Judsonia weekly advance., 1915-03-10

of system for the employment of convicts on state and county roads.
 In speaking of what can De accomplished in the way of road building by the use of convict labor, Thomas J. Tynan, warden of the state penitentiary under whose supervision the work the last three years has been done, recently said:
 "The benefits in this or any other state from broad and scientific system of convict road build ing can scarcely be estimated Easing figures on actual experience confident that construct in the next ten years than five thousand miles of the very finest roadways for less than $500,000 and this without adding any thing whatever to the burden of the taxpayers
 During the period of ten years the internal revenue fund of Colorado should amount to $2,000, 900. After deducting $500000 for road construc- tion, the remaining amount should be wisely pended in bridge building, road repairing and for similar uses. Add to this the financial assistance from the different counties, and 1t would enable us to construct not less than 10 900 miles. It be done in Colorado Why should not the same con- dtions apply to other states under more favorable conditions where the roads naturally better and where cost of construction would not neces- sarily be so high as in our mountainous sections?
 To illustrate better the great saving to the tax payers this class of work and It's possibilities, let quote few figures from of our road camps. During one month we worked 35 men on the road not including the camp help The num- Der of days employed 24A. Each of these 35 men rendered to the state, labor equivalent in value to s2 and $3 day. The labor for each man cost the state exactly 25 cents per day. Had this number of been employed at the regular standard of wages of say $2.00 per day per man, the cost of wages alone would have been $1 632 50 Each days work thus represented a net saving Of at least $1 .75 per The total cost of all the work for the month, including salaries, of stock feed for teams and cost of equipment S515.15 or 47% cents per day per man. When these figures are considered doubt for moment the economy of building roads with vict labor The roads are carefully and thoroughly inspected by competent engineers who testify to the completeness ard high character of the work. What is the incentive for the to create such great work?' is question often asked Colorado ans. It is just this: the man who is allowed to leave the prison for the road camp has practically seen the last of prison life if he conducts himself properly his food is better; his clothing is better; his sefrespect is preserved and he is taught self reliance and sustained application. He earns additional ten days month during the time he works which very materially reduces his sen tence. Eliminating the policy of armed guards, the men have been placed under skilled and com potent overseers and guarded only by their word of honor not to run away They remain faithful and loyal to their pledges. The success of such an honor system was instantaneous; the plan has worked out better than its originators expected. During the last three years have had than one thousand individual prisoners in the con vict camps. These without guards-some 300 miles away from the prison-have created tional reputation for loyalty Less than per cent have violated their pledges and made sue