The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-12-11

The prisoners point Of view, work is
not in itself. punishment; but tat
Iack of compensation for that work
is The real punishment
Men IN Prison Must be Worked-How
Shall They be Worked7
We DO not think IL necessary to.
consider the right Of a prisoner 10 la
Dor. We recognize the fact that ev-
cry man. whether freeman or prison
er. has by virtue of his very exist
ance. the righs 20 labor But, who
hall hx the adjustment of the pris-
oner 20 the conditions under which he
Oh to labor?
This must. % course, rest with the
state. and should the state ever sur
render its control OF this adjustment,
90 f should ever cater 10 maudiln
sentiment. % would be doing a grave
injustice 20 society The greatest
danger On our country today is the
growing spirit OF lawlessness. Pa
rents humor their child IN falling TO
exact due obedience. thereby wreck
iur the home and uniting the child
for sound citizenship. Good civil gov
eminent b. possible only when wise
and just laws are vigorously .enforc-
90. and due penalties imposed for dis
obedience
As q the System Of Labor
ON this point, as is well known, a
great difference OF opinion exists; but
it seems 20 be clear that this point
should be- determined by circum-
stances. by locality. surroundings,
and the elias OF prisoners TO be en-
ployed In Florida there seems to be
a growing sentiment in favor of work
iuE the prisoners on the public roads.
But Will this secure the more humane
treatment our sentimentalists are
seeking I consider IL more than
doubtful VIII the rays Of the sun
b. less severe? VIII the guards, cap
fains and superv' sors be men differ
ent iu CharaCter-men Of a higher
type from those who now control and
punish our convicts? Would the
camps be- more neatly kept than now,
the food and equipments better? To
all this unhesitatingly answer, No.
am convinced that the conditions
would in every respect be much
worse And for this reason: If the
prisoners are worked on the roads
they viii be- controlled by the coun-
ties, and. as there are forty-six coun-
fies ln Florida, this means that they
viii b. handled by forty-six different
boards 90 county commissioners, men
wholly inexperienced. wholly incOm-
pefent for the grave responsibilities
that would then devolve upon them
under the present system. The con-
yicfs are now controlled by one cen
trail authority-an authority that is
vested in the hands OF the Hon. 3. E.
McIIu. the states efficient commits
sionrr OF agriculture. II is, / think,
obvious which of the two methods is
likely ro give the best results.
Again. how are the prisoners to
Boz sheltered and cared for on the
rua1s7 10 adequate stockades and
quarters are provided, they must OBJ
fiously be moved az great expense, as
mi. work progresses. II the several
counties found 10 impossible 10 sus-
aIH 'hi- burden, what would be the
rs-uIf' Simply poor and uncomforta-
h'. IuartHrs-Iiscontent, privatiOn
ami death That some of the coun-
fIr- already realize all this is indi-
Gated by fhe fact that no less than
thirty counties are now leasing their
ruuficfs rather than utilize them on
.Hr public roads az the public ex-
r.rse
DO certain would-be critics realize
Chat road service is as arduous, if
.ur more laborious. than most man
laI occupations? DO they realize that
rrn change they advocate would
throw upon the tax payers, for the
sake OF a doubtful experiment, a f.
uaucial burden Of 100000 per an
mum. against the S250.OOO now de-
rived from the convict hire? Do these
peUUl, realize that good roads" are
possible only in densely populated
and long settled sections. and that it
may. though. be- easy TO have such
highways In Belgium. France and
EuE'anI. 90 say nothing of some of
rr. eastern states i'm our own country,
DO would certainly be quite as diff
ruIt boa "a state so thinly populated as
Florida
AS r0 the alleged abuses" of the
present lease system, I can only say
..af ms four years service with the
...-e.- AMI my eXperienc in the ma
...rHI congress with penologists and
prison officials not only in the United
State. Hrf abroad iustifies me in the