The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-03-02

|
nation received by the secretary from
| reliable and responsible sources in the
| United States. 1t will probably bring
the blush of shame to the cheeks of
American readers-if they have not
got past the possibility of blushing:-
The noble spirit of sympathy with
the victims of Spanish tyranny in
Cuba and the Philippines, which has
lately been manifested by the great
nation of the United States, has sue
ceSsfullY removed an incubus which
had long weighed terribly on those
splendid islands, May it now be hoped
that similarly humane feeling will as
determinedly grapple with still more
extensive form of oppression in the
Southern portions of the United States
thems Ives?
During the past year, the Howard
Association has, on various occasions,
received from those Southern States
very grievous accounts of cruelties
inflicted both upon prisoners and
others OF the cOlored race, and, in par
ticular, in the convict camps and chain
gangs, where shocking condition of
affairs exists.
There are comparatively very few
prison buildings in the South. Offend
ers are chiefly leased out, for open-ar
work, to contractors, or bidders who
pay for their labor, so much head,
to the State or county, and then be-
come absolute masters of such prison
ers; so that the taxpayer is entirely
relieved from the burden of criminals,
who actually become source of large
revenue to the State and to individu
ais. This may, at first sight, seem to
be great advance upon the general
systems Of the North and of Europe,
which are so costly to the community
But in reality the lease-system pro-
duces the most terrible sufferings and
fatalities to many thousands annually.
1t is, practically, a revival of slavery,
and on a very extensive scale. In
Florida, public sales of convicts (most
OF whom are negrOes) occasionally take
place, when they are sold by auction to
the highest bidder, for various periods,
up to four years. Usually the sentences
in the South (on colored people), even
for minor offences, such as stealing
eggs, are for very long periods.
There are several classes of leased
convicts. Firstly, those under the i'm
mediate supervision of the State, in
camps, or on farms, corresponding some
what to British convict establishments.
These, though open to grave objection,
are comparatively free from the gross
est evils, and have, of late years, under
gone considerable improvement in sew
eral OF the States. Secondly, there are
the County camps, which are worse.
And, lastly, and worst Of all, there are
the numerous gangs farmed out to
private sub contractors, or bidders.
who, III many cases, "sweat" their vic
tins to death by excessive labor.
Wretched food, brutal violence, and the
grossest neglect of sanitary require
ments. And, of course, religious and
moral obligations are utterly ignored
in most instances.
In the best prisons Of the Northern
States, as in New York lat Elmira).
Massachusetts, lat Concord Junction
and Sherborne), Illinois lat Joliet and
Pontiac), Ohio (at Columbus), Mime
sofa lat Stillwater), and in Pennsyl-
vania, Michigan, Rhode Island and
other States, the reformation of the
prisoner is, at least, earnestly attempt
ed, and often successfully achieved,
But in the Southern camps and chain
gangs it is the very reverse.
The captains" employed by the sub
contractors are often of the class
depicted in "Legree," in "UncIe TOMS
Cabin" Their conduct to the female
convicts is indescribable. A large mum
Der of illegitimate births take place in
these camps. The wretched children
born in them are, in some instances.
permanently retained as slaves. And
the breeding of such has become an
aVowed purpose, at least in one State.