The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-13

s3J 1t has been demonstrated a.,
.ne convicts. after q little eXp.rienc.
good aud efficient laborcrs. ana
mink can be made NOR so he
nian which VIII he hereafter o,,,iip..T
ihucei am informed ~
49,, 49, iiishway commissioner that U;.
OF convict labor is ,I5Uu p., ~,
"rcr Tree iahor, thus reducing the r,si
VI ~, '"nu i OF That character from $500
or gravel ROADS the Cost is ahn,,t 49,.
nhiic' .i.'tAii:'e on roads OF the latter
.rass III. c"nyicis nave to be- sep.
"i,a "a "'tu more guards are reUu!r.d.
intended TO meet p"'' !"
Convict Labor Contrucr.
~. contract MADE some Years ago
nm, ~ WIN the DAVIS Shoe Com
10. ny "hich The convicts were nircd
IN the p.nitentiary. viii expire on III.
!st oil Alh!. 1919. The board OF dirnr.
i iissd o. ~, ne pen',entiary has adver-
S ,,., after, May /. 1919. which
when received, viii be submi,tod ~
ms General Assembly for acceptance
.! ihe state Will OF necessity nave
10 lie considered and determined
nave gathered much information upon
me subject, part OF which viii he
i9und in pamphlet gotten NJ hy
hlses Is. Hardy. my assistant SECRETARY.
MSn'ch VIII be laid ON the desks o.
hu
,.,n states are doing with their con
victs. and the information not con
thihcd IN the pamphlet will 10. set ON
IN this message -
There are in the Depi,entJar,. ,ho,,,
a,siS c9nyicts, OF whom about leo
arc able-bodied: ~ the state Farm
a ahor. IRE about 275, OF, whom only
INC farm is used to recupernto and
buiid up those who arc not in good
nsa,th "a IS already stated. there nre
may he snid to he well and strong
~ these, seventeen are in BEDFORD AMI
niT i,,a IN IN Gheatertield. working under
passage OF the Lassiter- Wjthers hi.
And there arc in the pen!tcntinry
hninety-six women. who. with bout 500
i ioss Term Term men and convicta more or
r ress desperate, cannot. with proper
..Sshro Tor the communities into which
r rny must go. be worked on the public
,r The Honor System.
inc salaries and board OF guards
uiintr our present system constitute a
large part of the expense OF WORKING
the the h n"nvicts. and realizing this and
nc peheht. moral and physical, to tho
convicts. two States. Colorado and
oregon. have adopted plans of work
ing conricts on the public roads with
out guards. am more familiar with
The plan adopted in Colorado, and will
briefly outline H.
:, convict In the penitentlery OF that
month for the first year, two for the
second, and SO on up to the sixth year,
ma IN which he Is allowed six months.
ana stands Mt that for tho remainder
OF ms term. When he IS on public
works. in addition to tho above, lie is
allowed ten days In every month for
good behavior and efficient work, ana
Governor Shhfroth Informed me that
NJ! the convicts on account OF this
extra allowance were anxious to WORK
on the road. md that they did faithful
and emclcnt work. Before leaving the
penitentiary all who are willing 10 do
SO Jake An oath and promise on their
nonor not to escape or attempt to Cs-
cape; they are not shackled In ahy
way. and the men who direct the woFS
are not armed. Indeed. the only man
rifle which seems to be used to keep
people on. the outside from coming in
rather than for tho prevention OF
those inside from going out.
Ihe Governor Informed mo that the
cost OF working convict under these
conditions vas about 60 cents day.
and that the percentage of escapes was
not sure that tho convicts in our peni-
with tho good results obtained In
colorado, but tnasmuch as we could
under the Colorado plan, after tho first
year, work $500 convicts on our pub-
lie roads for about $135,000 think
the'"plan worthy of trial. OF course.
Tor the first year the equipment OF
every camp OF fifty convictS would
cost about $4,000. but as the State
already has equipments for nftcGn
only fifteen more would have to be
Continued on Seventh Page.)
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