Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-08
SATURDAY. ......JANUARY 8, 1898.
sucAR-BEErs AND CoNvICTs.

Surprising that the Legislature does al
low a company to contract for the labor OF
go convicts to cultivate the sugar-beet II
this State, that course would not solve
the cell-room question here.
1t would relieve the State farm largely,
but IL would help matters at the prison
very little. The fact is the penitentiary
has relieved ITSELF as far as possible, of
its idle population by sending it to the
farm. a large gang having lately gone
there. Thus, while the farm has many
more hands than it can find work for,
the penitentiary has not many inmates
in excess of the number necessary TO fill
the contract with the shoe company and
provide cooks. washers. tailors, etc.
The minimum prison population must
remain nearly as il is now, while the
existing contracts are in force. SO it fol-
lows that whether the 200 men in ques-
ton stay or go to work in beet-fields, the
cells of the penitentiary will continue to
be crowded to disgracefui degree. We
hope members of the Legislature will
bear this fact in mind. Would that all
of them would go to the prison about
dusk ana see the men in their wretched-
~ overcrowded cells. No other argu-
ment than that would be needed to i'm
press upon their minds the crying neces-
sity for more cell-room here.
We are not arguing against the States
doing what may be considered prudent
and right to encourage the growth of
sugar-beets in Virginia By no means.
We know how very anxious our agricul-
turai people are that an experiment
shall be made in this State upon a
large scale. But We trust no one
win imagine that after an arrangement
has been made TO cultivate beets with
convict labor. the cell problem is solved
That would be a gross mistake.
Virginia derives an income of nearly
$4,000 per annum from the hire of con-
victs who are employed by the Davis
Shoe Company. and just so long as this
money is earned the mass Of the convicts
VIII have TO be kept here. and just so
long as they are kept here the cells will
be crowded; yes. shamefully crowded,
as they are to-day.
OF course. the ability Of the State to
spare the earnings of the pententiary
for number of years, as would be ne
cessary TO erect new buildings, is a seri-
Gus question. Much will depend upon the
retrenchment measures now in contem-
plation by the Legislature; but II the
Legislature would devote the net earn
ings OF the penitentiary TO this purpose
for number of years, we believe con-
tractors could be found who would do the
work, take notes, and wait for their
money. OF course. the labor of all avail
able prisoners would also be employed
as far as possible. That has ever been
the policy in extending the buildings at
the penitentiary; but there are very few |
mechanics there. Nearly all the convlcts |
are common laborers, or else men who |
have never been used to any work at all. |
So no matter whether a scheme Is !
adopted or not to employ in beet culture |
the idle men and boys (most of whom |
are now at the farm. the necessity will
remain for adding more cells to the peni-
Tertiary itself. II we would do our duty |
10 the miserable creatures now confined
there.