Good Eoads. 117 



the labor system. If it were generally adopted, it would be an 

 evidence to the cities, to the Legislature, to the Grovernor, and 

 the State in general, that we are in earnest in our efforts for more 

 and better highway improvement. This would give us more and 

 better legislation in the future. 



There are many other thoughts that present themselves, when 

 this matter is taken up for discussion. Permit me to call your 

 attention to the employment of convict labor in road building. 

 Some counties have already been experimenting in that direction, 

 with what results I am uninformed. Of coiirse they are coun- 

 ties that have more convict labor than we have in this county, 

 yet it costs us about $1,000 a year to board our convicts. A por- 

 tion of them are kept in our county jail in idleness, another por- 

 tion in the Onondaga penitentiary, and the penitentiary get the 

 benefit of their labor while we pay their board. Most of these 

 convicts are able to earn their board, and many of them much 

 more than their board. Once the problem is worked out, how to 

 utilize this waste labor, and make the convicts earn their own 

 board instead of requiring the taxpayers to do it, it may result 

 in some benefits to our highways. 



