The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1915-12-24

and do not wish to bind my associ-
ates.
The contract for labor system can
only be defended on the ground that
II produces revenue and goes a long
way toward making the prisons self
sustaining. II has no other virtue
The state furnishes light, heat pow
er, shop-room and labor, gets an av-
ersge of about 20 cents a day per
man. This leaves deficit in the two
prisons OF more than $4,000 a
year. Contract labor is an econ
omic waste. II provides no trade
for the prisoner, because he is only
a cog in a vast machine that brushes
all individually and leaves its vic
tim as incapable as it found him. 1t
takes no account of his mental or
moral needs. He is the driven slave
of an exacting master who, no mat
ter what the output, always calls for
more.
when the convicts are at work
on prison roads, or on the road
there will be no PRISON contractor to
interest himself in the selection of
prison commissioners, to demand the
removal of wardens, to dictate or de-
feat prison legislation, to contribute
to campaign funds, or to engage in
constant political activity-a con-
summation devoutly to be wished.
THE members of the legislature,
no matter how earnest or intelligent,
will not be prepared to pass an ade-
quate law until they have acquaint-
ed themselves with the experience of
other states.
1.-THE success of road building
with convict labor must be deter
mened by the needs of the particular
lacolity, its ability to finance the
work, the material that the various
counties are apt TO supply, and the
climate conditions, which after all,
may be the determining factor. In
Georgia. fro instance, where an ad-
mirable system of roads is being
built with convict labor, the prison
ers work every day in the year, while
i'm Kentucky the season for outdoor
work should not exceed nine minths.
What is going to be done with the
men during this period? Some will
say return them to the prison and
put them to work making various
articles for state use. That is a good
suggestion If it can be worked out
practically. If the state thus goes
into the manufacturing business il
will have to provide machinery and
expert foremen to teach the men the
particular trade they must learn be-
fore their work will be of any value.
II will be asked how the convict can
become an expert mechanic in three
months, after spending nine months
of the year quarrying rock or work
ing on the roads? That is a ques- !
ton the legislature and the new
prison commissioners must answer. |
at is agreed that only a certain |
trusted in prison camps and on pub
lie roads without being worked in |
chains. In some states all the pris- |
oners are worked in the open; in |
other states the men are carefully Sc |
lected by the wardens, and, even
then, many of them escape. Ken
lucky can only learn by experience.
Often life men can be trusted out
side the walls without guards when
a petty thief, or housebreaker could
not be trusted at all. The personal
equation must be considered in deal
ing with convicts. Those guilty of
the worst crimes frequently have a
high sense of honor.
1.-TWO years ago the prison COM
missioners visited the states of
Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia
md West Virginia and made thor
ough study of the convicts on the
.oad problem as it was being work
ed out in those estates. We have
gathered full information from all
he other states where the contract
abor system in prisons has been
abolished These facts are too vol
lminous to be embodied in this brief
but we will be glad to CO.
operate with Gov. Stanley and the
coming general assembly in any
plans they may have for writing into
he laws of the state the mandate of
he constitution, and will furnish
hem with the information in our
together with our indi-
,idual views on convict labor, gain.
ID from more than three years ex-
,erience.
lowing to the contracts now in
h. 20