Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-07-05

there was no foundation for the rumors.
We don't know. We have no idea
that the chaingang is managed in &C
cordance with Sunday school stand
ards; but neither have we any idea
that the origin of the rumors and
charges that have been floating around
so loosely can be traced to Sunday
school sources.
AS to whether the chaingang has
cost more than it ought to cost, we
have no information. We have never
been able to get the figures on which
to base calculation. If, however, the
officials in charge will give the total
number of prisoners worked during a
given time-say the past year or any
three months of 1.-THE number Of
mules, value of plant, cost of supplies,
guards, and other expenses, we will be
able to work out the average cost per
day of each convict, and give other
data that will throw more or less light
on the subject. 1t is nothing but fair,
of course, that the people should have
this information, and although we have
not consulted with the county COM
missioners on the subject, we believe
they ought to be willing to get it up.
There was another thing that was de-
veloped by the investigation the other
day that is important. At this time
the superintendent Of the chaingang is
charged with the responsibility of Sc
lecting and purchasing supplies. 1t
has been so since the establishment
of the chaingang. A prudent and
thoughtful citizen-a lawyer-sug-
gests that this is wrong. He says that
the superintendent of the chaingang
should not be charged with this respon-
sibility. In his opinion the superin'
tendent should, each month, make out
an estimate of the various kinds and
qualities Of supplies that would be
required for the next month, and hand
it in to the board of commissioners.
Then, upon proper specifications, the
board should accept bids from all the
supply men who cared to submit them,
and award contracts to the lowest
responsible bidders. He thought this
would be fair to the different supply
dealers. We agree entirely as to the
soundness and equity of this PROPOSE
ton, and think that the idea could
be extended also to the matter of sup
plies for the county home and county
home farm.
We have already said that we have
no idea as to the cost of convict labor ;
but we are free to say that the chain
gang is doing tremendous amount of
work. No fair-minded man, acquaint-
ed with what it accomplished in Bull
locks Creek township during the
month of June, will deny this. What
ever may be the shortcomings of the
management, if any, of the chaingang,
it should have all the credit to which
it may be entitled. Competent judges
say that the present superintendent is
getting as good results as any of his
predecessors.
The ENQUIRER does not want to he
understood as an apologist for either
the county board of commissioners or
the superintendent of the chaingang'
Neither does it intend to be placed in
the position of prosecutor or persecu-
tor. 1t only desires to be absolutely fair.
We know that that investigation the
other day was thoroughly honest, and
we do not believe that anything espe-
cially discreditable was developed
against the management of the chain
gang. Still the Importance of the in
s,itution is such that it demands care
full watching. 1t is the duty of all
good citizens to watch it carefully, not
for the purpose of picking flaws, but
in order to see that the moral respon-
sibility and financial interests of the
county are properly conserved. AS
an earnest of THE ENQUIRER's will
lingness to do its part, we make this
announcement: We will take pleas
ure in publishing, free of charge, any
information, any criticism, any charge
of neglect of duty on the part of the
county commissioners, superintendent
of the chaingang, or other official, that
any responsible citizen sees fit to send
US over his own signature. Such in
formation, charges or criticisms, how
ever, must be BASED upon the person
al information of the writer. We will
pay no attention whatever to the con-
temptible rumors or insinuations OF
anonymous correspondents.
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