The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-25


The warden holds tho reins. but the
: contractor cracks tho whip" MIR
; Leavitt says:
The contractor runs the prison
. This Is inevitable. Even II we assume
tho very best Intentions on the part OF
everybody concerned: let the prison
board be ever SO honest: let tho war
den be ever SO Independent; let the con
tractor be ever so reasonablo-ye, does
he run the prison. The reason Is OBJ
vious. Consider: The State has Invited
him 20 bid for It's slaves: lie bids, pre-
sumahly. rs high n figure as business
Will permit Once his bid Is accepted
Snd his factory Installed. what else
can the State do but cooperate 10 make
his contract proiltable? But what does
this cooperation involve? II prison
or refuses TO work. he must be pun
ished. If he fails to finish his tasks, he
must be punished. If he is slovenly
or wasteful of material. he must be
! punished. And every time this hap
pens the iron enters more deeply into
the prisoners soul"
1t Is we'll and wise that the prisoner
must work. Idleness would be his deep
demnation He should work 10 some
! purpose The Judge who sentences him
taught useful trade. SO that when he
gets out he will have wherewith to earn
| his living. The prisoner is willing to
do this, but he soon finds that he is
not 10 learn any trade that will be
really useful TO him when he has passed
I beyond prison walls. In nearly every
case he is put TO work 20 learn wo-
mans tradc-,nakin shirts or overalls,
manufacturing hollow ware. broom and
brush making, binding twine manufao-
, ture. When the convict who can do
these things Is released and seeks to
work in the prison is that o. women in
the world outside. In the case OF broom
and brush making he will have to take
the money from the mouths OF helpless
wretches-thc blind. Many companies
enEased In the manufactures referred
10 will employ no convicts.
As boot end shoe manufacture is the
/ employment of the convic;s in the Vlr-
sinia Penitentiary. what Mr. Lenvttt
says about this industry is very peril
ncnt. Boot and shoe making is a trade
which is being rapidly feminized."
The United States Census statistics
show that in the period from 1890 TO
1908 there was an increase of only
5000 -earners in this Industry.
Women and children constituted almost
1900 OF that number. In 1905 these
two classes made up 3e4 per cent OF
the workers In the trade. so that the
prospect for any man with the prison
stain on his record is not overbright."
The Industries in which the ex-con-
Wet is capable OF taking part are either
overcrowded or underpaid, or both He
has no chance; he IS "foreorda!ned" to
return to crime. The prison exists
only for one purpose, to protect society !
by the reformation OF the criminal"
says Mr.. Leavitt. The prisoner has
but single right. and thar is the right
to retorma ton. which means that he
is entitled 10 be allowed to earn trade |
and be started on the road to decent
citizenship" Any prison which denies
Its !nma ties the right TO reformation de-
nies Its own right 10 exist. How many
OF the 400 prisons in America can by
this test justify their existence?
Hardly ten" replies Mr.. Leavltt.
An Illuminating picture OF tic con
v!ct's view of his treatment by the State
is given by the writer OF the article
referred 10 a convict Just released
from prison came to see Mr.. Leavitt-l
m ,rtc
to 90 or where 20 go. He worked six
years in the prison shirt factory. doing
women's work. He was one Of the best
workers. but II his work was not per-
feet each day he was starved and
whipped. II his outpu; fell short. the
I same punishment awaited him He
! stayed in the factory Sl2 weeks. Hell
! was worth at least $40 week 10 the
contractors, They got more than $4,000
! worth OF his labor. bu, the convict got
i ont of this the customary So OH dis
! charge, $3.50 for his railroad fare. SIS
/ Tor his old clothes--a total OF $3.50
for six years of work
Hear the bitter complaint OF this
same man:
'But we IN our cells also sit IN judg-
ment upon the state. we know all It's
preteHsions and We know all Its deeds
ana in the darkness Of our cells we
come TO decision. We believe that
f. the State. which processes 10 inprison
us for our good and for tho good of
society. ana ihcn sells us into slavery:
. which pretends to teach us trade
/. and then mocks us By forcing us 10
- =. IA. to-. -, a. II