The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1905-01-25

petition between elective and penal la
Dor. With such labor available the
government could undoubtedly under
take projects which could not other
wise be attempted"
'Your notion would be, OF course,
that the convicts would derive phys
ical benefit from this little excursion
into comparative freedom?"
1.-The benefit would accrue not mere
~ to convict's body, but to his mind,
morals and estate as well. l need
hardly remind you that our laws, poll
cies and methods of dealing with GRIM
inals result, so far as the offenders
themselves are concerned, in destroy
ing rather than inspiring courage and
self respect. Persons are cast into
prison for term of years and then,
after all their helpful social relations
have passed away, are turned out into
the world practically penniless and
with blighted hopes. Imprisonment
necessarily reduces mental and phys
ical energy, and the condition of the
released convict is therefore all the
more deserving of studious considera-
ton. Confinement without employ
ment is obviously bad for the prisoner
in every way. Statistics show that
considerable proportion of such pris-
1ners &c insane before the expiration
IF their sentences. Ny plan is to OBJ
yiate this condition of affairs.
Il am confident that the national
government by the use Of modern and
scientific methods will be able to estab-
nsh sanitary conditions on the canal
zone which will make it fully as health
full as the lowlands of the southern
states, where our native labor has been
successfully employed"
ut has been said by eminent author
ity that persons should not be en-
ployed to remain continuously on the
isthmus longer than a period of from
six to twelve months. This may be a
wise and necessary precautlon, and
such an arrangement can easily be ac-
complished. The establishment of
nearby station where labOrers can be
This would mean, of course, an
amendment of existing law?'
Certainly. In order to carry into
effect the plan have outlined for the
use of convict labor in the building of
the Panama canal, the enactment of
new laws, both state and federal, would
be necessary. Every ablebodied con-
Wet should be given the option of 60
ing or staying, but for those who
choose to go d scale Of communication
based upon their terms of sentence
and periods of labor should be ar
ranged. For illustration, a convict SEN
fenced to a certain number of years
would have as much time deducted
from his term of service as he serves
on the canal conditioned upon his good
behavior If his term is ten years, he
would be released at the end of five
years service; if he serves less than
half his term on the zone and is then
forced to return to his place of con-
finement because of failure in health
or other reasons, his sentence would be
reduced a time equal to that given to
the work. Under such a plan If man
sentenced to ten years confinement
gave four years service and then re-
turned his whole term would be re-
duced eight years, leaving two to serve.
Lie prisoners might be discharged &C
the end Of ten years service. An equi-
table plan could easily be devised, and
it might be advantageous to allow even
more liberal Communication Of sentence"
would you pay anything to the con-
victs who consented to go to the 18Th
mus and work for the government
Eyes. They would have to be trans
ported free to and from the zone, and
an allowance should be made for their
services. A fair rate of compensation
would be, say, % cents a day for each
DAVIS actual work performed, so per
cent of the sum to be paid to the pr1s-
oner in cash on landing in the United
States or final discharge, the remain
ing half to be paid in two equal Install
ments at the expiration of three ana
six months respectively after dls-
charge. The last two installments might
he made conditional on mans not
having been arrested or convicted OF
any misdemeanor between the time OF
discharge and the dates Of payment
Such a plan would be an inducement
to prisoners to engage in the work, and
the pay allowed would give them
good cash fund with which to begin
life anew after their liberation. 1t
would enable them to seek honest en-
nIovment and not resort, as statistics
show that many Of them do, to crime
Immediately after their discharge.
SERIOUS objections might be made to
the employment of convicts in govern
ment works were it compulsory. 1t
should be expressly provided that only
when volunteered could the services OF
prisoners be accepted, and then only
after an examination as to physlcal
ability. Under military supervision
vr;sorarS could he well cared Tor on