New-York tribune., 1886-03-22
rHE prison pRoGLEu ~ THE LEGIs-

LIIURI
If the prison problem is not solved during
the present session of the Legislature the fail
urc will not be- due to want of light The
Superintendent Of Prisons has presented the
subject in all its salient phases in his annual
report. Thr Prison Association has submitted
its views. Bills have been introduced proyid-
ing for the public account system, the piece
price system. for a modification of both these
systems, and fora return to the abandoned con-
tract system Besides, concurrent resolution
is pending which submits the matter to tie
people, as was done III le~3. The legislators
who are in charge of these respective measures
are ready with arguments in their behalt-
already there has been 4 good deal of dis
cussion. And so, as we have remarked, if the
State does not determine this year, through lis
representatives in the Legislature, what shall
be its Prison policy, it cannot be claimed that
Senators or Ass,mbymcn lacked the necessary
light.
The Assembly on Tuesday after an extended
debate ordered abill to Il third reading which
if it becomes Il law Will commit the State to
the piece price system. Writing of his system
in his last annual report the Superintendent Of
Prisons said:
Under it, the state prison contracts to make Ger
tain number OF articles for the contractor with the
mIchuery aud from material, winch he furnishes. The
state ia not compelled to make an immense investment
of capital If it has thousands of prisoners to be en-
plOycd II doe, not buy the plant aud raw materials in
the market. It's not compelled 20 fad market Tor tic
products. The OF the state prison, would not
be taxed under this plan they would he under the
state account system, with the b,,si0css of buying,
manufacturing ind selling Their tims aud their energy
co1ld be completely and effectively gwen to the
instIaton O the prisons, as 10 realize the most
beneficial results il the reform and elevation o the
victs And this is most important consideration, it
VIII be confes ,ed. ror il all tie prisons in the state
that is the state prisons. he put at work on state
accolut they will turn out total product that is 'iAeIy
to reach s3,OOOOOO year In rros value. whoever
manages this business with degree OF Success
viii show business qualities and Will be compelled
to work with untrng assduity. But the piece price
plan will avoid all this extensive work by state officials
and viii also avoid the heavy rish, Of the business.
But while expressing decided preference for
the piece plan system, the Superintendent was
also of the opinion that the State account sys-
TEN conld be made self-sustaining after the
plant and equipment had been furnished Be
fore ordering the piece plan bllf to a third
reading the Assembly took a vote on motion
to substitute a State account bill in its place.
The motion was lost, but the fact that forty
two members favored 1t shows that the State
account system is by no means destitute of ad-
vocates. Indeed, wncn the Assembly passed a
bill appropriatng Sl.1OO,000 for the prisons it
was concluded that the majority favored the
State account plan.
1t is by no means certain that if the Assem-
bly, passes the bill which was ordered to third
reading the other house will concur. For bills
are now pending in the Senate which are in
the nature of a compromise That is, they pro-
pose to allow the Superintendent TO avail him
self of both the systems referred to. And since
the Superintendent. has reported that it is not
necessary that one system be adopted to the
exclusion of the other, a majority Of both
houses may decide that it is wise to adopt
policy for the present under which both sys-
TENS can be subjected to a competitive eXami-
nation,