The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-23
mix the sand and gravel and. clay and
make these into roads. 80.
EFFICIENCY. AND8C COST OFgCONYICT

mix the sand and gravel and clay and
make these into roads. 81 ys5s...I
AND8COST8 OE,sCONYICTa
LABOR. III
The cost Of convict labor in road build
ing, as might be expected, varies greatly
with the efficiency or efficiency OF the
mana cement and the number Of prisoners
EMPLOYED in any squad. Thus the cost
nera convict per day III this work, includ-
ing the cost of his feed, tobacco, cioth-
ing. washing, medical attendance ana
as reported for the year l9o W:
from representative counties in each OF
The several Southern States, range as 1o1-3
lows:
Arkansas Is cents to 81
E,crida 80 cents to 81 cents.
Georgia ................16 cents to 81 cents.
Kentucky so cents to 60 cents.
Louisiana, ..............50 cents TO 6v cents.
..............15 cents to 80 GEMS.
Moth Carolina. is cents TO ~ Gents
S.,uth Carolina. II cents to = cents.
Tennessee 20 cents to 40 cents.
Texas ...................2Oc cents 70 Az ccil.s.
Vi, giria ...............225 cents to 50 GEMS.
In a number of counties where TINS
wLrk is carried on most efficiently this
cost ranges from % to 80 cents per day
Ter convict.
By referring to the table given above
it may be seen that this cost OF co1lv1ct
labor ranges in several States at from
one-third to one-half the cost of hired
labor on public roads. in these States. In
the two Carolinas and Georgia, where
dis work is carried on with great eff
cheney, the cost OF maintaining and guard
Ing the convicts at work on the pubic
roads is even considerably less than the
cost Of feeding them in the county jail.
III exclamation of this fact it may be
SAID that while the convicts are en-
ployed on the public roods provisions
are purchased at wholesale and competl-
tive rates, and the convicts do their own
cooking and washing; and owing to the
unusually healthy condition of the con-
Wet camps, the cost of medical atteno-
a1ce is almost nothing.
AZ to the efficiency Of convict LABOR on
the public roads as compared with tnat
OF ordinary labor, the general testimony
from the many counties in the Southern
States is highly in its favor. 1t must DC
borne in mind in this connection that
hired labor, which in the Southern States
car be secured for work on the publlc
T. ads. does not belong to the most ell
Gent class; and it is labor which cannot
be easily held longer than few days or
a week at a, time; consequently it is not
altogether satisfactory. In the case oil
convict labor. on the other hand, and TINS
becomes more especially true in the case
Of long term prisoners, the labor is en-
t;reIy under the control of the guard ana
superintendent, and it can be easily man
aged so as to reach. a satisfactory &C.
gree of efficiency. The prisoners VINO are
sentenced for longer terms. and VINO snow
any measure of skill, are tralhca 70 llan
die the road machines, graders, scrapers
anu plows, the engines, rock crushcrs ana
the rollers, and they not only make ell
cent laborers while engaged in this work,
but receive that training and experience
which enables them to earn better nv
ing, and hence become better citizens al
ter the expiration OF their terms OF SEN
tcnce.
It has been, therefore the general YER
dict from various counties in the SOUTH
ern States, where convict labor is used
IN road building to any considerable OK
tent, that in both efficiency and cheap
ness it is decidedly superior to the or
oil, ary free labor which can be hired for
This work.
INFLUENCE OF THIS WORK ON THE
CHARACTER OF THE CONVICT.
1t is often urged against this method
of employing convict labor, that the very
publicity Of the work in exposing the
convict to the view and TO the remarks
Of the passcr along the. road would nave
Il tendency to harden the criminal and
mike him less anlenable to other bcnefl-
cent influences. But careful inquiry COR
corning this point, made in many coun-
ties has failed to elicit evidence in favor
of this s,pposition. On the other hand,
a. considerable amount Of evidence has
been collected which goes to show that
this out-of-door work not only improves
the physical health of the convlcts, but
that his experiences as road oullder
have actually improved his general char
actcr and prepared him for better cltl-
zens|,ip. There are in these different
States. where convict laborsis being used
on the public roads. hundreds of cases
where prisoners connected with the ROAD
camps have behaved themselves properly
ana labored efficiently and have secured
Good nositions at the expiration OF their
terms of sentence in the communities
where they had previously llved. IL 10
IF course. as true Of convict as IT is OIL
other persons, that fair and Just treat
1nent Of them by their superlors tehus
10 develop them into better men; where
as harsh and unfair treatment tends to
develop the meaner SIDE OF tiell i'aeo " -
a,,; should never be permitted 10 the
cl,rhtest degree. AS a rule. the treatment
of The prisoners at the various road camps
in the Southern States is fairly humane.
Religious services arc usually provided
for them every Sabbath, and an honest
effort is usually made TO develop these
cOnyictss into better men, as well as more
efficient laborcrs. There arc, oil course
some exceptions to this rule, and 1T should
he I he constant effort on the part of those
Ill authority to sec that these exceptions
disappear. While a convict must be pun
lshed as he deserves, .he must also always
DC treated with that uniform Kindness
aud fairness which lead him. even as a
prisoner, to realize that Justice prevails,
and that it pays to do right.