Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-02-12
A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT.

The Parties Who Signed the State Prison
Document illuminate In Self Defense.
Gov. Pillsbury has received lengthy
document defending the State prison con-
tract The following is the meat of the
article:
Messrs. Seymour, Sabin & Co. had indicated
to us they would pay Is cents per day for the
labor, and S 800 per annum rental, thus in.
creasing the earnings $4,000 per year; but, in
making this proposition, they strenuously in
sisted on provision in the contract of an ap-
preparation of $500 per annum for fire.
proof shops, and we as strenuously resisted
this condition, for we did not think it any part
of our duties to bind the State in this way.
If the legislature chooses to make further ap-
propriations, well and good. We did not
think it ought to originate from our board in
form of contract They gave way finally on
this point, and we decided to let them the
labor.
Within day or two after this decision
Messrs Forepaugh & TarboX waited on us in
diyidually, and said Mr.. Thompson's bid was
straw bid, made in their interest; that now,
being satisfied they conld not get the contract
on their straight bid, they would, avail them;
selves of Mr.. ThOmpson's straw bid; and said
they would sign the contract prepared for
Thompson, and waive the right to the use of
the machinery elsewhere than on the prison
grounds.
This offer, as far as revenue from the prison
is concerned, is about $4,000 per annum better
| than the one we have closed contract for.
During the time that had elapsed since it be-
came known that boot and shoe making was
| likely to be carried on by convicts, from rep
reservations made to us by reputable men and
statistics given showing the number of men
| now employed in this industry, it began to
| convince us weswere about to commit great
wrong We find there are four or five manu-
facturies in the State employing not less than
| $50 hands, besides numerous other and small
| er and private enterprises of a like nature. The
persons who have capital invested assured us
| they would have to abandon the field; that
| such competition would ruin them, and many
| others of our intelligent citizens said it would
| be an outrage to allow it.
| On the other hand, the present business car
ried on at the prison, may be said to be almost
without competitor; employing besides con-
| vict labor not less than 600 persons, all told,
in the state, and making machine that is an
honor and credit to Minnesota, and it has
| grown up to be vast mandatory.
| It is but Justice to Mr.. L. E. Reed, men,
| Der of the board, to state that we believe his
views do not coincide with ours, we think it
being his opinion We should let the labor to
the highest bidder. That is what he stated at
meeting previous to the last, and at his sug-
gestion a conference of the joint committee OF
both House and Senate was advised and re-
quested, when they unanimously recon-
mended our present action-yet i'm.
mediately after, when meeting OF
the board was called, he de-
clined to participate in our action, as of course
he had perfect right to do.
We ask most respectfully an approval of our
action both by yourself and the legislature.
| j. A. REED, Warden State Prison.
E. G. BUTTS, Chairman Board Inspectors
JOHN De LAITTRE, Inspector.