Convict Labor

The bill providing for the use of convict labor was killed in the house of representatives last week. The bill in qnestion alïorded an opportunity to utilize the labor of the convicta of this state' in a manner that would remove the slightest suspicion of competition with free labor and at the same time accompli a desirable end namely, the improvement of our country roads. It was approved by the organized labor of Michigan. It would have resulted in material benefit to all who have occasion to use the highways Our representative was conveniently absent when the roll was called upon the passage of the bill. The Dejiocratís not imbued with the doctrine that the employment of (wwicts is undr all circumstam-es a detriment to free labor. To the extent that he is employed the convict is creating wealth. The cveation of real wealth under any circumstances is indirectly a benefit to the people af large. The fact that he is employed under the direction of the state does not bring the product of his labor into competition with free labor to any greater extent than the same product would effect the market when produced by the same individual outside of prison walls. Convicts maintained in illness must be supported by taxation. Under our present scheme of taxation all tax s are nltimately paid by labor- by the men whose toil creates the wealth with which they are paid. The idie man is always a burden upon those who work. Witness for example the tax riditen penple of Europe who are burdened with the support of enormous standing armies. In their relation to society these soldiers are on the same plañe with a convict maintained in idleness . Y et who does not believe that, were those armies disbanded, and their in dividual mmbers turned to useful em ployment, the people of Europe woulc as a whole, be wealthier and happie and that the problem of existence would be easier for them to .solve "What is true of these armies is true, in a smaller degree, of the inmates of ou penal institutions. Yet, with all this, there is a lurkin„ suspicion in the public mind that th products of our Michigan penitentiarie are costing more ihan they sell for in the market. 'I hat being the case ther is no economie reason why the busines should be coutinued. Arguments in favor of the system must be made up on the score of humanity, and it ii up on that score that the Evening New opposed the bill in question. It i urged by that journal that. reformation not punishment, is the purpose of th confinement of crimináis and that th exposure of convicts upon the publi roads would defeat that end. Be tha as it may it is never the less a fact tha our penal institutions as at presen conducted fall far short of the ideal re formatory. The work at which it wa proposed to put the convicts is wlfc Ie some and healthy and would have ac complished a lasting and necessary pub' lic improvement which wíll come ve y slowly in any other way. That even for tliis work theywould be as cheap a free labor is to be doubted. But tha is not the ques ion at issue It is necessary for the enforcement of our penal statutes that we have prisons. The maintenance of those prisons is a public burden. Any tliing gained f rom the labor of the convict is so much saved to the public. The problem is to apply this labor in the most elfective manner.