The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1911-10-26

EoFA0~ VI ~ kudC Cnefo Is no
moral obligation to pay for the labor
M any convict, I know not how far
Ehese be the views Of the editors or
~ subscribers. but would like to put
II one plea for the higher rights Of
The family of the unfortunate; and
WITH your permission use your COL
nmns for the views of one who ten
years ago first in several letters to
mTerent papers urged some change
OF this character.
Why should the State confscate
che labcrs Of the man when he has
perhaps done some small crime? The
protection Of the balance of the COM
mun1ty Of course demands that he be
Kept from further depredations. This
protection may perhaps demand that
ne De confined to prevent repetition
Of the depreciation into the rights of
nthers. This confinement may be
necessary, but confiscation is not. The
State says to all you shall be con-
Hned in the chain gang SO many
months as an extreme penalty for q
misdemeanor; confinement will pro-
feet community for twelvsm onth,
but Will fine that is merely nominal
90 SO? The man Of millions thinks
nothing Of the extreme monetary pen
atty Of thousand dollars, his trans
actions may clear that mach in 80
days, il so only 80 days are taken
sway. The man Of limited means
and with only his labor may not be
Rble to make it in a year. IL so his
~ months are taken away, But
though the argument might be pup
sued for much more that is in it, we
Jump TO the matter that we first
started to argue.
A man is married to an innocent,
God-fearing woman, they have little
children dependent upon them. The
man Is the sole support Of his fam
lily. They have by every moral and
inherent right a property right, if
the term may be SO stated, if not
some sort Of equity in his labor. For
come pacadillo against the moral or
politically collected code he becomes
8 laWbreaker. A court assesses him
q fine Of thousand dollars Or year
IN the chain gang. he has nothing
bat his labor. He can not pay the
months. All this is for the pro-
lection Of society, Of course. His
labor happens to be skilled black
smith, he can make say three dollars
p day. Ee is forced to Go the re-
pairing of road tools and otherwise
Rxercise the skill Of trade that cost
him years to master and it is costing
him So day. A common unskilIed la
borer worth rs cents a day works
only as long as he and gets the same
punishment and meals If the mat
Ter be financial matter then the SO
p day man is paying four times the
cost Of the other, but the question
aoes not fix itself here The families
Of the convicts are dependent. It
costs the State Of Georgia say SO
cents day to keep these eonviets
safe from doing more possible harm.
What right has it to profit to the ex-
tent o. either 25c Or $3.50 when the
children are uncared for and suffer-
ing for the necessities of life?
=! Wou1d it not be right first to
charge up the convict with ell tho
expense he had put the State to,
credit him with reasonable wages
Iof course not large) and ali that the
books show as profit be given to his
family, who are entitled 20 it?
{ The State and it's people would by
this means be none the less protect
Rd, and innocence would suffer as
little as possible. The writer years
ago was turned to this line OF thought