Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-02
A Matter Of Revenue,

may TO some extent ledQ 10 g. solution or
the question why, when in other sections
of the country, convicts are treated with
reasonable humanity, the old relic Of past
days, the contract, farming-out system
still obtains In the SOUTH In most of the
southern states the total revenue received
from the~system exceeds the expenditures
of the cost of maintenance Of such, except
in one or two instances and in the case Of
North Carolina, though it's convicts are
marched until they drop dead by the road
side, the cost Of the maintenance of the
system in that state Is out Of all proper
ton to the size Of the state, and the num-
Der of convicts therein, exceeding the state
Of Ohio. and almost equaling the state Of
Missouri
According to some recent figures the
state Of North Carolina expends about
$4O4 600 year to maintain its prison sys-
tenn and receives about $685. 900, operating
at a loss. having about 700 convicts, of
whom $50 were white and $50 were colored
The state of Missouri cared for 2174, and
in confinement in prisons, during the same
time at a cost of $439OOO, while Ohio cared
for 1881 convicts, also In confinement in
prisons, at a cost Of $3OSOO In other
words, Missouri cared for three times as
many prisoners as did North Carolina at
approximately the same cost, and Ohio two
and a quarter as many prisoners as North
Carolina at 100000 less cost per annum
Such a showing, coupled with the dispatch
in question, should furnish the criminolo-
g1StS OF North CdTOllna with plenty of good
material to urge upon the legislature a
quick and needed reform In the prison
methods Of the state.
Other Facts and Figures.
1.-THE contrast between the conditions and
cost as regards convicts in North Carolina
and her sister state, South Carolina, is so
marked as to be worthy Of note, though I
do not know that the convicts are treated
any better as they are leased out on farm
ing and cotton mill contracts. With 235
conyicts last year.. of whom thirty-one were
white and 2O4 colored, the state cleared
about 1000 revenue, the total cost being
about 500, ZOO, or with trif1e less than one
half of the total number of convicts, their
cost to the state was over five times less
in proportion to the cost Of convict main
tenance in North Carolina.
Strenuous efforts have been made in
Alabama and Georgia to wipe out the
prison-pen and camp system. In the former
state the convicts are employed upon the
state farm and let out on contract to work
In mines and humber camps Under this
system Alabama last year cleared about
500 600 on 2 1865 eonvfcts, of whom 211 were
white and 2,155 were'colored. Georgia, with
about 2,245 convicts, about one-eighth white,
came Qua a few thousands ahead last year
| under a systemb similar to that prevailing
in Alabama
"In Mississippi he state utilizes the SER
vices Of its convdcts and let's them out also
on the share system, In farming, working In
cotton industrieSand in saw and grist mills
and clears about $4,000 year In Missis-
sippi one-tenth Of the convicts are white.
In Louisiana the lease system has been
abolished, the convfcts working for con-
| tractors in the manufacturing of various
articles and engaged in farming and build
| ing The states revenue from this source
is about $4,000 p year, and out of about
| COO convicts 2so are white. In Tennessee
| . the colored convicts about. double the white
| and the state clears about $4,000 a year
| from it's prison contracts. Arkansas also
| farms out it's convicts on shares and has
| the contract system. and clears about
| $4,000 a year. One-third of the convicts in
| this state are white.
Matters Of Contrast.
ut will be seen from these facts that the
| prison system. as unfortunate as it is, in
the south yields IN all cases cited sub
stantial revenue to the respective states
except in the case Of North Carolina. where
| the receipts fall slightly below the: expendi.
lures. The results In one or two northern
states, which will give. afford a striking
| contrast. In these states prisoners are
more or less employed, and Yield greater
| or less revenue. but they are housed, and
| 1t is not sought to make them entirely
self-sustaining owing to their, competition
with labor.