Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-31
r,.r co.vrcr QUESTION

State of New York II Is made uhia"iui
to employ convicts IN any work other
than that OF producing supplies Tor the
State. or for the political divlslohs
thereof. A few Of the prisoners are
now employed In manufacturing such
articles as may be needed In the asy-
lums and prisons OF the state pus 'pe
great majority Of them are idle. IN
consequence Of this idleness, some cases
OF suicide. and many Of demenua nave
occurred. There is now a general popu-
lar demand that the prisoners De given
some observation-disclosures III "hicn
their labor will not conflict with 'he
labor Of honest men. II 1t be possible 10
find such. IL has been suggested ac-
cordingly, that the convcts be put 10
building public roads; but on that pro-
position the New York Times has TINS TO
say:
Among the suggestions Of the Prison
Commission I'm regard TO the employ
ment of convicts. is one TO the eHSc'
that their labor could be used IN .he
cons.rrc,,on of ,mnroved roads. This
would involve the subsistence OF prs
close guard. except while the work was
confined to the vicinity OF the institu-
tions. The spectacle of convict gangs
employed on the public highways Is
not a pleasing or edifyng one, and TINS
mode Of employment Is not CONDUCIVE 10
the kind of discipline that Is supposed
to be penal. Assuming that the WORK
upon the roads ought TO be done a. the
States expense. II is question whether
It would not cost more If done py
prison labor, under guard. than II per
formed by free labor. There are serl-
Gus objections to this mode OF using
convict labor, and 1t is considered only
because the Constitution of this state
most unwisely compels a resort TO all
sorts Of expedients by prohibiting the
sale of products of prison industry. Ihe
effect OF the new policy will inevitably
be one of loss and expense, but us
worst consequences will appear in the
lack of that refofmatory discipline
which comes from a systematic INDUSTRY
that can be continued after leaving
prison. Ex-convicts cannot find occupa-
ton in making bibs fer orphan asylums'
or washing the clothes OF lunaucs, OF
even IN working on the road ana they
viii not be allowed to acquire trades or
become expert in any mechanical IN
dustrv.
II If should be admitted that convicts
might be advantageousy employed In
Virginia IN the making Of roads, the
question would then arise, Where are we
10 get the convicts? They could not be
gotten from the pententiary without
taking them from the contractors. Al4
if they were taken from the contractors
in violation Of the agreement, how
could the State reimburse itself for the
hires It would thus lose?
This question has been time and again
exhaustively considered by the Leglsla-
ture and the conclusion has always been
reached by an overwhelming majority
that for the present Virginia can DO no
better than she is now doing II may
be that by the time of the expiration
of the present contracts the State may be
able TO make some better arrangement
than it now has for the employment Of
its prison labor. We earnestly hope that
1t may; but we have 10 remember that
so far from consenting TO the States
giving up the large sum Of money now
received from hires, the majority OF the
members of the Legislature have always
refused TO substitute free labor for con-
vict labor on the Capitol Square. Though
this is the most offensive and conspicuous
form in which prison labor 4 made
TO compete with honest labor, we regret
to say the Legislature has over and over
again refused TO make change.
Now, unless the state is willing to give
UP the greater part of the $4,000 OF
hires which It Is receiving from contrac-
tors, it ought to provide decent cells in
the penitentiary for the men who must
be kept there The women have excel
lent quarters, but the men are horribly
crowded. SO far as we know there is
not within the length and breadth Of all
our land a prison building so badly
crowded as ours. And remember that the
men not only have to eat in these cells,
but are locked in them from sunset TO
sunrise.
Nothing can he accomplished by the
agitation Of the question Of working
convicts OF the roads except to divert
public attention from the duty of the
state TO provide more cell room in the
Denitentiary. Everybody knows that
hard run" as the State now is, It will
not think Of giving up the larger portion
of the $4,000 per annum 1t is receiving
annually from the hires Of convicts.