The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-31
DOUBLE CONv|CTS
ON STATES ROADS
Legislature Likely TO Put / 400
Men in Stripes on the
Highways.

II diltsent inquiry made yesterday
among d large and Representative
portion of the membership OIL the Gen
eral Assembly may be taken as re-
Veaiing tho probable outcome of the
convict labor contract proposition. a
reasonable prediction Is possible. 1t
Is that the number of couvic,s on the
public roads OF Virginia win be
doubled-increased from 700 TO an
proximnteiy l.io0 AS 10 the remand
or, OF 500 men ana 100 women, they
VIII in all probability be employed at
the State Penitentiary on some con-
tract TO be made by the di, ectors-por-
haps under regulations laid down by
the Legislature.
Hardly membe. approached wss
opposed TO largely increuatng the road
force. Hardly ono desired to see con-
tract labor abolished entirely at this
time. regarding such u step as the
sale Of the State Penitentiary and tho
use OF all prisoners on the roads or
other public work. az too radical con
siderinS finances and the magnitude
Of the proposal
Favor nn-Wu.up Bili.
II appears that the bill drawn by
Governor Mann and sta. Highway
Conmissioncr Wilson is high In favor.
This provides that the penitentiary
=
victcd OF felony shall % sent there.
All prisoners shall he liable to labor
ON the roads But Tor such men as
the superintendent thinks unwtsc 10
enter road forces. tho directors are to
make provision, either BY contract or
BY como form of la Dor ii! the prison
as will tend 10 make them self-sup-
porting.
In addition the Governor derires a
NJ ha
has recommended in his message He
merely wants IL tried ont in about
TWO camps for & period. to sec II Il
VIII work. II Il IL auccessful he
would have It extended TO all camps.
to lessen the number of guards snd
the consequent expense.
One main objection to the continu-
ance OF contract labor in the peniten-
tiary has been the 0vercrowdinE there.
Under the Mann Wilson plan, this
would be obv!a;ed. since the 500 mon
LETT there could have one cell each,
with room TO spare
Would Pay II. Way.
Now, the financial end a. the pro.
position has been worked out on this
wise: Give the State Highway Com
inission s25o,oeo for State money aid
Tor the appropriation year from Fcbru-
airy /. 1912, to February l. 1919, the
stiil In force Th!s is sum simila +
TO 'ha, enjoyed By this fund in 1909
In the following year. double the
number of convicts, making the cost
100000. OF this, $4,000 year is
now provided under the intest develop
men, of The l.assiter- Withcrs road
law.
Should the hid Of the Reliance
Manufacturing Company be accepted
II Is estimated, the penitentiary would
turn on, proAt Of $4,000 a year.
Give this TO the convict road force
The automobile tax fund is steadily
growing. The first year IL was sci, :
GOO: last year, sSs.ooo Captain VIII
son believes that within two years II
VIII make up the difference OF $4,000
necessary to care for the additional
not be hurt by the change
AS TO the counties, 4: Is figured that
State money aid. for the nrs, year.
taken from those counties which elect
TO use the new convict camps. would
when distributed among the others
about make things even among all
those which desire State aid in come
form.
Sentiment is strongly in favor OF
adding more convicts 70 the road
force, But from day TO day the feel
ing has grown III favor OF some con-
tract labo. for the long-term and
desperate men. The Governor does
does not oppose It: leaders in Senate
and House favor It: social workers
agree to II.
Might Get Better bid.
Major Wood. II may be said be-
lieves he can get more money for con-
Wet labor than is offered by the Re-
lance Manufacturing Company. If he
Is right. this would further take care
Of the finances.
Chairman lIarman. of the Senate
Committee on Roads, and Chairman
Throckmortou. of the House commit