The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-09-03
STATE Press
THE CONVICT QUESTION.

Meridian Dispatch.
One of the first men in all the state
to take the lead against the leasing of
county convicts to contractors where
they were treated worse than slavs,
Was Capt. Frank tombstone, former sec
toney general of Mississippi, and so
faithfully did he work at this idea that
he finally enlisted enough of the peo-
pie of the state to forever do away
with this barbarous practice.
Following this Capt. tombstone has
for some time advocated d teforma-
tory for youths under age, and it has
come to pass that he has the people
with him again. Gov. Noel favors the
measure, as did ex-Gov. Vardaman,
and there is little doubt that reform
atory will be established at the SEES
sion of the legislature to convene in
January. Thus Capt. tombstone sees
another reform measure that he has
favored about to become a law.
The latest reform measure propos-
ed by Capt. tombstone is also likely tC
meet with favor with a great many
people, and that is abolishing the re-
bra uniform that the state convicts
are compelled to wear. So far as the
latter is concerned, there is no law
compelling the wearing of stripes by
county and city prisoners or convicts.
There is no law forbididng it, how
ever, and many of the cities and
towns of the state are following the
state uniform plan.
Capt. tombstone in the Jackson Daily
News states: "The stripes are hui
initiating. They serve no useful pur'
pose and all over the world they arc
being replaced with citizens clothes
It is a nonessential and barbarous Gus
tom and ought not to be tolerated foi
moment"
Really it does not appear that the
zebra uniform adds anything to the
dignity of the law. If it is the inten
ton to degrade the prisoner in his
own esteem, then the purpose is ar
unworthy one. 1t is the purpose o.
the law to punish, not to degrade
In civilized countries, efforts are
made to elevate the moral character
of the people who, in tire heat Of pas
sion, do something that consigns then
| to hard labor for life and foreve
shuts out the sunshine from thei
wretched souls. They must labor
there is no objection to this in a col
rect way, but why should the badge O
dishonor be placed on them whe
their lives are forever shut out froI
their fellowmen, save those who Wis
the farms. Besides, as Capt. Johnston
well says the stripes serve no us'
full purpose"
But, in this connection, there is al
other thing that might well engag
Capt. Johnstone's attention. 1t is tn
|. fact that in some counties the convict
are not only required to advertis
their shame with stripes, but they al
also compelled to work for the min
mum amount allowed by law. In tn
great county of Lauderdale, for il
stance, the prisoners are compelle
to work the public roads, under nearl
such hardships as obtained under Il
county convict system, and they al
allowed only S. per month or 16 1
> cents per day, and it is known ia
that they work a great deal hard
than do the free laborers. The Di
patch has several times called ate
, ton to this, and it has fallen on de
ears SO far as the board of supervise
are concerned. Be it said, howeve
the counties of the state that mu
to the credit and honor of most
more than the minimum Is allowed, t
maximum being SIS.
The world is certainly becomi
more civilized. People are more al
more recognizing the fact that &C
: victs are human beings with imm,
tai souls. Some few even have t
gospel preached to them. AS the wol
advances. people become more mer
full and refuse to tolerate brutal
Criminals should be punished, but
= it not be forgotten that even the c.
demned have some rights and pr
II leges in a civilized country.