Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-15
A PREssING DUTY.

A PRESSING DUTY.
BY reason of contracts which our State
has made with certain shoe manufac-
turers whereby employment is given to
about a thousand convicts. the peniten-
tiary. instead Of being a charge upon
the public treasury. contributes thereto
a net sum Of about $4,000 annually.
The present system was inaugurated
eighteen or nineteen years ago and has
gradually grown into what it is now.
We believe the Virginia penitentiary
yields more net revenue, cash down.
than any other State prison in the
United States. At the same time the
prisoners enjoy better health, and are
better cared for, than they would be if
they were hired out to labor upon public
works.
The earnings Of our penitentary are all
that any reasonable man could expect.
And they justify the Legislature in
making a generous appropriation for the
enlargement OF the dollhouse. 1t is an
awkward antithesis which presents Vir-
ginia to the world in the light of making
more profit from its convcts than any
other State does. and being too economi-
cal with its money to give them enough
pure air to breathe in their cells!
The present earning capacity Of the
prison cannot be maintained if the prison
population be reduced below present
numbers. For that reason useful and
commendable as is the work which is
being done by the State Farm, it cannot
be relied upon to relieve the congested
condition OF the cells any more than
it has done already. There is no dispute
upon that point. 1t is an admitted fact.
All that can be said in answer to the
demand for additional cell-roOm is, that
the cells are no more crowded than they
long have been and that, apparently, our
penitentiary is as healthy as the ave-
rage State prison.
Admitting that fact as we must, it
should be observed also that no prison
statistics can show the mortality which
ensues after the prisoner is discharged.
This we know-that the cells of the
Virginia penitentiary are great breeding
places for disease. or sanitary science is
a baseless fabric. Again. it is not to be
doubted that il is possible 10 impose a
vast amount of misery and suffering
upon man without vislbly impairng
his health. Suffice it TO say now, that
we know Of no man who is acquainted
with the condition Of the prison who is
not an ardent advocate Of legislative APP
propriatlons wherewith to relieve its
crowded condition.
If the good people of Virginia could
look through the ponderous walls of the
penitentiary and see the condition of
the men at night they would raise their
voices in such imperative command that
the Legislature would hesitate no longer.
In Gods name how can we consent to
profit so much from the labor Of those
miserable men and continue TO with
hold from them the boon of needful
fresh air. The shops Will do well enough;
Il IS the insuficiency OF the dollhouse
which brings upon US Vlrginians this
mighty reproach
We are glad 70 know that this matter
recently has been the subject of dill
gent Investigation upon the part Of a
committee Of ministers OF the Gospel
These good men have made many visits
to the prison and have gained much in
formation With the help which they
will give those who have Iabored so long
TO awaken the public conscience in this
matter N Is p0sslble that suitable legiS-
lative action may be secured this winter
There ought 10 be no further delay
II the State cannot do all that is needed
let her do all that she cant More air
more breathing space-is the cry, and
God forbid that such cry should 20
UNDECIDED.