The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-01-25
DOINGS OF THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. DEBATED

ing for tho feopic-A Busy Session
In Prospect.
The following summary OF legisla.
tive action since our last Issue VIII 5e
found interesting
HIRING CONvICTs TO COUNTIES
Mr. L4ban Mauidln's bill to proh-
bit convicts from being leased 70
work on private farms created lont
discussion.
Mr.. Mauldin claimed that the pres.
ent law puts convict labor In com
petition with honest and free labor
He cited instances where men employ
Ing cobvicts were taking contracts TO,
grading streets and making brick with
convict labor, while honest lpbcrer:
were out OF employment. Had tt,
convicts not been let to private farm
ers they could not have been avail
able for this contract work. He WI
opposed to convicts being hired 70
any purpose. Our roads need improv.
ment. We have thousands of acres Ct
swamp lands- which may be- reclaim
&c. There are numbers Of ways II
which convicts can be employed will
out coming into competition with fre
labor.
Dr.. Woods defended the bill alop
the same lines go NJ. Mauldin.
Mr.. j. remt ,h Smith asked II tn,
would not be discr minatlon again ,
farmers, as railroads and otner ente, :
prlses could employ convicls, not belt !
excluded In the dill.
Mr.. G. <. r binson stated that /.
proposed to If r an amendm nj to rem
edy that d d'sc, imlnatiou.
Mr., Pen; sked If 1T were discrim
nat on Tor the State to have her ow,
farms.
M. Maulcin replied that it was, bu
he couldn't incol porate that in his b,l,
rs the State has this property and ca,
not easily get rid If 1t at once.
Mr.. Prince continued that he favored
IN asure giving preference to tho
counties which propose to utilize con
vict labor on public roac 8 but he does
not think 1t would be- wise to confin'
the directors to such lessees, as oil o;
the convicts might not be contracted
for, and the others would be in the
penitentiary at an expense. II
favored leasing convicts 10 privat
parties to relieve the penitentiary Of /.
congestion OF population, as this ha.
been source OF revenue to the State
Contracts now In force cannot be in
terfered with under the constitution,
Mr.. q. e. Robinson said that u meas
ure would DO introduced to work con
victs on the publ highways. The
author OF the bill uld accept al
amendment to provide that no con
tracts now In force be interfere d with.
The house by vote of 3S to 81 re.
fused to strike out the eGactlng words.
Dir. NJ. B. Woodward offered an
hmendnent t. al convicts could be em.
ployed by counties at the rate OF Is
cents each per day for the purpose oi
building roads and highways.
Mr.. Sawyer offered an amend
mGnt designed to prevent the hiring
OF convlcts to any private concerns
whatever.
Mr.. Woodward stated that he WAS
In favor of leasing convIcts to farmers
as well as to any other person or cor.
poration, but he thought it wise To
hire the cCnvicts to counties for the
p&e!!c roads. The need Of good roads
ID pressing one, and the counties
bhouid os given an opportunity to hire
conv.cts from the State penitentiarv
to work the roads.
Mr.. stevenson, chairman of the late
penitentiary investigating committee.
Bald that he had been through the af,
fairs OF the penitentiary pretty thor.
oughly. and he was quite sure that II
the hiring of cOnvlcts to private
parties were prohibited there would be
@ deficit IN the State treasury. II the
counties are allowed to take the con
victa without competition thew car
dictate the price, bat II counties mus,
compete with private parties in &C
quiring convict labor, then there viii
be revenue coming into the State. The
State now nets $50 annually over and
above the expense upon each convic,
hired out. He differed with Mr.. Wood
ward on the price to be paid for con
vict labor.
Mr. J. w. Ragsdale commended the
present penltentiary administration
and thought that willie the corvicts
should be wor ked on the highways, /,
would be inexpedient to change the
method now in operation.
DR.. Wyche agreed with Mr.. Wood
ward. County roads frat and ther
surplus convicts to be hired to private
parties.
Mr.. Hydrick favored legislation
which would send convicts back to the
counties to work tn roads and i'm.
prove the health and upbulld the pro.
sperltp OF the community. He wanted
the bill to provide for convicts TO clean
out streams and lOwlands.
The presentation Of so many amend.
ments began to get the measure con
fused, and Mr.. Prince moved to re.
Co"uAu Utll III bCu6T Gl8U inc OIL
be gotten into tangible and Ineligible
shape.
This was opposed by Mr.. Wood ward,
and the house refused to recommit by
@ tie vote.
Mr.. Hydrick's g amendment to provide
that counties hiring convicts might
use them for cleaning out streams was
killed, as we'll as his amendment to
apportion the number equltably among
the counties.
Mr.. Stevanson's substitute was then
taken up for discussion.
Mr.. Woodward opposed it as not fix.
Ing definite price for the hire of con.
victs by counties.
Mr.. Stevenson showed that the State,
is now getting $50 year for each con.
vict, much In excess OF what tho re-
venue would be at Is cents day, or
S46.8O year. Better not have fixed
price If 1t would entail depreciation
In revenue.
Mr., Woodward claimed that tho