The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1906-08-10
conyicts On Public Roads.

In view OF the fact that Senator
NJ. G Watson. OF this city, Is trying
TO formulate a plan whereby conyicls
are to be worked on the public roads
OF Kentucky the following article by
prominent Southern man il timely
and pertinent.
have studied for some Years the
problem OF working convicls on our
public roads, and advocating that be-
cause they can build roads better
than any other labor They have
proven to be the most economic road
builders to be had. Why are they
BEST Because OF the fact that they
are under guard, not allowed 10 roam
ana are regularly fed, get rest and
are able TO perform a better days
work than the average laboreT, such
as works on onr public roads,
The convict has long passed the
experimental stage Of roadmaking
win cite you, among the many
statistics that / know Of. Mr $ II
Owens OF South Carolina who has
worked conyicts for many years. says
he wouid rather have 10 conyicis,
and he also told me In person, than
" free laborers to build roads
Judge Fave OF Georgia who has
had 90 years experience In WORKING
conyicts Us road builders, KAYE They
are the best and cheapest road hnild-
ers While working conviets, mot a
single overt nc, was committed OF .
single ehild.woman or man have been
molested, or one dollars worth Of
property deprecated on.
Mecklenburg county. North carolina
where conyic,s work roads. has the
finest macadamlzcd roads. aud II Is
being done with convict labor
Ii costs an ayeage uf IS cents a
da, 10 guard. feed aud care Tor con
Wet labor when Il is managed on bus
mess principles You will also lind
that In our State few counties that
ARE working the conylcts on The roads
have the hest and cheapest roads
and the counties that are hiring out
the conwcts 20 coal mines, awmllls
or turlenllne camps. either have no
roads OF that they are spending two
or three times more for their loose.
tnbuslness methods
The proposition Of working c1uyicts
has humane side rs we'll an an
economic one
Statistics show whore the convict Is
put ont In the open air he receives
plenty Of fresh sunshine. secs The
grandeur and beauty u nature. he
Is properly fed. the better side of
him is appealed 10, and more than
30 per cent of them arc restored IN
many cases 10 their families and be.
come better creatures. and no longer
are charge or expense on the pub.
Tic Statistics prove who're they are
segregated aud kept IN prisons, IN
coal mines. sawmIils that they. as u
rule. become hardened on account "
their environments. and some ~ the
greatest criminals are Matched from
what is known IA the first and second
lermers, and about So per cent Of
these unfortunate creatures are al.
solutely lost. always dangerous end
are expensive 10 state aud county
nor do I think II right 60 put the
honest wage-earners In competition
with convict labor. or the manutactur-
Ing Industry In competition with the
one that hires cheap convict labor
because the free labor manufacturers
cannot compete with the Industries
that have the benefit OF convict labor
You viii find some opposition TO
the working OF conyicts on public
roads. but investigation will prove
that the majority OF protests come
from those that are Interested in
cheap labor. coal mines, sawmllls.
turpeniine camps. and those persons
are benefited by feeding fees and
numerous other emoluments- sher-
m aud some officeholders
What are the poor roads of this
State costing II you take the money
spent, the labor called out. II amounts
to over sl,5OO,OOO Also consider what
the State loses on feeding prisoners.
which amounts to about 100000.
Hauling cotton, fertilizer and other
products cost another million So You
see you are wasting money by meth.
DDS to hire out the State any county
convIots, to get, say at the very best,
about s7OoOoOO gross, total loss Of
about 100000
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