The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-12-06
USE OF
CONVICT
LABOR
Views of a Former Prisoner
at Salem
Says Present System Is an
Abuse

Frank S. Ingram, the Oregon pris-
Oner who lost a limb at the time Of the
sensational escape Of Tracy and Mer'
rill. and who was later pardoned by
Governor Geer, has interested himself
In road matters, particularly with ref.
erence to the employment Of convict
labor on the highways Of the state.
ingram believes that the people are
being mulcted under the present sys
TEN OF using convict labor, and his
letter on the subject is an interesting
une. Some days ago dispatch from
Astoria telling OF the proposed new
road law which Representatiye-elect
Carnahan will introduce at the com.
ing session OF the legislature was
printed in the newspapers Ingram
read It and was prompted thereby TO
write Mr. Carnahan. His letter is
written to the Astorian and is as fol.
lows:
Seeing by the paper that you are
a member Of the Legislature. there is a
matter wish TO call to your attention.
owing to the interest you seem TO be
taking in the public welfare, and
matter that should be thoroughly
looked into. refer to convict labor
on the roads. recently had an inter.
view with County Judge Scott about
this subject. and found him TO be
very much interested in Il. He had
for some time been trying 10 find out
about convict labor. but had not
thought OF me. ! was able TO tell him
many things he did not know.
Having been in prison for over ten
years. know the place like a book.
and ali about convict labor and tho
abuses that have been and are still
being made of II in the interests OF
private individuals. Labor is sold now
by the state for 80 cents a day. when
30 cents would be little enough. The
labor of many of the convicts who
are skilled workpen would be cheap
at 81 to $3.50 per day
"As I say. I know what convict la.
Dor is. worked all over the prison.
and consequently know whereof
speak. should like very much TO
have an opportunity to take a com.
mittee from the next legislature
through the penltentiary. and explain
the prison from a conyicts point Of
view. Then | would have no doubt
of your seeing the waste that is being
made of the labor, at the expense Of
the taxpayers. who maintain the instl.
tuition with large appropriations. II
occurs to me that II Is a very dinicult
matter for n body Of men to legislate
for an institution about which they
know very little This Is a matter
that should have your attention, re-
gardless OF politics or persons
81 am aware that this stove flrm In
order TO get the labor as cheaply as
possible. makes the complaint that the
labor "a inferior. and does not in any
way point out the good qualities Of
the workmen An men who get into
prison are not morally and physically
as bad as many people try TO make
them appear When men are cast In
to prison they become public proper
ty. and should be worked In such a
way as TO benefit the public and to
encourage them To take their places
again as better men, not menace to
life ana property
II have read many newspaper ar
ticles upon good roads committees, and
many Of them. to my mind. are written
by persons who never built rod OF
roads in their lives. Wind work Is
very easy. should like to take a
gang Of conyicts (say 25) on the road