Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-08-27
lcaNrINrEn fkNM TIE THIRD PAeE

far more important apparently IMAM tIe question
whether he possessed any special fitness for the work
he was TO perform The whole prison administration
has been thrust back into the political groove, and
every purpose OF reform indicated IN the new Con-
stisution has been stifed and aborted.
II is impossible that any reformatory system
shoie be introduced to the State Prisons while this
parahzing political influence is permitted to con-
trol the administration 1t is, however, equally
clear that il the plain letter as well as spirit OF the
Constitution can be ignored and violated, the
mandates Of the organic law are useless to
remove abuses or to promote reform We
have here case in which, aft painstaklng effort
had been made to do away with political influence
IN prison administration and after new Consttu-
ton had been framed in this regard as TO place
California, in the opinion OF a dlslnteresieG anu
competent Observer " in the foreground OF all States
on the North American continent in the matter OF
prison REFORM" the old partisan spirit reas,
serted itself and violently prevented the prolecteu
reforms by thrusting all the new principles my .ie
background and rudey substituting fer them the
time. dishonured rules OF the 'machlhe. "i.au
the State Prisons might have become uiuer tue
faithful and in eligent application OF ths provisions
Of the new Constitution, it has not been permitted
this community to realize; for the ConSttuslon mas
been disobeyed in the management OF these hsutu-
tions Systematically and the methods WREN OBTAIN
in them to-day are precisely those winch the trainers
Of that instrument were most resolutely bent upon
eliminating.
NEED OF TRAINED OFFICERS.
We have heretofore spoken of the need of trained
officers in the administration of prisons This is a
conclusion which has been reached unanimously by
all authorities on penal science, and which has been
repeatadly endorsed by Prison Congresses. One
of the most important OF these assemblages, namely
the Prison Congress of London, had submitted to
il by the American delegation, and substantially
embodied in its final resolutions, the following
declaration on this head The task Of changing
bad men into good ones is not one 10 be contded
to the first comers 1t is serious charge demand
ing thorough preparation, eatire sef-deyohon,
calm aud cautious judgment, great tirmness OF pur
and gte linpss a action a keen gilt into
the springs of human conduct, large experience, a
true sympathy, and morality above suspicion.
Prison officers, therefore, need special education
for their work, do for the other great call
ines Of society. Prison administration should be
raised to the dignity of profession. Prison
officers should be organized in a graduation OF
rank, responsibility. emoument; so that per
sons entering the service IN early llfe and forming
a class or profession by themselves, may be
thoroughly trained in all their du'ies-rising
in successive positions till, according to their
merits tested chiefly by the small Proportions OF
re conviction they reach the position of governors
Of the ilrgest prisons. Thus alone can the null
tped details OF prison discipline be perfected and
uniformity in its application be attained Fol
only when the administration OF public punish
ment Is made profession will it become scientific
uniform, and successful in the highest de rec"
In Germany and some other countries, Normal
Schools have been established for the training oil
prison officers, and these specially trained officer;
are sent to the reformatories in the first instance
the principle wisely applied in what is called
the Quincy School system, that the youngest stu
dents need the largest skill in tuition The results
OF training officers especially for this work have
been uniformly satisfactory, as was to nave been
expected Il is indeed very evident that If prisons
are to be anything more than places OF detention,
it is necessary that their officers from the highest
to the lowest should possess special fitness for the
duties they discharge 1t is no. less apparent that
the spoils-system method Of appointing prison OF
ficels is as bad as it possby be- that the mer
taken haphazard from the ranks OF party POLITICS
for these offices far more likely to be unfit thar
fit; that even where they are not particularly OBJ
jecti0nable by means of general ignorance, or baC
habits or temper, they are OF necessity wholly I'M
familiar with the peculiar work TO be done that il
fact they are fit for nothing but to keep up that
uninteligent and stagnant system OF treating Grim
inals which consists il surrounding them with
high and thick WALL and stationn- sentres at inter
walls to shoot them if they try to escape. This
practically, is all that the ordinary political APP
pointees capable of, and it follows, therefore
that their Incompetence tends to complete viciou
circle by perpstuating the futile and barbarous sys
tenn which the method of their appointment has es
tablished.
CONVICT LABOR.
In the case of the California Prisons moreover TIL
mischievou5 consequences of the "spoils system
greatly reinforced by 6ho changes made in TIL
organic law This would not have been the cas-
had that law been faithfully carried into effect, bu
of the results OF its violation is to attach disas
trous consequences to that provision in it which
under an enlightened and progressive administra
ticn might be expected to yield favorable results
We ref to the provision abolishing the con rae
system of prison labor. Before proceeding to tn
local application Of this question: however, it vii
be proper to speak of the general tendencies III re
gard to the employment OF prison labor. We hayt
shown that all experience demonstrates industry t
be the main reliance in any effectua system of Grim
inal reform. The convict must be first plunged int
adversely, represented by cellular confinement
And then he must be Z ade to eXtricate himself by
his unasssted exertiOns. The virtue OF this methoC
lies in its close resemblance 20 natural processes
The is To make the convict thrOuul
lust such straits and trials every has to fac
in the open struggle OF life He 10 in trouble,
is first made to realize that he has brought it Of
himself. Then he Is shown how he can work out G
it. and in this process of working out he develope
those habits Of industry and selfreiance whic
must if anything can, effect his permanent reform
THE VARIOUS LABOR SYSTEMS.
The question of the necessity OF labor being col
ceded, the kind Of labor has TO be considered
Three systems of employing conyIets in the Unite
States have been tried, namely that OF State mar
agenent that Of contracts and that OF lease:
State management is the method decided upon i
this State by the adoption of the new Constitution
The contract system Is that which has obtained her
in the past The lease system consists in the lettin
out of the whole prison to private Indiyiduals VIII
guard, feed, elothe and work the c0nvicts, payin
rent to the State. This last system has been rarel
res0rted TO- and never with other than unsatisfactor
results. The objections to the contract system ar
many and cogent 1t is utterly Incompatible wit
any reiormatory system The contractor is perso
VINO mas but one concern Win the CDQNlcts ana Una
is to make as much profit possible out Of them
He has nothing in common with the administration
He is element Of trouble, OF demoralZ stl0n and
confusion when he is nothing worse. But in man
States Of the Union the contractors have practi
cally governed the State Prisons. Tney have eNeI
cised a political influence superior to that OF tn
Nardens and Directors. They have punished thei
enemies and rewarded their friends, not only anon;
the officers, but even among the congicts. DR.
Wines saws OF the contract system that its iirs
effect " is t. place for the whole woTkn:
day all the prisoners contracted for, TO a grea
extent under the control OF men with OH
cial responsibility - men who see in the conyie
only so much machinery for making money; me-
whose only or at any rate whose chief reconmen
dation to the positions they hold in the prison
that they We're the highest bidders for the hu
man beings hired by them" A second effect c
this system is to introduce into the prisons agent
of the contractors who, for the most part, have no
only no interest in aiding reform Of the convlcts
bat are too ready TO oppose it. by Offering mschiey
Gus indugeucss to the cony.cts ipducemen
TO further industrial efforts. A third effect of tn
system, DR.. Wines Observes-"in former times es
peeially conspicuous in New York-is to set up i
the prisons power behind the throne create
than the throne; power well nigh omnipoten
within It's sphere; power that coerces, bride
and threatens in pursuit Of its selfish ends
power thai makes and unmakes others, impose
and RENTS punishment through agents whom
has been able to bend - its will, and even stOop
10 mean devices TO get the poor prisoner VII
has incurred its wrath into struts AMI difficulties
that its revenge may be gTatiisd by the sight O
his punishment" The power OF which Dr. Wine
here speaks has certainly not been overestimated
it be true, General Pisbury declared, that Their
was not State Prison in New York whose WaI
dens could not and would not be removed il
twenty-four hours If the contra tors wIlled It.
Toe contract system is whol liz adverse 70 reform
and therefore when reform is contemplated il !
20 be avoided. Rut it must be distinctly under
stood that when the spoils system prevails in IN
appointment Of prison officials, even the contrac
system may be more economical for the State thai
any other. The management Of prison labor b.
the state officials prcsupposes fitness on their par
20 undertake that duty II they do not possess thi
fitness 10 is simply imUossible that they can acsom
plish what IS expected Of them, AMI no matter hoy
willing they may be they are certain 70 entail grea
waste and loss upon the State. Now it is clear tina
the new Constitution, in DIVIDING for the abolition
OF the contract system at the time that il pro
yided for the elimination Of politics from the prs0
administration, contemplated the transfer Of priso
labor TO state officials who should be chosen 70
their special fitness. But inasnuch as the Consti
tuition has been ignored in the appointment o
officers it follows that the change from the contrac
system TO that Of State management argues eX
trayagance error AID loss Instead Of increases
economy. There is no instance on record Of a stat
Prison managed as those Of California now are
being brought to a self.suppOiting condition, o
even 20 4 condition Of moderate expenditure. Tn
teaching OF experience is that wherever politics con
troll penal offices the labor Of the conucts can on
be made in any way profitable by adopting the con
tract system, with ali its evils. As Or. Wine
says: ." When party politics dominates these ad
miuistrations, and when, owing to the filctuatiOn
OF politics, new and inexperienced men are s.
often put in charge Of our prisons il is not to b
expected that 50 vast and complicated a m lchin
as the Industries Of a large prison should be sue