The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-11-03
possible this convict labor work.

possible this convict labor work.
or course there is limit to that
because you cannot let out of the
prison all who come there. The life
termers are not permitted to 60 ex-
cept in rare instances. | suppose We
have got twenty or thirty life termers
now out on the road, but they have
got to be thoroughly understood by
the warden. He has got to know
almost beyond the. peradventure OF
a doubt that they will not escape and
We have not had yet life termer
who has escaped. The escapes have
been of the most senseiess character.
One man escaped when he had but
two weeks time to serve, could have
walked out of the prison absolutely
free if he had stayed there simply
two weeks more, but he got in with
another man who had long sentence
and he persuaded him to go, and the
AOOuAI W 90 IAdI AC AlchCu uAo WAO.O
future for that little brief period of
freedom that he got. and he was
captured within two days after he
had started out.
We feel that this road construction
Is going to be great and is going to
have great results. A year ago
went to the opening of a road be-
tween Colorado Springs and Canyon
City. travelled that road for rs
miles. 1t looked to me just like
those country roads in England and
France look. The road is not wide
road they built--about eighteen feet
in width. It is gravelled and crown
ed and 1t looks in almost a perfect
condition for q country road. OF
course we got some rock work on
that road which was we'll done. These
men handle explosives; they take and
use dynamite in the blasting of the
rock and the breaking of it.
In other words, by this conduct
we can establish and have established
and are establishing condition
among prisoners that is great ben
eft, that delights them and that
makes them more glad to enter into
life and perform any labor that
might be imposed upon them when
they leave the prison walls.
And l feel and recommend to
every single state represented here
at this congress or convention that
they adopt similar law, and 1 feel
that this conclusion which has been
offered ought to be amended, so as
to include and to state that the con-
vict labor shall be employed and that
they shall receive for their services
Communication of ten. days out of
every thirty, or one third Of the
time spent in the construction of that
outside work. When that one thing
is done, the problem of prison labor
upon the public roads is solved;
you are going to have rewer escapes
and you are going to have better
work. Mr.. President, am I a dele
gate to this convention?
President Jackson-Certainly you
are.
Governor Shafroth-I want to
move that this resolution be amend
ed with the addition of these words,
"and for such service they shall be
entitled to a Communication of SEN
tence of ten days of every thirty
days of work"
A Delegate-God Almighty has
given you remarkable atmosphere
in Colorado that differs from most
of the state in the Union, and there
are very few states that can stand
side by side with you in the high
places where Moses stood. Wouldn't
mat nave some eHect!
Governor Shafroth-No; l think
human nature is almost the same in
every part of the world. OF course
we do have most excellent climate
out there-invigorating. 1t Is not
damp climate, but human nature is
the same all over the world, and
when you make it an object to a
man to do something he is going to
do it, and he is going to accept that
reward. The same principles Of man
hood are in us all. Down in the
inner nature of every criminal, if it
is fathomed, you will find there are
many good points; you will find there
are good qualities, and if you just
cultivate them, just foster them, if
you lead him to think that he has got
a future yet, you will find that it will
do him great deal of good.
I have adopted a policy as a result