The New York herald., 1870-01-11


the interest OF individual contractors may be safely
assumed from ths most recent statistics being
positive loss 10 the former and profitable only to the
latter and those most nearly concerned IN the psr
petuation or the contract system. IL was started,
no doubt, with the bast possible intentions ana de-
signed as source OF prosperous revenue TO the
State and OF Industrial ameioratlon 10 the CONVICT.
That 1t has failed In the scope Of its organization
cannot Denied while at the same time II Is hardly
fair to measure 1t by the harsh and unyelding STAN
dsrd OF judgment that has been lately brought to
bear on tho subject IN particular and influential
quarters here ana elsewhere. Enough ~ already
proven 70 make 1t eviueDt tnat when the State, dis
pensng with the medium or contractors, contrives
to secure lullcr compensation for the labor Of tho
cOnylcts such branches Of industry cannot be
said bring prison labor into injurious competition
with tho product OF honest toll the penitentlaics or
the State viii be rendered selr-sustaning and the
morale OF the prisoners improved m many ways.
THE CONTRACT SYSTEM
means the letLlng at fixed sum per day for o
limited period the labor or convicts to certain per-
called contractors IL IS the duty OF the agent
ana warden or Tho prison 10 advertise when neces-
sary for sealed proposals Tor certain number OF
mon TO be employed by contractors say Tor five
years, at o particular occupation. The State rur
nshes Its part the shops and tue means for heat
ing them. together keepers 70 control the men
The contractor provides materials machinery, with
the means OF propulsion and Instructors
OF the convcts IN the different branches Of business
In which they are empoyed. In some instances
C,tizen contractors introduced into the prison
by the CONTRACTORS to aid In some portion OF the
work. g
M THEORIES PRO AND CON.
The arguments Tor and against the system are
numerous enough TO be tedious ia the recital A
plausible In favor OF the inexpediency OF the
State TO manage the LABOR OF It's convlcts s that IL
would be an imposition upon the warden the double
duties OF carrying prison industries and conduct
tng the discipline, while the other hand, the intro
duct.on into the institution OF an independent super
inendent OF industries light lead to an unseeIIy
and injurious conflict between persons having In
some respects coordinate power The State, too, 1t
may be claimed in this way comes into the labor
market producer, and thus contends with Its
citizens, reducing by lis competition the profits or
their LABOR, and pernaps In some instances by forced
sales artincialy depressing the price or nanufac-
iurefs. Men familiar with political economy
may also urge that the state II but poor
promoter OF finance; that Its productive me-
thods nrc expensive and its whole MANAGE
ment OF Industries ineflicient. Against these
considerations we hear 1t advanced that It Is not
question whether The State shall engage productive
labor which IL at liberty TO decline, but rather
problem OF how master shall occupy the time OF
Servants wnom ho is Obliged to employ IL may be
lkened TO the OF an unwilling slave proprietor
who has persons on his hands who must be en-
ployed. whom Nc wonld gladly discharge now, who
must be discharged a. future day. aud whose In
StructOn and education in morals necessary to their
coming freedom ne must care for al well as hts own
profit 1t Impossible for such proprietor to con.
Slaer the innncsai question alone. He must regard
ali the other questions wnicn presens taen selves
with eye TO tne best good OF his employer and 70
she weiGic OF socieGy on whom they soon to bO
cast. as wei as 70 hs own pecnniary advantage.
The KIND o losses which the State Is liable TO from
the cen-acL system are supposed to be derived from
these Bourcc3.-1be power OF the contractor ex-
act low rate vi wages FOR tho men that he hires
other iaroiavie CONDITIONS in the contract
tl0nR ntS part lUr real exaggerated claims
damages 0ccasioned through tue alleged action Of
ene state bad deoi5 ana cancellation OF contracts;
corruption OF Keepers sale TO the State at enOr.
NOUS price his properly or rights under contract
overwOrK ana its ciscc.s and nnaly, want OF cassL
PERNtCloUs EPsEOrs OF THE CONTRACT SYSTEM.
II Is c0ntoadca Nv those who oppose the contract
clauses sometimes inserted In the contract, and
shat tue moae IN which tne labor OF the men
among tine contractors themselves by favor.
itism on the part OF the state officers. This, OF
ene healthial working OF the labor system
in the penitcniares; Dut that 1t ID accompanied ~
other features which neip the verdict of condemna-
tion the insDectoEs themselves have frequently adj
mtted. Three leading and serious objections are
that 1t brings contact Win tue men Class or
Sons, such h.rea help teaiisters and foremen az
well contractors whose interests are not all In
State, and whose influence IS destructive of the
effect OF all primitive rules ana ref0rmatory disc
have In every year's report OF the inspectors The
mechanics Of the state believe IT TO be antag0nsrlc
TO their for very OBVIOUS reasons. The EVIL
ELECTS oisclpilnc too paipabie to need discus
sion. While contractors nave grown rich beyond
Their most sansuine dreams OF avarlce, the prisons
long. cafe iui and accurate character demonstrate
thas wnile the contractor receives two-thrds the
State guLS bus 0ncSlird OF the conYictS labor.
CLINTON PRISON.
This is OF the prisons where the contract sys-
has iecn abolished, and tne results nave been
gralying IA the nIYnest degree. Prior To 1885 II
was managed upon the system OF which we have
been speaaii, aad 1t returned on annual deficit OK
S3lUuU. III conducted Hinco that .Dse
upon the prilcipe o. State employ and the tour
years snow a IA 1 profit or over $4,000 each year.
being very considerable difference IN the aggregate
for the quadrenniai period. There has been an
average per mouth OF over 900 convicts about two
tnirds o. whom emp oy ed n tue various branches
OF the manufacture OF ZION and mails, the remainder
beng occupied as sboeinaker5 laiiors, COOKS wait
er5, &c. ins PRISON is locaIed aG Dannemora, six
teen miles from iiastsDurg. IL was Established In
getDer wltn havlnx woodlands from which to get
It's supply OF CHARCOAL Oh 1850 acres. The real
and personal property is vaued a. q trihe over =
million uola.s. IL - pleasantly and healtnfuny
loeaed, has Prison d0rdtory 900 eet long BY MY
Wiae, containing 5A Cells me Kitchen, dining hall
and ssJreroom the first story; the chapel
guardhOuse aiu arnory IN the second, and the hos
pita IN tne ihird story. Inc manufacturing depart
meDt where vast quantities OF nails are turned CUT
Is as well ordered nd regular an cStaDllsh.lenS VI
the sort there Is III the country.
The different buildings scattered over the grounds
ana surrounded by primitive looking stocSade are
forge shop, engine room aud coal house. coal |
kllns, rolling ni machine and carpenter snops and
ore separator. There tram railroad and plank
road the MOUNTAINS 70 the coal kllns and wood
lands The CONSUMPTION OF charcoal last year was |
nearly 10000 DuBneiS. There are two mines OF |
iron ore-Iiall mIne and Thomas Y Watson mine. |
The results Of the iron and nail manufacturing |
for 1868 were not satisfactory as they |
have been the past year; but there |
was sufficient to show that the State In employing
Ats conyiCss acteL Wel and wisely. In lssS the |
finances IN an unsettled condition, producing |
dec.De IN tho nall ana causing manufactur-
ers to dispose OF Their products at greatly reduced
n.ures ON this account many largo manufactures
suspended Operatioas during portion OF the year.
taking advantage OF an expeilent 10 reduce ex-
pense3 that cannot be rcSor.el 70 BY the state in
eucn an emergency, as the labor employed being
Co1vIct LABOR, and The officers ANA f0remen Engaged
b. tho year. the expenses are continuous whether
tne arc IDLE OF einplogcd.
Mr. John parkhurst, Agent and Warden OF Clinton