The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-09-29
HOW ro rmpIoy CoNyICrs.

HOW TO EMPLOY CONvICrs.
One Of the greatest puzzles OF the day
Is what to do with state convicts. The
lease system has proven failure
wherever II has been tried. Snd, on the
other hand. there is a growing sentiment
against employing convicts in such a way
as to bring them into competition with
free labor
public scandal has recently been de-
veloped I'm connection with the Georgia
lease system. and In New York, where
recent constitutional amendment pro-
hibits the employment of convicts by
manufacturing establishments, the man
agement has to resort TO all sorts Of de-
vices to give employment TO the conyicts
and so keep them from losing their minds
by enforced idleness.
In Virginia, besides cultivating a great
farm, our convcts have been most prof.
tably employed in manufacturing shoes,
tobacco and other articles within the PEN
itentlary grounds, and the state has been
receiving a revenue something like $4,000
over and above all expenses Of the insti-
tuition. But there has been much COM
plant in this State against the system,
because convicts have been thus employed.
and an effort has been made to abolish
the system.
Governor Bob Taylor has been recently
telling a newspaper man something about
the system I'm Tennessee. Until a little
while ago the lease system was in vogue
in that state. but 1t proved to be so un-
satisfactory that It was abolished, and
penitentiary has now been built at cost
Of 100000 It is located five miles from
Nashville. is surrounded by a large farm.
and the building is said to be the best In
the country While the penitentiary was
being builded, convicts were employed on
the State farm, and also on an adjoining
farm. which the state has leased. In adj
dition to this the state purchased large
coal property in Eastern Tennessee, and
five hundred convicts are there employed
I'm mining coal. the product being sold in
open market.
When asked IL the States mining opera
tions did not meet that opposition from
the miners. the Governor replied in the
negative The convict miners, he said.
are I'm no way brought in contact with
the free miners, and the amount Of coal
turned out by the state Is so small, as
compared with the amount mined in the
whole country, that it does not enter as
competing factor In the coal trade. The
State has not made much out OF its min
ing operations. but the convicts thus en-
pIoyed are seif-sustaining.
In the penitentiary the convicts will be
employed in certain manufacturing indus
tries but It is the aim of the state, Gov
ernor Taylor says, to keep these con-
victs from coming into appreciable COM
petition with free labor. and TO that end
the law provides that not more than one
hundred convicts shall be employed in any
one line. All that the state proposes TO
do Is 10 make the institution self-sustain-
ing. and that is all that any state should
attempt to do. Convicts must be employ
ed. and they should be employed in such
a way as to make their maintenance as
little a burden as possible to the state.
But It must not be overlooked that the
penitentiary is a penal institution. and
whenever the state attempts to use its
convicts for the purpose Of making money
bv going into trade I'm competition with
its citizens. the system becomes vicious
and ntolerable.
The results of our State farm expert
ment have been gratifying in every way
and It would be well to extend this ope-
ration to other large farms which have
grown up in bushes. need much drainage,
and could be purchased cheaply. The
convicts would be BEAUTIFULLY employed
in non-competitive work. and the taxable
values of the state would be increased If
these renovated farms were sold, and
the process carried on elsewhere.