The Washington herald., 1908-08-15
CONVICT LABOR PROBLEM
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

90 b systems. the percentage Of the
value of convict labor TO the market
value Of the goods is greatest for Public
Works and Ways. being SO per cent. the
lowest IS the Lease System. Il per cent
There are over 2 coo jails in this country.
besides peniJentiaries. Iock-ups. stockades.
workhouses. and chain gangs. In these
there are So.0o0 prisoners. maintained at
a cost CT $50. 600 a year. more than would
be needed TO run trades and grammar
schools for the education OF youth and
the consequent prevention Of crime OF
these prisoners over half have been sent
up for drunkenness. vagrsncy. OF disor-
derly conduct The great majority are
ignorant and poverty stricken. and hence
easy victims TO temptations that result
in petty crimes From this half the States
with TIE lease system make their money
The fines are usually heavy, The prisoner
unable TO pay. and when the costs are
added IN he fnds he must serve a sen
tence Of astonishing length.
For instance. in the month OF March.
1904, when a special investigation was be
ing made in Georgia 1s9 persons were
convicted OF misdemeanors. disordeTly
conduct. walking on park grass &c. and
were given sentences aSgregaring nine
teen years on the Bibb County chain
gang II is alleged that crime hunters
are ever on the alert for such offenders,
that they have them brought into the
courts and see that immediate sentence
IS given. then lease them for work on the
farms Florida's Unenviable record was
further enhanced a few years ago when
two young men. making a walking tour
through the South. hunting and fishing as
they went, were arrested for Vagrancy
and kept as prisoners IN a loaJlsoule
camp for several months. until they
finally made their escape Scared. starved,
and ragged. and erdeavored 10 awaken
public interest in their behalf
TIE camps where these convict are
kept are said 10 be h0rbeds OF vice. de-
1orailZing 10 the convict. demOraiizing %
society in general Il Is alleged that the
guards are ignorant and brutal. that the
treatment Of the WOmen-bCth white and
blacks terrible and UnprintabIe. that
immortality is the rule and the effect IS
especially dehumanizing- Georgia's sys-
ten has been responsible for a large per
centage OF iIegiumate children, in five
convict lease camps there having been
found twenty-five.
Another great evil IS the mixing Of the
juvenile criminals with the older ones
Before South Carolina abolished its lease
system ffry-two little negroes. between
the ages OF seven and sixteen, were
found IN one camp. one little fellow o.
seven being sent up for fifteen months for
stealing a ride on q bicycle Before
louisiana abolished It's lease system. q
system that took q toll OF one out ot
every ten prisoners IN camp each Eear-
rs youths between thirteen and twenty
one were found mixed in with hardened
criminals learning the worst OF lie IN
that advanced school for crime
A little Alabama lad. condemned 20
death on the gallOws. q few years ago.
caught the hand Of the chaplain as he
went Up. and when that man offered
encouragement. the boy said 7 don't
seem never to have had no chance no
how A graduate OF a convict camp.
an example OF what misguided legislation
and UuedUcsJed public opinion viii per
nit. he voiced not only his own. but
the grievance OF all the ignorant. The
unframed the incompetents OF the nation.
IN answer 20 such cries reform schools
and industrial institutions for criminals
are appearing. but too slowly 70 meet
the needs Of its vaSrant people
leoryrsar. Isl5. b. Fre5sric :. Haszin-l
Tomorrow - Preventing Railroad