The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-02-07
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY Z, 1919
THE CHAIN GANG.

are about to wake up to the fact
that our old friend, the Chain Gang,
is about to bankrupt all the counties
in the state, and a determined effort
is being made at this session OF the
legislature to get rid of it. An artl-
Gle in the Columbia State, which is
printed elsewhere in this issue, states
that thoughtful people everywhere,
who have given the matter any con-
sideration whatever, agree that the
overhead expenses of captains:
guards, food, clothing and other nee
essary things, makes the convict la
bor on the road the most expensive
labor to be had.
It is estimated in some counties
that it costs as much as twenty-five
hundred dollars to work convict
for twelve months. In Richland
County, where there are large squads
and not so many guards, the expense
per year is stated to be about seven
hundred and fifty dollars per. con.
vict. We undertook to show the
people of this county some two years
ago that although the convicts could
not do any work for half the time
on account of the weather, the cost
per convict in this county was about
thousand dollars per year. Our
figures were disputed, but they have
not been disproved.
Besides this, the. State Board Of
Charities and Corrections has. found
that these convicts cannot be proper
" housed and cared for by the coun-
ties, even when all that is possible is
done. In a great many counties the
health and care of these convicts have
received next to no attention by the
authorities. Those who read of the
four convicts who died in Richland
County few days ago were brought
face to face with the fact that it is
almost impossible to properly care
for these unfortunates when sickness
overtakes them. %! - e.
1t is proposed in bill introduced
into the legislature to remove these
conditions and hardships by putting
these convicts under the jurisdiction
Of the penitentiary authorities, who
would be authorized to turn them
over to the Highway Commission, by
whom they would be employed in
building permanent roads in the
state. Under this arrangement the
convicts would be kept in large
squads, and it is believed the ex-
pense Of guarding them will be much
less. -, .
y II, is contended too that the state
authorities by having them all to-
:gether in this way, and by keeping
them in one locality longer, would
be the better able to house them
when not at work. and would be able
to give them better medical atten-
Eon, as we'll as to look after their
comfort snd care better. In order
that the counties may not lose by the
undertaking, II is proposed to give
each county a certain numbers Of
days work during the year, the num-
Der Of days work being in proper
ton to the number of convicts sent
from the particular county.
, The plan suggested offers some
advantages 5ver the present plan.
But the members Of the legislature
should tsks RSid 81 the evil which ex-
ists and cure it at one dose. 1t is
the way Of legislative bodies to try
to cure evils by making changes in
laws which have been found imprac'
tical, instead Of abolishing such laws
and getting something better.
It is stated by the Columbia State,
that the object Of the. criminal law
and of the punishment; provided TO,
an ofeRse, Is to deter t'ss-: U eriminee1
from committing the;ioffense, again
and to safeguard society by impris'
enins him This u as 4 ItlE's ~ Z: Go
it goes, but this is not the whole