Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-10
WHAT is THE MATrER WITH THE
PRISONS?

The late Commission to inquire into the
conduct OF the State Prisons of California
was appointed in July, 1881, and re.
ported in August of that year. One of
She questions submitted to was that of the
wisdom of the scheme for the manufacture
of lutte products. As to whether the IN.
dertaking would prove profitable, the Com
mission, after stating all that was theoreti-
eaIy claimed for the plan, answered that
they viewed the possible profits as purely
speculative, and added
From information obtained, as well as from testi-
mony given before US we are led to the conclusion
thai all manufactures conducted by convict labor in
prisons Is at the greatest disadvantage az regards
every factor save the one OF cheap labor. The sir
gle iuduCement, then, to the establishment of any
manufacturing enterprise in a prison with convict
2bOr IS the cneapness Of the manual labor or hand
skill. Since this is the single advantage it follows
that only such enterprises as engage IN the manu-
f&c,ure OF products not capable Of being produced
by machinery, and in the production only Of that
class Of articles wherein the cost Of labor largely e
ceads the cost Of material, be made successful
We repeat that manufactures in prisons are at dis
advantage as regards every element Of cost entering
iut0 the production Of wares and merchandise ex-
cePt the single fact of labor, hence the employer of
prison iApor VIII enjoy no competitive advantage
GO any ether element and the larger this factor the
moro reasonable the probabilities Of success.
Alter giving the figures, and reciting
historical facts upon which these con.
clnaions were based, the Commissioners
added
Conyicts as a class have neither the capacity nor
she disposition to acquire skill Of any kind. The
uumher OF mechanics and artisans among the con-
Vicis Is phenomenally small. We therefore entertain
grave apprehensions as to the adaptability Of this
labor 20 the successful manufacture Of lutte fabrics
For these and many other reasons We cannot share
the confidence which seems 20 have inspired this
important undertaking.
Oae Of the reasons given IL detail was
STATED to bs the fact that the raw material
mast come from India, and the freight
upon it will eliminate the protection the
freight element would otherwise afford.
With the jute grown and manipulated by
the cheapest labor in the world, with the
hest machinery and cheapest operative
labor, the manufactures of India have paid
no dividend to the capital invested, say the
Commission, nor does the experience of
the manufactures at Dundee afford greater
encouragement. Ia later page of the re-
port 1t is added
snere is no instance on record Of a State Prison.
managed as those Of California now are, being
brought to a sof-supp0rtug condition, or even to a
condition Of moderate expenditure. The teaching
OF experience is, that wherever poltcs control penal
Offices, the labor Of the conyicts can only be made
in any way profitable by adopting the contrac. sys-
ten, with all its evils.
These conclusions and forecasts in the
report were not sufficient to shake the
faith of those who believed the prisons
could be made seli.supporsing, especially
by the jute manufactures. But the works
were erected, the machinery put in and the
experiment made, and now we have the
beginning of sequel which indicates very
clearly that the final result will be, if not q
fat failure, at least the mere starved skele.
Ton OF success. Taken at its best, the scheme
has been barren of anything promised 70,
1t, and the judgment of the Commissioners,
1t would appear, is about to be fortified and
confirmed. Recently published reports
show that the prison at San Quentin costs
The State 5000 per day, and that the earn.
ings Of the institution do not reach $3.50
per day. At this rate it will cost the State
as much to run the prison as it formerly
did. The boast was, the public will clearly
remember, that the jute works would
nl2ke the San Quentin works selfsupport.
Ing But as is now being developed, the
inexOrable logic of bookkeeping proves
San Quentin to be as much Of a burden as
formerly. It is fair to admit that in ont
year the jute works appeared to be con
Irritating materially to the support of the
prison, and there was some profit arising
OUT Of the labor bestowed by the convicts
Bat the false quantity resided in the fac,
That the appropriation made for jate by
reason of the sale of bags, transferred it
self TO the supporting account-S5O,
900 was the sum appropriated
70 buy jute; the sacks when sole
disposed of this material and the amount
Of the sales comprised the cost of mate
nal. The proceeds of sales go into thu
general fund and are thence drawn out fol-
expenses. The result is now apparent
s' Things are developing precisely as was
50 clearly forecast by the Commission Of