Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-08-29
CONVICT WORK IN IOWA.
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GSioux City Tribune.l
The Municipal Journal seeks to show
from the report Of the Iowa highway
commission, that convict road work has
been a failure in Iowa.
1t fails to make good case. In some
instances, 1t is true, convict work APP
parently has been more expensive to
the state than contract work. but the
fault of this condition lies in wages
paid to convicts and in lack of modern
utensils in their hands-if 1t seems
necessary to compete with contract
prices There are savings to the state
in other ways, however, which more
than offset the surface differences in
cost. The official verdict Is that the
prisoners have been willing workers,
and that they have been benefited
mentally and morally: To make their
willing efforts show up as well as con-
tract work is matter OF ordinary
business management on the part or
the highway commission.
Earthwork at Cherokee, where road
to the state hospital was constructed
by convict labor cost % cents per
cubic yard. Contract road work for the
state at Woodward. cost 81 cents; at
Ames, 25 cents: at Rockwell City, rs
cents: at Council Bluffs, "a cents. The
cost Of thing at Woodward by prison
lobar was II cents per foot; at Rock
we'll City. by contract, thing cost 1T
cents per foot.
While some OF the cost differences in
these cases are chargeable to different
conditions, the opponents OF convict
labor naturally use the experiences as
supporting their opposition. State OF
ficials have not been inclined to equip
the convict forces with teams and ma
chinery on work where such equipment
would be manifest saving, and that
has has been a factor. Where large
quantities OF dirt are to be moved 1t Is
generally understood that the work can
be performed more economically by
modern leaders and dump carts than
with picks and shovels.
There Is no injustice to prisoners. or
to society in using conivcts on public
work of any kind at wage scales which
will be fair to the state, and fair to
the prisoner and his dependents. The
prisoner may be employed at hard la.
Dor during his term OF confinement
without compensation Il the state
deems It advisable. Labor is part OF
the punishment imposed and Is actual
punishment to large class Of convicts.
When the prisoner is assigned to du-
ties which improve his mental and
physical condition, such as outdoor
road building. the financial obligations
Of the state to the prisoner are not IN
any way increased except as the pris-
ner may impose moral obligations by
his personal conduct. 1t Is the right
thing to recognize industry and rel.a-
bility on the part Of prisoners. and to
pay them for road work, but there Is
not the slightest obligation to make the
wage scale such that convict work will
cost more than contract work.
The state has control on this point
and should use its control intelligently,
regardless Of pressure from any source
It should be noted, as one important
phase Of convict labor that the prison
ers employed in Iowa road work paid
their entire living costs, including
guards and transportation, saved mon
ey for themselves and assisted their
dependents.
And some Of them may get the habit