Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-11
SOMETHING ABOUT STATE fI,IS
CNS AND PRrscN SYsZ EMS.

substantial advantages from the fact
that her past two Governors, Pach5co
AMI GovegnOr-elect Irwin. have each
had enough Of personal experience, as
iuculaJsnss of the Lieutenant Gover-
nors and ex-offisio Warden ; position,
in the management of the Peui:entiary
of that State to make them feel an in
terest in promoting improvements N its
system, and, if possible, to alleviate the
condition of. and augment the induce
ments 10 reforms among. the unfoctu-
nate persons there confined. In his
message to the Legislature now assem-
b,ed at SACRAMENTO, Ex-Governor Pa
checo transmits some very interesting
statements regarding the Prison at San
Quentin. In review OF the history of
that institution hs states that the aver
age expense to tine State drring the
twenty-five years of the States exist
ence has been 1921, 712 % per annum.
Taking the Controllers estimate of the
value of the improvements on the prison
grounds a. S261.19 Sc. the outlay, Or
loss. TO the State aggregates no less than
S1,1S3, 1873 a. This loss is charged by
the Governor not to extravaganza or
neglect on the part of the Prison au-
thori,ies, but to the defective system
under which the Prisons affairs have
been conducted, and for which the State
Itself is responsible. The trouble at
San Quentin has been the want of IA
cilities for setting the convicts at work
at remunerati-e labor. There are one
thousand and seventy-hve prisoners
there OF these but 40 per cent have
been employed to contractors, and the
price per man has .been but fifty cents |
per diem. The following well consid-
cred remarks, made in this connection !
by Governor Paeheco, are worthy |
of perusal and consideration
The peculiar status of such labor will /
prevent any contract relating to its use /
from containing the essence of fair
business arrangement but a fair price
ought to be obtained that has at least
some element of proportion in it. l
recognize and regret the existence of
prejudice agains. the employment of
convicts Ill industries that are believed
to place them in competition with
free labor. This feeling is, In some de-
gree, responsible for legislative neglect
to provide proper machinery for utiliz-
ing the labor of criminals. Ii such en-
ploymsnt is conceded to affect seriously
the demand for skilled workmen, and
thus deprive any class Of honest men of
deserved support. the problem becomes
to solve. l do not think it
will have that effect here in California.
The increasing demand here for the
products of every species of mechanical
industry makes the market an elastic
one and the ruling wages of free labor
can be lowered only by general causes.
The especial fact Of competition by
prison wares in few branches of manu-
facture may be found to create individ-
ual hardships, but the same result may
be Justly charged to any portion Of the
machinery of the Government.
A decrease in taxation would be gen
eral good to all our citizens. If the
prisoa were made to support itself one
twentieth of the revenue now required
could be dispensed with.
We quote as follows from the conclud-
ing portions OF this part Of the mes
sage:
In the States of Maine, Rhode Island.
Massachusetts,. Ohio, Indi-
ana and Michigan the penitentiaries
have become sources of actual revenue.
message to the Legislature, says " The
convicts not on contract have been kept
employed. SO far as possible, in inprov-
ing TIE prison yard and State lot The
price per day Of convict labor
ance of the past six years is, to my
iucted prison can and should always
pay its current expenses. and aid in the
support of those who are dependent up
IN conyicts. that ara now often supported
~ the public"
These successes in communities re-
note from each other ara not due TO ac-
,ident. but are the result OF legislative
wisdom. The outlay required to place
he prison 1T san Quentin il condition
o become a relief rather than 4 burden
o the State, would be 4 wise eZpendi-
ure. is long As it remains an incubus ,
Ipon the public treasury, 1t will De III- ,,
possible to classify TIE prisoners with ,
law TO reforming Il portion of them. I
,uch reformation IS ths true object Of :
rison discipline. ! State that Is con i
ant to merely punish crime and assert I