The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-12-23
WOULD SEPARATE RACES.
One of Recommendations of the State
Board of Charities and Corrections.


Board of Charities and Corrections.
.sas Columbia Dec. 19.-One of the
Recommendation of the State board
Of charities and corrections, which
has been studying during the last
few months many problems connect
ed with the management of public,
penal and charitable institutions IN
South Carolina, is that whenever pos
sible white convicts be sent to the
State penitentiary instead OF to the
county chain gangs.
One of the worst features OF the
county chain gang system in this
State is that frequently white con-
yicts and negro convicts are forced
to undergo the closest sort of asso-
citation, working, eating and, some
{ times, even sleeping together This
involuntary association under penal
conditions is regarded as bad for con-
IYicts of both races. The secretary
and assistant secretary of the board
have not yet found single chain
gang foreman or supervisor who ap-
proved of working both white men
and negroes on the same gang.
The problem, though, Of separating
3 the races on county chain gangs is not
as simple as it appears. The short
term convicts complicates it, las he
does many other penal problems.
Separating Races.
In discussing the separation of the
races on county chain gangs, the State
board of charities and corrections
says in its report to the general as
sembly:
eve have found only one exclusive
white chain gang in the State, though
in a number of counties the presence
of white men on the chain gang is
very rare. On three or four gangs
separate tents are provided for white
$conyicts, but, as a rule the white
and negro sconvicts occupy the same
rents or cars.
The general assembly passed an
s act in 1911 relating to the working
of able bodied male cunvicts on coun-
! :ty chain gangs which contained the
proviso that a separation of sexes
and races be at all times observed,
except in the penitentiary and on the
4 state farm, and KerBhaw county
Only courts of general sessions
4 can sentence offenders to the peniten-
tiary, and if the practice were adopt
red of sending all white offenders SEN
fenced by these courts to the peni7
stentiary the problem of separating the
1aees on the chain gang would be SIM
plified, at least in a good many coun-
ties.
Only Three Options.
But many of the white convicts
s came from minor courts which have
. only three options: They can SEN
sstence guilty prisoners to pay a fine,
It'd work on the county chain gang, or
to- serve the time in Jail. The jail
should be used only as a place of de-
tention for persons awaiting trial.
ut lis not properly place of punish
mant. There are so few of our jails
with facilities for classifying and car
ing for the prisoner, that, in the large
jority Of cases, even sending white
men to the chain gang is preferable
Ito combining him in Jail.
The law provides for the exchange
sssof conyicts by the different counties,
but We find that a negro convict is
much preferred to- a white convict,
50 that while the foreman and coun-
ty supervisor are universally opposed
Ito working the races side. by side
they have not known any remedy.
We fear that until legislation is
passed, by which the convicts from
minor courts can be sent to the State
spenitentiary Or to some place for mis-
demeanors, the problem will remain
ssunsoIved. In the meantime, however,
whenever a county has enough white
sconvicts to make up a separate gang,
such should be formed even though
1T be rather small and consequently
expensive; but where there are too
few white prisoners to be so classified,
they should be worked, quartered
and fed separately from the negroes
just as far as may be possible
FARM PRODUCTS FOR YEAR.
Valuation Without Precedent, Says
Secretary of Agriculture.