The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-30
GOOD ROADS, CONVICT LABOR.
Correspondent Discusses the Cues
ton at Some Length.

A Yexed question in modern economic
discussion arises in connection with the
disposition to be made of the pent-up
labor force Of soeiety's convicted and
imprisoned criminals. How to employ
convict labor, or whether to employ it
at all, has not been satisfactorily an
swered. at. least so far as the inter-
ests of organized labor and certain COM
peting trades are concerned. These lat
ter, indeed, have repeatedly announced
through their unions that they believe
1t would be far better to allow felons to
anguish in idleness than to be brought
by the state into competition with the Ia
Dor of men who have lived honest lives
and obeyed the laws. They assert with
| force, and seemingly with justice, that
| men whose records and characters are
| without reproach should not be- pushed
aside and displaced from their occuna-
lions by others, who, because they have
been IaW-breakers and are isolated from
| society, because they are dangerous to
life OF property, must have occupation
| found for them by the state. The con-
tention they presented is generally con-
ceded to be just, but Notwithstanding its
! justice there is an undereurrent of feel
| Ing, not defined nor analysed that white
1t may not be wise or fair to degrade
honest laborers by bringing prison labor
| into competition with them, vet the state
should not waste the labor force directly
under its control. Moreover, it is not
| doubted that reformation is impossible
| unless the convict is employed, and ex-
! perience IS ample to show that enforced
! idleness is among the most inhuman
! and severe OF punishments. 1t is an
exceedingly hopeful sign that society Is
! advancing along humanitarian lines and
toward a higher civilization, that the
| convicted criminal is so longer abandon
| ed as hopelessIy depraved, but is sys-
/ tematically lifted up, morally and indus
trially.
In Minnesota, convict labor has been
the subject Of the conscientious and care
full thought Of the law-naking body, and
! while the legislative enactments fall far
short of what they should be, they have
| touched high ground It was the inter
ests of organized labor which actuated
the legislature to provide that not more
than 10 per cent of the prison labor
should be employed in any one occupa-
ton. 1t was the interests of the farm
! Ing population which dictated the estab-
lishment Of a prison binding twine plant
which has been useful to a remarkable
degree in supplying our farmers with an
article which was and is trust-COntroued
! except for this state Of competition But
even in Minnesota, despite its enHghten-
ed legislation on this subject the prison
board, in 1895 CO, found authority and
means to put 10 per cent of the convicts
| IN the Saltwater penitentiary in com
petitiou with the shoemakerS OF the state
| In that year a contract was entered in
to with the Union Shoe and Leather COM
rany to furnish the latter prison labor OF
the piece-price plan, in the manufacture
| of shoes. This piece-prfee plan provides
for the payment of 10 cents for the la
Dor required on each pair Of shoes, anj
il is generally understood that the state
receives, on this plan, not more thar
City cents a day for each convict EN-
ployed.
That this contract amounts to an out
irageous exploitation of prison labor; thai
it scandaIizes public decency and sets at
naught all the advanced thought Of M d
err sociology; that it IS degrading even
To tlre somewhat doubtful standards OF
grasping commercialis1n itself, nobody
would presume to deny. WORDS are In
adequate to denCunce sufficiently the
greed on the one side, and the reckless
defarce Of public opinion on the other
side, which fixed this wholly Unjustifiable
contract on the state for the term Of ter
years Fortunately, this contract can
not, under the law, involve more than ter
per cent of prison laborers.
The writer of this article believes that
new inventions are bringing about
changes in our system so rapidly that the
disposition of convict labor can be made
along humanitarian and industrial lines
not only to the satisfaction of all inter
ests except organized greed, but with
profit to the state, the tax payer and
the convict.
Indeed, the change is here already. The
age in which we live IS greatly occupied
in reducing the necessity fer human labo-
and, incidentally. opportunities to labor
in the economy Of society. are being min
imized but in nature the opportunities
for labor are not reducable. Artificial
systems may circumscribe the sphere Of
Of labor, but in nature the labOrer opens
new fields for more labor The question
for the inventor scientist and promoter
has been, how to accomplish the BEST re-
suits with the least human labor?
The question of the future Is, how t.
utilize to the fullest extent the labor
force, displaced by labor saving inven.
tons and combinations?
The use of convict labor will not be
overlooked. From an economic point oil
view, his labor force must not be wasted
A field must be found for it. Where shall
1t be? The suggestion that the convict b.
employed in the construction of public
Sll uCtuIcS, Is IOl pIdCLlCdDle because ne
Is not generally skilled, ard, IN modern
days, honest and free labor resists dis
placement from this field. But why not
employ him in the construction and
maintenance of good roads?
Why not organize him into squads and
companies, send him out to earn his free.
dom by good work in improving the
roads? Why not have movable
prison? What necessity exists for a sta
tionary prison? Why net put the convict
In camp? Would not the prison garb, the
ball and chain, the guard, sufficiently iso.
late the convict IN camp as well as in the
penitentiary?
The one glazing need Of the state OF
Minnesota IS good roads. This state Is
not more defective in that respect than
other states, equally new, but in com
parison with what it might have, It IS
seriously deficient. II any one thing more
than another shows the degree Of civf,iza.
ton which q community has attained
that thing Is its roads. In America the
railroad has been potent beyond all other
agencies in producing the mdrvels Of civ.
ilization and progress which distinguish
the great republic; but this agent of i'm
proyement has been costly. The multi
| tudes Of prosperous humanity which
recognize the debt they owe the rail-
road have overlooked many of the com.
mon necessities which are more valued ir
older countries. In Europe compare lively
less attention has been paid to railroads
than in America, so that the 5000 coo or
far less supplied In that respect than TIE
76,0e0,900 in the United States But the
European railroads have far less power
| as such than those Of t1fs oo,.,,4,I,