Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-10-23

There is no lease law in Georgia, nor
Lease system, nor lease contract, in the
sense that convicts are leased to private
individuals They are no more leased than
are the convicts of Ohio, Indiana, Penn
sylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, Cali
fornia or any other state which works
them for private individuals or corpora
tions The only difference being that in
the states named they are confined and
worked within walls while in this state
they are confined and worked elsewhere,
in each case being under the direct con-
troll and supervision of the state and its
officers, and not of any private individual.
In the other states named they make
boots or shoes or harness or clothing or
furniture. and the contractor furnishes
the material and pays for the labor; in
this state they make brick, or lumber, or
turpentine or dig iron or coal, and the
contractor furnishes the material and
pays for the labor. In the former states
they compete directly with skilled labor
ers. while in this their competition is en-
tirely with unskilled labor, which can sue
coed as well at one pursuit as at another.
In the former states the competition, by
reason of the fact that such pursuits are
crowded, is sharp, while in this, so great
Is the demand for common labor in such
Industries as the convicts are engaged, and
the laborers so scarce that no one has ev-
er been known to go unemployed because
of such competition, while so great is the
demand for labor that that of the convict
brings as much as the best free labor of
the same class, by reason of which no adj
vantage accrues to the contractor employ
ing such labor, except that his supply is
more constant and reliable.
The most serious objection to the pres
ent system is the division of responsible
ty for the care and protection of convicts,
there being at present nineteen deputy
war1ens i'm charge of as many prisons,
thereby increasing the chances for acts
of neglect or I'll treatment, which will
sometimes occur in even the best of penal
systems. This objection, however, is more
than offset by the open air work provided
for the convicts, similar to that with
which they have been familiar all of their
lives, 80 per cent of them being common
negro laborers, whose health would be
greatly endangered by close confinement
within brick or stone walls. This is evil
denced by the low death rate which has
characterized the Georgia penitentiary for
years.
Same Law Recommended.
The commission, therefore, unhesitating-
ly recommends the re-enactment of the
present law, and the continuation of the
contract system, for the following rea-
sons:
1t is humane and in keeping with the
best modern prison systems
1t is better adapted to the prison popu-
lation of the state than any other pro-
posed.
1t completes less with other industries
and with free labor than any other.
1t is self-sustaining and nets the state
large sums of money annually.
Under this system the financial results
have been entirely satisfactory The state
has appropriated during this period from
taxation the sum OF $4,000. The state farm
and equipment is worth more than this
amount, and the crops of this year would
sell for $4,000 besides which there has
been paid into the treasury in round num-
bers $250,0O0 net over and above all ex-
penses. r
When the present contracts were made
on April /, 1898, by competitory bids to
the highest bidder, there were 54 bids
made, ranging from s24 to $l02 per capita
per annum. The contracts made in pur-
suance of the bids accepted, average 500
per capita per annum. This price was con-
sidered at that time, by every one who
was at all conversant with the matter, an
excellent one, and. the state was gener-
ally congratulated on the splendid results.
And considering all the surrounding cir
cumstances, it was an excellent price. IN
der the old lease system the lessees had
only paid the state SO per capita per
dunuUls anu IOI SCNCA<tA years hCpA g
eiated the value OF such labor, claiming
| that, even al that price, they were a bur-
den on them. The new system was an ex-
pertinent, and no one could safely predict
what the value of such labor would be-.
| The prison commission was clothed with
so much power that II. could ruin any con-
tractor by making and enforcing useless
and foolish regulations
The Spanish-American war was just be-
ginning to threaten the peace of the coun-
| try and no one could foretell ius effects
| upon business enterprises. Cotton, iron,
coal, lumber, naval stores and brick, COM
modities which the convicts had been en-
gagged to produce, were all selling at COM
paratively low prices. Twelve months
| thereafter the war had closed with signal
| victory for the American arms, and the
| commodities named Immediately advanced
| in price, some of them as much as so per
cent The demand for labor with which to
| produce these commodities increased in
proportion, and sub-contracts, as author
lied by law, were made for such labor at
| prices far in advance of the prices con-
tracted FOR by the state.
In some instances, as much as $40 per
| capita per annum was received and is now
being received for labor. which only cost
| the original contractor 800 and the de-
mand exists today.
/ therefore, II DIGSCHA COliuANAOhS prev elAl
! for the next u months or until new con-
| tracts can be made. it is reasonable to
expect that this labor will bring at least
$3.50 per capita per annum, which would,
| for 1900 convicts, the number now worked
on contracts, amount to $3.50, 600 per annum
| gross Deduct from this the present APP
preparation for expenses $4,000, and the
| new contracts should net the state no.
less than $4,000 per annum.
! The prison commission is not prepared to
| say whether the new act Should give the
contractors power 20 sublet the labor con-
| tracted for, or not There are two sides to
| this question, both of which can be sup
| ported by strong argument. 1t does look
| fair and just, however, that the cOntrac-
| tor who gives bond to faithfully comply
with. his contract, and who must pay the
| state the contracted hire, however much
| the value of labor may depreciate, should
reap the benefit of like appreciation, If
| for any reason the labor becomes more
valuable especially where 1t costs the
| state no more to work them on the sub
| contract than under the original.
|