The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-09-16

or corporation, except 10 aid in
the completion of such railroads as |
be unfinished at the time Of the
OF this Constitution, or in
~nicn the state has a direct pecuniary
interest, unless the subject be sub
united to a direct vote of the people of
the state, and be approved by a ma
Jorlty or those who shall vOte thereon
Wants the People to Know.
AS chairman Of the State Prison
Board, j made a report to the cover
nor OF the State, expressing these SEN
tl1nents. and today | am being de-
by certain who
seem to be more interested in the
welfare of the men who are securing
thlS convict labor than they are in the
welfare of the State. ! want the peo-
pie TO understand this proposition.
and when they do, | am sure they Will
instruct their members of the Legis-
nature what to do. This policy of
giving away our convict labor must
be stopped, and will be stopped. The
cOnv1cts ought not to be worked in
competition with the farmers; they
should be worked on the public roads
ana build wagon roads, and The coun-
ties or road districts should paw the
actual expenses of working these ON
vIcts. SO that it would not be a drain
upon the State Treasury. This would
DE encouraging road building and
helping the counties to build up North
Carolina and make it the good State
1t ought to be. This is my idea.
What Georgia is Doing.
The State of Georgia is putting all
OF her convicts on the public roads
and building market roads to the
towns. and the result is hat Georgia
is going far ahead of all Southern
States in road hnil1inn cn1 roman,
development along all lines. DR.. Pratt
n myself and a number of other
good roads advocates spent some time
with the General Assembly during
January of this year, trying to advise
the legislators about this convict prop
osition, but the Legislators seemed to
think that they knew more about the
matter than W. did, and refused tc
heed the request of this association ir
regard to the States convictS beins
put OH the roads. 1t was due to the
fact that 80 much lobbying was done
and that the legislators did not un-
derstand the proposition by which thu
convicts are allowed to be put on these
railroads. We ought to stop thi:
method n begin building roads ano
do something for the good Of tn,
State. l do o believe my friend
Senator Ward, would vote for this pol
icy to continue if he understood it, be
cause he wants to vote right. Their
were acts passed by the recent Genera
Assembly calling for nearly 2,G00 con
yictS to work on various railroads ant
other projects, to be paid for in worth
less stOck-chips and whetstones-ab
SOlutely throwing the convict labo
away. We draw on the State Treas
ury and take out something like SIS
per day for maintenance and get il
Lreturn absolutely nothing but worth
less stock.
We ought to take some step at thi
convention in regard to this convlc
matter. At the last Good Roads Con
vention there was lobbying done i
favor of continuing this policy. Me
5 were there m%uddying the waters.
am not running for any office. If
5 were, l probably would not expires
myself in this way. Certain EeWSpa
: perS have given III the informatlo
that l was thinking Of running fo
Congress-. [ am not a candidate &c
any office at present. | would rathe
help break up this infamous convit
5 system than hold any office. This
E the greatest office l have ever hell
an office of service to the State, Wori
r ing without reward OF the hope OF tt
0 ward, except the CONSCIOUSNESS {
knowing that l am doing my duty
S the people of the State, aiding in IT
v feeble way in the elevation ana De
8 torment of ankin
Stop This Gift Convict Labor.
What l want is to stop giving ava
g this convict labor and put the col
e victs on the public roads. When tn
is done you will see North Carolina {
forward in road building and gener
e development along all lines, ana 81
will stand in the forefront of-&Al II
Il States of the Union.
+ This address Of Mr.. Warner was 7
eeived with very great enthusiasm
: the convention and a motion was pas
O ed unanimously to appoint a comm
y tee of three to draft resolutions to
= presented to the special session OF q
LEGISLATURE for the use of state co
yicts on the public roads. The Il
4 loUing are the resolutions drawn
by this committee anC unanimous
is adonted by the convention:
10 The Resolutions Adopted.
% Whereas, it appears to the Nor
% Carolina Good Roads Association
4 convention assembled at Morehe
CITY. y. c.. on this 31st day OF Ju-
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