Show CONVICTS SHOULD MAKE I COUNT COUNTRY Y ROADS Chicago Journal The question of convict labor ha has come conic up again in Illinois where last year year- more moro than worth of or goods manufactured b by convicts came ame into competition with the products of or free labor Consequently tho the labor unions are lobbying at Springfield Springfield Spring SIring field for the construction of or a new now penitentiary ry outside of oC Jollet Joliet on a farm where convicts can be he employed without t competing with free men It Is urged too that the present present pres pres- ent eat penitentiary at Joliet is unsanitary and unwholesome unwholesome some the tho cells aro are not provided with sufficient air and other features of life there are bad for Cor the Inmates Doubtless this Is true Th The penitentiary Is an old ohl building and was as not originally constructed on hc health lines s. s It ought to be he O abandoned But the plan of a farm Catin do does s not seem wholly satisfactory That idea is Js excellent for n at place like The rhe Journals Journal's penal colon colony amid the wilds of or a 3 far western state where habitual criminals are arc to be he confined d at labor to lo support t themselves until 01 they yelle die But the tho convicts in Joliet are arc for fOl tho the most part confined there for only a limited time and their punishment punishment punishment punish punish- ment should be made a greater benefit to the state than tItan merely ly tho the cost of or their support Would It not be a good plan to divide them into gangs at and cI 8 set t them to work country roads The roads of nf Illinois are arc among the tho worst In the west the west and yet ct the farmers farmr who vho are arc compelled to use them do nothing to Improve them If IC the Joliet Jollet convicts were verc IU put at nt work worl on them and kept there ste le for a few fw years the roads marIa might bo be made equal to those of England lan or Prance France at nt no greater gr ater cost to lo the state stale than It Il has lo to h hear bear now with the in Joliet Jollet n- n t litH Ia ry After ten years' years work of ot this sort Rort on nn Illinois country countr roads the value of the farms of or the state Mate would be inc In Increased Increased in- in c creased tad by 11 millions of or dollars Land all over o the tio state could be he sold Nold for or tWice tice a as much as it brings now now and antI with I Improved ell facilities the productiveness ness nesI of r f tho the farms tarm would JH grow enormously I If the legislature wants to do flo th the state stute good at the tto same time lime It helps convicts In their need It will set I the 01 convicts ron at work on the roads |