Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1906-02-16

Agent to locate new lines aud build such
roads with its grades and curves, bridges
and tunnels; neither would 1t assign 10 us
Engineering corps the management oil US
traffic contracts and the financing oil sucn
ventures.
Born, as we are, TO the soil and having
placed our lips to the best of that most gen.
erous and most forgiving OF all mothers,
Mother Earth, who, under the kisses OF
good husband ry, smiles to US 10 her beauty
and bids us Ike freely Of her given bounty,
IL Ia not to be expected, reared under sucn
conditions, there will be found In US the
skill of the trained road builder. We must
go elsewhere for 1t.
The question propounded by the Farmers
Convention is a far-reaching one and leads
to other subjects germane to the matter at
issue, and for that reason will refer 70 the
Grand Jury's report for the November Term
of Court. 1t was the unanimous opinion
of that body that 80 per cent OF all Conrt
expenses found their origin in the excessive
use of hard older and violations OF the local
option law, resulting In petty violations OF
the law, carrying concealed weapons ana
much disorder; 1t was the sense oil the jury
the county should receive compensation from
those who by their improper conduct had
caused the county to be charged with addi-
tionel costs, and for that reason they recon
mend q law providing for the use OF the
county's short term convicts on the PUBIC
roads.
That they alone did not hold this view Is
found in the following extract from the Year
Book of 1901, published by the Department
of Agriculture and relating TO conditions In
North Carolina: "The prisoner who has In
jured @ community through the commission
OF a crime and whose capture, CONVICTION
and punishment have added to its financial
Ia in
his punishment do something to benefit the
community which he has injured" Follow
ing this is the use of convicts for public
work. They have also, quoting from the
same authority, suggestion which seems to
me most excellent, and to which give
hearty endorsement: "Unconvicted prison.
era who are committed to Jail awaiting trial,
by mutual consent can be employed on roads;
should the prisoner not be convicted, then
previously agreed upon rate per day is to
be paid him: II convicted, then the Court
can take into consideration his services on
the roads, without pay, as part OF proper
sentence"
In Alabama, prisoners whose terms do not
exceed two years can be employed on roads.
This is reasonable limitation.
Further to show that they were not alon
in their views upon this subject, the Grand
Jury of Baltimore, in a report filed the early
part of January, endorsed the convict labor
proposition In these words, referring TO them
as "these personsn uses the language,
"Could be Of incalculable service to the State
by working on the public roads or reclaim
ing waste land, of which there is so much
in Maryland"
Again. the idea is endorsed by Senator
Brown, Of Garrett county, who proposed
bill in our Legislature for giving this cass
of our citizens what he called "healthful out
of-door work, )" and also uses the expression,
at would relieve the taxpayers"
DR.. Hill, of Prince Georges county, also
offers bill by which healthy exercise can be
had by convicts In the construction of q
boulevard between Baltimore and Washing
ton.
Gentlemen, 1t is the proper thing TO do,
collect from our short term convicts the cost
they have eutailed upon the county.
The employment Of convicts is very gener-
al in many States both north and south and
the cost OF maintaining much less than would
be supposed. 1t has been found the per diem
cost for food, tobacco, clothing, washing,
medical atten dance and guarding as set forth
| by Mr.. A. J. Holmes in the before referred to
| Year Book 10 as follows in the States mem
toned: virginia, 25 to 30 cents; North
Carolina, Is to As cents; South Carolina, II
to "a cents; Georgia, Is to 80 cents" vir-
| GINA average cost being 38 cents per day,
and this would probably be our cost. as the
conditions are much alike In the two States
The use OF such labor In connection with
the Stase aid fund would give us two miles
| of road construction where we now expect
one These men should be employed during
the winter quarrying and crushing stone a nd
in the summer placing them In position.
No bill would be properly drawn, covering
| this question, that did not require the War
den Of the State Penitentiary or the Super
intendent Of the House of Correction to no n
| or q county's requisition for short term con-
| victs In the proportion that each county'i
road milage bears to the number of such cor
victs on the records Of these institutions at
| the time of requisition.
Your Grand Jury further advise that all
road supervisors should be required to have
| payroll sheets setting forth the date, name
and time worked each day or part Of day
by himself and those employed under him,
showing the amount due each employee, and
| when paid taking his receipt therefor. These
payrolls to be attested before Justice of the
Peace by the supervisor and then fled in the
| Commissioner Office at the end of each
| month.
Referring to DR.. Hills proposed boulevard
| law, 1t would seem unwise to construct such
| an automobile road between these two cities
from State funds, located as 1t Is parallel to
and at many points crossing the Baltimore
| and Ohio railroad. We farmers, 10 our roa
| Law, are looking to the movement of our
selves and our freight to railway static ns an
| shipping points, TO reach the interior OF our
county and provide outlet for heavy freight
to the railroads and market, creating there
by interior arteries of traffic and travel. If
the cities of Washington and Baltimore wish
to become united in the bonds of boulevard
ism and the counties OF Prince Georges and
| Howard desire to act as the matrimonial
agents they should do SO through their ow a
proportion of the State-aid road fund and
their own tax levies.
Gentlemen, the whole trend Of thought is
to improve our roads and reduce our taxes
while 80 doing. 1t must rest with ourselves
we are the sovereign people, but never know
| il except when seen In print. II we c0ntinu
in the future as 10 the past, there 10 no one
to blame Only ourselves; and in so continuing,
we who gather our taxes at the end Of many
q long furrow of pillow and cultivator, with
many a weary step OF knee and ankle can
have no other comfort, save in gathering In
the evening by our iresides and rubbing our
weary, tax-paying shins, and when thus ind-
ing solece, remember an inscription Queen
Alexandria OF England caused to be placed
In the hall Of hospital, In which she was
much interested, near the Palace Of San
drinRham:
"Ask God for what you need,
Thank Him for what you have