The daily Alaskan., 1912-03-25
WHAT TO DO WITH CONNECTS,

ConVlCtS!' has been discussed unlb i, is frayed at the edges. Prison made goods are opposed by labor organizations in the North. and the convict-coRtract system in the South degenerated to a degree which made the worst feature of slavery seem de sirabIe in contrast On the other hand. confinement without any oc- cupation is little more than refined cruelty. as evidenced by the pitiful eagerness with which men in many institutions beg for the privilege of scrubbipg a floor and other similar work. The latest national report which is for the year 1910 shows there were nearly one-half a million commitments. To be exact, 479.76S persons were that year put behind the bars for periods ranging from one day to life. In a few instances peniteutiary prisoners perform someI farm work. and this makes the in stituuou partly selfsupporting; but on the whole. the law,abiding pay al large price for the punishment, by confinement. of the guilty Not only the public. but in many cases the couvicCs unfortunate family, share in the punishment by being deprived of the inoome-dshonest though 1t may have beeu-oI the bread winner Per haps some day some philanthropist. VIII discover a practical method by which the convict with a family can be permitted or compelled to earn something during incarceration which win be paid monthly to his dependent wife and children
 The State of GeorEia has instituted a plan for the employment of convict labor that is a long step in advance. and which may well be considered and adopted in every other state. The scheme has no substantial ob- tections or difficulties. and meets with general approval Even the oouvicts express themselves as well. treated and well ted." The proper. county officials may secure from the state peniteutiary certain number O, conyicts. for a term Of weeks or months. These men are put at work building county roads. the county paying the cost of their food The prisoners sleep in portable jails on wheels. but during waking hours are usually unfettered. though constantly under surveillance. Two guards arm ed with rifles are allotted to each gang Of twelve prisoners. Desperate criminals are not used. and as a rule the men much prefer the outdoor life with it's work and a certain amount of freedom to the mOnOtOnous confinement and doing nothing, am tnformed that escapes. or attempts to escape. are iufrequent. as capture is very certain and results in a heavy extension of the penal term within prison walls.
 h this way excellent roads are rapidly being constructed at an ex- pense which Is tifling. There is de mand for all of the available con vict labor to be had. The effect on the men themselves is beneficial. The regular outdoor work. with whole some food. keeps them in healthy condition; their time is occupied; and as they look upon the work ac- compHshed. there is a certain inevi- table feeling of satisfaction at hay ing accomplished something worth while. The occupation begets a cer- tain self-respect
 In addition to the securing Of good roads at a minimum of cost, there isl a psychological effect upon the con victs which alone comments the plan. Few things in life are surrounded by greater difficulties than the re-enlist- ment in sslf-supporting labor of the. man who emerges from our peniten- Garies at the close Of even a two or three-year term. He is entirely out of step-physically and mentally with honest toll The change from