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horses, harnesses and loss of time which bad roads impose 

 upon us, it is altogether probable that the best roads may 

 prove the least expensive. As a further reply we would 

 suggest that the expenses might be greatly reduced by 

 employing upon the needed improvements the labor of our 

 convicts in our houses of correction. The proper employ- 

 ment of convict labor has ever presented a somewhat 

 difficult problem. In recent years it has become more 

 complicated by the demand made concerning it on the part 

 of labor reformers. The kind of employment we now 

 speak of is recommended for consideration on the ground 

 that it would require little expense in the way of machin- 

 ery or tools ; that it is so simple that all could engage in 

 it who are able to perform manual labor of any kind ; that 

 it would be easily supervised, and that in the least degree, 

 if at all, would it come in conflict with the interests of free 

 labor. I am informed that we have in this county not far 

 from three hundred convicts who could be at once avail- 

 able for such work. Probably the average number would 

 not be much less. It seems lfardly too much to assume 

 that such a force properly employed, might in a few years 

 at no great increase of expense, give throughout our 

 county, macadamized thoroughfares and a system of cross 

 roads which should be equal to the best now seen in any 

 part of the State. 



With this suggestion we take leave of our theme, fully 

 aware that we have not treated it exhaustively though we 

 begin to fear that we may have done so exhaustingly. 

 Our aim has been to throw out some hints, familiar to us 

 all as separate facts, in the hope that when presented to- 

 gether they might possibly start trains of thought that 

 would lead to practical measures for our common good. 



