New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1912-11-23
CoNvIOT-BUILT ROADS.


OF its state roads. which are a
revelation to visitors from other
states; other New England states
have some, and New York is com.
ing into line. These roads have
cost millions of dollars. Then we
travel westward across | 500 miles
OF thickly settled country with
very few all-the-year-good roads
until we reach Colorado, where
the good-roads problem is being
demonstrated jim IA way which
must sooner or later command the
attention Of all the other states.
There 1000 miles of highway,
ranking with the best in the
world, have already been con-
structed entirely with state-con-
Wet labor. And these good roads
have cost IA cents, which other
wise would have cost 81. In
other words, the money which
ordinarily would have built one
mile, has under the Colorado
system, built seven miles.
1t was my privilege last month
to listen to Thomas Is. lyman,
warden OF the Colorado peniten-
tiary, who occasionally finds time
to leave home and tell the intense
ly inter esting story Of how he has
solved the question. not only of
what to do with convicts, but how
to reform them at the same time.
He tells part Of the story in NOV
ing pictures, showing his men in
citizens clothes busily at work
drilling, blasting, plowing, haul
ing and surfacing; in many cases,
ont in the mountains, in sparsely
settled districts, with every facil-
ity imaginable for escape. But
ons. looks in vain for the Gus
tomary guards with long-range
rifle At command. No guards, no
shackles, no distinctive garb, ab-
solutely nothing to distinguish the
convicts from their foreman, ex-
cept that the foreman rides a
horse. These men work in large
bodies, often several hundred;
only one barrier stands between
them and escape; and it is impos-
sible for the moving picture to
show that barrier, for it is a
Man q Honor. In fact, the honor
system was partly result Of the
discovery that, to efficiently guard
the prisoners, the expense was
equal to the saving effected by
their work, and hence OF no f.
nancial advantage. And 20 the
honor system was proposed amid
plenty Of predictions Of failure
and very few Of success. +
Now, a. Warden lyman remarks
the Colorado convict il no saint,
and about rs per cent Of them are
dangerous and should be confined.
OF the IS per cent some really
should not be where they are, and
all can be trained to better citi-
zenship for return to freedom, by
treating them ~ men. In accord
ance with this theory, which has !
been confirmed in practice, the
men who are allowed to 60 out
on the work are treated, housed ,
and directed in their work like
any well-arranged railroad camp /,
outfit. They construct their own
temporary living quarters. but
there are no bolts on the doors nor
bars on the windows. True, they :,
all retire to bed and arise at one !.
time, but 10 do soldiers. The men
are worked in rural districts; they :
DO not 90 to town, and unless a !
man breaks a rule, he need never :
return to the prison. He can :
uerve his full term in the open air, ,
md when his time expires he has !
become proficient in something
,urveying, blacksmithing, farm
ng or other occupations for which )
here IL q demand. MOT only J
hat, bat by earnest, faithful work J J
II eight hours daily and observ- !
lnce Of the rules he can reduce a !
ive-year term one half.
Dnring the past two years only
me man in 200 has run away; he
: invariably recaptured and must :
hen serve 10 years within the !.
prison walls. Colorado il abou
o put all its county jails under
he pcritentiary board, when the
all prisoners will be worked in
he same way. The spirit Of the
colorado system il Unconscious
growing ont Of the feel
ng that some one has confidence
n him. The good roads they
,uld and the farms they work
or their own support are a part
+ the means to the greater OBJ
ect. ~
Every year, in the United
state. 10000 men are added to
he prison roll. OF these about
IL, 500 are capable Of reform un-
Ter the Colorado plan. But from
ne mere standpoint Of wasted
production this vast army should
,e employed.
The results are tremendous, fof
10000 men represent 10000, GOO
lays work 1 year. II Warden
lyman could only tell his simple
tory and show his pictures IN
very city and town in the land, In