New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-10
THE STATE PRISONS.
ANOTHER FIELD FOR REFORM.

PIJNE-ExTRAvAGANCE IN THE PURCHASE or
SUPPLIES.
| FRos THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TEIBUSE.1
ALBANY. Jan. s.-When Gov. Tildcn fired his
broadside at the Canal Ring and The TRIBUNE
printed its double-column tables that threw the
| State into q fever of excitement, dramatic
surprises in reforms in this State were
exhausted. The work that was to follow was
of dreary. plodling kind, harassed and obstructed
ut every step. Of very much this sort is the pend
ing reform of the State Prisons likely to depending,
because it is known that the design which Gov.
Tlden has cherished for some months of nstitutng
investigation is speedily to be put into execution.
there is not TO be any special message however, on
the subject, and il is not get settled what form OF
investigation Gov. Tilden, through bis friends in tho
Legislature is to ask for but investigation in some
shape is already inevitable ard the Governor will
move soon. There is prospect, indeed, Of
rivalry between the parties 10 see which
shall be first in the field Prominent Republicans
urged as soon as the House committees We're AN
n0unced that the Committee on State Prisons be
turned into an investigating body at once. Perhaps,
before giving some abundant reasons why tho
prisons need investigation, it may he well enough to
take look at the system which controls them.
Where there are steady and skillful frauds upon
treasury it is safe 10 look for bad system badly ad.
ministered.
The system by which the State Prisons are gov
erned is comparatively simple vastly more so than
that of the canals, where there half dozen
heads and the responsibility for official acts or
omissions to act can scarcely be fixed. The supreme
body is the Board of State Prison Inspectors, three
| in number, all of whom serve three years, but arc
elected SO that each year new member takes the
place of Of the old. This usually secures rep
csentation for both parties in the Board and nsures
| frequent changes III its composition. Their hrss
meeting in each year is held in January,
when the newy-elected Inspector takes his
seat and the appointments for the subordinate posi-
| tions for the ensuing year are usually made At
this meeting, Also the three Inspectors are each as
signed prison for the ensuing four months. Each
is in control Of the prison which he has been as
signed whether it be Sing Sing, Auburn, or Clinton,
for that srsce of time at the end of which another
meeting is held and each Inspector is transferred to
another prison for another four months. A third
transfer takes place the end Of this period for the
remainder of the year, 80 that each Inspector has
four months supervision of each of the prisons every
year. In theory this would seem to be an excellent
device for the prevention Of fraud and the cor
| rection IF abuses, especially rs the Board
| is usually divided in politics; in practice,
| it does not to bring about the results ono
might naturally expect. 1t il no new discovery IN
the politics or tnls state h''o 40
much to fear from Boards politically divided as
from Boards politically united. The history OF
| Canal Boards without number proves what the his
tory of State Prison Inspectors does still more to
confirm. The prison organization is also simple.
| The officers of each prison. who serve Hnder the
! immediate supervision of the Inspectors, are tho
! agent and wardens. The two offices were formerly
separate but have since been combined in one per-
son--the deputy warden or chief keeper, the phyS-
elan, chaplain clerk-who acts as q check upon the
! agent-and the keepers.
THE BiNE OF OUR PRISON SERVICE.
The crying evil of the present system OF prison
government il is everywhere admitted, IL that IT IS
controlled throughout by political considerations.
The nomination for Inspector is always last on the
lis of nominating conventions, and IN the hurry and
furry of the closing moments the quickest ana pest
politician and not the best qualified gets the nomi'
nation. The man whose party gets the largest num-
bel of votes is elected not the candidate WHO may
| have experience and training fitting him for the
! Mace Then when the Board ia made up. the
appointments throughout, down to the very lowest
| keepers, are made by a political majority OF the
! Board for political reasons. With every change OF
the political complexion of the Board these men are
! likely to lose their places, thus making uncertain
and transitory the positions of men who ought to be
trained to their work with the expectation OF de-
voting their lives "a IT, The COnstltutlOhaI Alehu-
meuts which were introduced by Gen. Sherman OF
Oneida, in the Assembly this week, and which the
Conventions of both parties last Fall recommended
| for adoption, sweep away the whole OF tins lmper-
feet system The amendment relating 10 the prisons
aboi, shes the Board of Inspectors entirely, and pro-
ydps for the appointment of a Superintendent by
! the Governor with the advice and consent OF the
Senate who is to hold his office for five years, sub
| ect to removal only for misconduct. The superin-
| tendent is to appoint the warden, physician, and
chaplain, the clerk to be appointed by the Controller
| Then the subordinate appointments are to be made
in each prison by the warden, subject 10 the APP
prevail of the Superintendent. All these appoint
ments are to hold during good behavior. Thus the
entire system of prison government by the proposed
amendment will be cleaused of the political iniu-
ences that now make discipline impossible and fraud
AID extravaganza easy.
| THE Low PRICES FOR CONVICT LABOR.
IL is the loose and ia rly scandaous discipline pre-
vailng in these prisons that makes them pensioners
upon the treasury If the State instead OF being self
supporting, like the Albany Pententiary and other
! well-managed prisons. Contractors, knowing that
the conycts are not strictly governed and that they
cannot expect more than onehalf to a third of fair
DAYS work from them offer only low prices for their
labor and thus the receipts of prison reduced
in direct proportion to the nehcency of Its officers
! and the lOoseness of its management. Perhaps III
may be as well to say something just here of the de-
tail, of the contract system. The law requires that
| the Board of Inspectors shall direct the war
den to advertise for proposals for con-
| Wet labor. The nature of the business
must be stated in the proposal and the number Of
convcts to be let. The proposals are opened by tie