lease contracts in
this state will soon expire, and 1t is the
will of the people that the lease system
shall be abolished. Why not try the sys-
TEN that has been found so successful in
Mississippi and South Carolina? What
has been done with the convicts in those
states can be done in this state. Let the
state buy large tract Of land in a south
ern county and cultivate it in cotton, corn,
tobacco and fruits. In the control of
good manager, the convicts would not
only pay the cost of the land and the nee
essary live stock, implements and ma
chlnery, but they would turn into the state
treasury a large sum each year, which
should be added to the school fund. Thus
the convicts would aid in raising the av-
erage of intelligence and in checking the
tendency to crime.