Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-03
A TROUBLESOME QUESTION.

Georgia is not the only state that IS
worried over the question Of what to do
with its convicts In fact. there is hardly
a state OF the union in which there is not
more or less demand for penitentiary re-
form.
Illinois has the subject up in a very live
~ form.
The attorney general OF that state has
told Governor Yates that the constitu-
tional provision making II unlawful to let
BY contract the labor OF convicts Is VIC
lated by the agreements or contracts IN
der which a large portion OF the prisoners
In the Joliet and Chester penitentiaries are
now worked.
There Is a very general Endorsement Of
this opinion by Illinois lawyers.
The Illinois Federation OF Labor has
also called attention to the subject OF con-
vict labor by the adoption OF resolutions
asking the next general assembly TO en-
act a Law for the removal, az far as prac-
ticable. OF improved machinery from the
prisons and for the disposal OF the prod
uct OF the convicts In such a way as not
to interfere with free. organized labor"
The Illinois legislature will be called up
on at its next session to consider this
question. The Chicago Chronicle is one OF
the many Illinois newspapers that is urg-
ing change Of the existing system. 1t
says:
ut is agreed that convicts must be kept
busy Idleness would be bad for them and
most expensive for the state. II Is agreed
at the same time that free labor must not
be harmed by the competition OF convict
labor What is needed is q method Of en-
ploying convict labor which shall be con-
stitutional, which shall work the least in
reference with free labor. while not i'm
posing unnecessary burdens on taxpay-
ers. and which shall recognize fully the
spirit OF modern prison legislation.
lit will devoive upon the next general
assembly TO devise such method. Pre-
sumably II will be more expensive than
the one in use now, but the most econom-
ical legislator must be Of the opinion that
IL is better to make a larger appropriation
even though it means a heavier state tax
than to continue the system Of leasing Ia
bor. The system should be abandoned,
even II IL were constitutional"
The Chronicle makes an argument
against letting the labor Of convicts by
contract which is as applicable in Georgia
as in Illinois. 1t contends That the pres
ence Of the contractor prevents the proper
attention to the reformatory feature,
which should receive all due consideration,
and says:
'"The contractor is not a humanitarian.
II is his object to get all the work he
can out of his slaves-the men leased 10
him. IL is nothing to him II they are over
worked and break down in mind or body.
II they do, he gets others. II there is II
the contractors gang a man who Is de-
serving of a parole, but who is a good
worker, the contractor uses his influence
with the prison authorities, and the con-
Wet Is not allowed to so. The contrac-
tors exert much influence in a prison, and
their influence is always for evil"
The opposition to the system of working
convicts for the benefit Of private contrac-
tors has become so strong in Illinois that
the abolition of the system is considered
certain in that state at an early day is
considered pra ctfcallv certain,