The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-03-11

:
PRIsoN LABOR is topic that comes up
periodically and among recent valuable
papers on the subject Is a comprehensive
and careful examination in the March
number OF the Princeton Rerier. The
writer is Mr.. Eugene Smith, Of the New
York Prison Association. Before the
practical questions as TO the right way to
employ convicts in the service Of the
State are reached, the article discusses
the idea Of the prisoners confinement
which it maintains cannot properly be
for punishment, but for protection to
society and for the reformation of'the
criminal. The former idea is shownto be
at the bottom Of most Of the abuses and
horrors Of the prison, while the latter
accomplishes all that the State has
q moral right to impose, and
forms a groundwork for the noblest
exercise OF State philanthropy. Laboris
advocated as the necessary and only means
by which any good can be accomplished
for the prisoner, both in his confinement
and as preparation for liberty, the fruits
OF such labor to be taken by the State for
the maintenance OF the prison. Here the
practical questions on the policies begin
to arise. How shall the State put the pris-
oner to labor, and how far shall he be
made to yield support for the prison? The
solution which has largely obtained isior
the State 10 turn over the laboring capaci-
ty Of the prisoners TO some contractor, the
result being that the State receives only
hall the value OF the services Of the labor.
ers, while the contractor Is thus enabled
at the expense Of the State to puthis wares
upon the market below the cost to
other producers. Besides, in the en-
ploy Of the contractor, the pris.
oners are bereft OF the moral guar
dianship OF the State as it might exist
in accordance with the plan Of the article
Other abuses OF the contract system are
pointed out, and the remedy sought is in
proposing that the State shall understand
its duty and rise to It's demands by taking
the criminal to itself and keeping him en-
ployed according to capacity, 80 that he
may repay the expenses incurred, acquire
complete trade, and by promotions and
some personal savings be prepared for re-
storation to the privileges and opportuni-
ties OF honest livelihood. The State,
therefore, should furnish employmentto
its prisoners and place the products OF
their labors upon the market to obtain the
highest price. The State would thereby
avoid lending It's power and its wealth to
an individual to enable him to break down
the true market value Of honorable indus.
tries. isl.if Ja'Ig
The whole article merits careful and
wide perusal and must commend itself to
all thinking citizens, except perhaps the
contractors and some Jail keepers, whose
occupation would be gone II the State
should ever become thoroughly philan.
thropic in its treatment OF prisoners - =,
Mr.. Smith asserts, in the concluding
portion OF his article, that State admins
tration OF prison labor Is not an untried
experiment and that instances are not
wanting where prisons have been thus con-
Quoted with pecuniary profit The change,
however, from the contract system to the
State system, he thinks, should. proceed
gradually and tentatively. At any rate, It
is believed that the contract system is
doomed to fall before the advance Of civil.
zLtion and more enlightened political
enonomv.