The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1921-09-28
REBUILDING CONNECTS.

slogan, uttered during the course
of a speech before the American Road
Builders Association in Philadelphia,
a few days ago, ought to be adopted
by the state of Georgia, and urged by
the people.
An eminent gentleman from North
CO ro,ina in pleading for both better
roads and better treatment of prison
ers, said, Let the convicts build the
roads and the reads will rebuild the
convicts."
There is little or no need to lay
stress on the necessity for roads in
this state, for the. people are well ed
ucated as to their necessity and well
prepared to use means to obtain them.
The. campaign of education for better
roads has been going on in the state
for many years and has had its effect
in accusing public sentiment on the
subject. Every community in the
state is an advocate for good roads.
We have not been quite so forward
in securing the rebuilding of our con-
victs. There is no evidence that we
have ever tried any method Of rebuild
ing those who have come under the
Just condemnation of the law. Our
methods. such as we have had, have
been crude in the extreme.
1t is true, and it must be said for
the credit of the state, that there is
very general demand for the total
abolition CT the convict lease system
system by which state prisoners
have been sold to the highest bidders,
system of practical slavery for the
time of the sentence.
Agitation on the subject has at last
raised public feeling that the states
system has been wrong, and has ere
ated q desire to better conditions
among the states prisoners. This
has led to a proposition to abolish the
convict lease system and that is grad
ua'ly being accomplished. 1t has led
also to steps being taken to establish
a central farm on which the aged and
inlrm prisoners and the women may
be employed in light outdoor tasks
and where they may receive the per.
scnal care and attention of the Off
GERS of the state.
This leads to the other part of the
plea of the North Carolina gentle
man. that we place the able-bodied up
on the public roads. net so much to
build up the roads. although that Is a
very desirable and commendable
thing to do but also to rebuild the
convict himself.
In the last half OF the slogan this
state has been woefully remiss. While
other states were devlsing methods OF
q ring for their convicts after RE-
lease. and preparing them for release
preparation that contemplated the
teaching of the trade. or some means
of occupation by which. when the con
Wet Is again turned loose on the
world, he may find means of support
and not again be driven into the paths
Of crime. the state of Georgia has
d. ne nothing.
Fer many years our object seem
cd 10 be to make as much out of the
conyicts as possible. We are grad
ually emancipating ourselves from
that idea and from that system, but
our task now is to follow seine of tbs
latest. best and most humane sys
TENS and give oar discharged con
victs at least one more chance in life
afte they are released.
The setting TO work OF men upoI
the public roads will certainly do a
the speaker said. rebuild the convict
1t will fit him for such instruction
with relation to his life after releas'
as the state may finally be induced 4
extend to him.
Rebuild the convict, by ali means
lnFasgter he is rebuilt he should hav'
his chance to become real mar
again.