The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-08-17
THE REST WAY TO UTILIZE
CONVICT LABOR.

eminent, and is still an unsolyed
one. However, many wise and hu-
name steps have been taken in the
direction of the best possible solu-
ton of this vexatious problem.
Taking the sound position that
asset of the state, but a responsible
ity of the gravest kind, the New
York Sun in a recent editorial
treatment of the convict question,
in which it presents an unaswerable
argument for the absolute abandon
Inent of the private lease system,
says.
1T is no doubt necessary to de-
prive them of their liberty when
the injury or the peril of society, but
the restraint thus imposed should
always have in view the betterment,
il not the rescue, of the criminal
and this cannot be when they are
transferred from the care of the
state to the caprice of taskmasters.
That is to consign them not only to
school of brutality and wickedness
but to ar experience of cruel perse-
cution, which, as we have seen, fair
ly beggars the resources of descrip-
ton.
I'VE still think that road-making
is the best employment for these
prisoners. 1t is not an arrangement
in connection with which the peni-
Tertiary authorities can figure out
an immediate profit in dollars while
they amuse themselves with purely
nominal occupations, but it is one
which, properly managed, will add
vastly to the solid and permanent
wealth of the state and contribute
to the health, morals and well being
of the convicts. The argument has
been urged that rural communities
will object to having penal settle
ments established in their neigh
borhood. 1t is a sufficient reply to
this to say that there will be no set
Elements but only movable and
temporary adjustments which need
harm no one and which will pass on
before their presence has made it
self felt, There would be nothing
whatever in this protest even if the
premises were correct, for it is a
familiar spectacle in many southern
towns and cities, that of men in
stripes working the public thorough
fares, and only very squeamish and
impracticable persons have object
ed to it. No state can have a better
or more enduring basis of prosperity
than a complete system of public
roads, scientifically constructed and
rigidly maintained. No states will
have less criminals than those which
treat their criminals humanely."
Commenting in its issue of the
18th inst. upon the Suns observa-
tons the Houston Post writes:
The recent shocking revelations
in respect to convict labor in Geor-
gia have provoked renewed discus
sion in all parts of the country of a
subject that has taxed the resources
of craftsmanship to deal with in an
entirely satisfactory way, involving
as 1t does SO many minor problems
that persist in thrusting themselves
into politics and welding more or
less influence in elections for no
higher purpose than the gaining Of
temporary party advantages.
How to keep the 'convicts profit
ably employed and at the same time
avoid bringing them into competi-
ton with free labor, bearing in mind
the accepted principle of all civiliz-
ed governments, that punishment
for crime is designed as far as pos
sible to secure the reformation of
the criminals while at the same
time restraining them from further
injury to society, has been the prob
lem that those states which have
shown most concern in the matter
have found so difficult to solve
1t will be rememb ered - by the
readers of the Star that one of the
successful candidates for represen-
tative honors before the voters of
Tarrant county, in the recent pri-
maries, preached the identical doc
trine that is here presented by the
Sun and approved by the Post.
Without further comment upon
these satisfactory and highly impor-
tant and significant facts. but one
thing now remains to be done by
Texas in order TO insure an advanc-
ed step in the solution of the diff
cult problem of humanely, wisely
and adyantageously caring for her
convicts. That one thing is to create
a highways commission, through
which to put the states convicts to
building public roads under the SUI
pervision of competent engineers, so
as to give the convicts healthful