The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-08
Roads Committees Decide to
Continue Limited System
for Convicts.
MUST NOT EXCEED NUMBER
Arguments for Abolition of Con-
tracts Are Made Without
Avail.

BY vote OF IL to 3, the Senate and
House Committees on Roads and Inter
nal Navigation, in joint session last
night. reported favorably the bills r.
garding convict labor. which VIII result
In hiring 900 men by contract, using
perhaps 100 more on other work at
the State Penitentiary, and placing
about $50 additional men on the public
highways of the State. There is be-
lieved to be little doubt Of the passage
of the bills In the Legislature. although
they will probably be further Tough,
on the floor.
lhe committees, after argument from
those who oppose any form OF con-
tract labor In the State Prison, ap-
proved the report of the suLcomnit-
tee. which was : adopted on Tuesday
night. 1t was amended by stipula ting
that no contract is to be made for
longer than period of fva years, so
that In that time the matter may be
dealt with again.
Arguments Are Made.
Following the presentation of the
subcommittee report TO the full COM
mittAes, and preceding the executive
session in which the bills framed by
the Governor and the State Highway
Commissioner were adopted. the COM
mittee was addressed by those who o.
posed the report and desired to see
convict labor wiped out. Moving ap-
peals We're made, but apparently had
little weight
This result has for some time been
predicted by The Times Dispatch. S,n-
timent among the Legislators has from
day to day changed In the direction OF
continuing some form of contract, cot5a
sidering financial conditions
While the report as 1t stands and
as it will be reported to the Senate
and House to-day does not stipulate
that there must be "a contract, IL is
taken to mean beyond question that
there will be one, since thu board os
directors Is TO use Its discretion. with
the Governor and secretary of the
destrsd to see the system abolished
they would 1t Is felt. have said so.
Subcommittee Report.
Summing up It's conclusions reached
after TWO weeks consideration of
number of bills dealing with the dis
position of the convict labor of ths
Stats Penitentiary, the subcommittee
returned last night report setting
forth that:
"1n the consideration OF the several
bills before 1t, 1t has appeared that ut
the present time thers are Gil prison
ers In the State Penitentiary whom II
would be neither proper nor practica BILE
but dangerous to tho public welfare,
to employ on the roads or on other pub
lie works. and that not more than 100
Of these can be employed about the
penitentlary and not more than fifty in
the manufacture or production of COM
moditlss to be used by the State; that
the welfare of the prisoners themselves
requires that they be kept employed
and that Mt the present Tina 1t is not
practical to enact any law providing
in detail for the employment Of those
prisoners who cannot with safety be
worked on the roads or other public
works"
With this statement OF its findings,
the subcommittee then recommended two
of Senator Lesner's bills, introduced by
him by request. with certain amend
ments In lieu of all other bills submit
ted to It.
Provides for Contract.
The first of these bills. at:er pro-
viding that all convicts sentenced prior
to May l., 1918. TO the State Peniten-
tlary for terms not exceeding 1--WE years
may, at the discretion of the court,
be placed oil the roads in lieu OF their
oenitentiary sentences. makes the fol-
lowing provisions touching the convlcts
within the prison: .tH
Such convicts as tho superint ,ndcnt
of the penltentiary, on account OF ply
steal condition, character or dlsposl-
ton. shall deem.it unsafe to put on the
convict road force may DO hired out
CONTINUED on Tenth Pagel