The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-06-20

Minn,W

his intentions may be. No. the indetermi-
it IN it's turn may be susceptible Of great
improvement.
That the prison is great burden upon
the state grant, but there are many men
within these walls who are costing the state
money every day that should have been lib
Grated long ago, and now they would be
paying taxes into the state treasury instead
of being burden upon it, No man should
be kept here for one moment after the war
den and inspectors believe him capable and
| willing to earn an honest living Teach every
man here trade, place it within his power
to procure legitimate work. and give him
his liberty. Ii he then refuses to be hon
est, no penalty is too severe. Let the pris-
on be supported as are the other state nstI-
| tutiOns, the asylums for the blind, insane,
etc., and let every energy be directed to
make honest men out of every inmate OF
this place. The expense would be greater
at first, but it would be vastly less in the
near future. Every day that you keep
man here beyond the limit required to give
him the means of livelihood, is a positive
| injury to both the state and the man. 1t costs
the former money, and it costs the man
hope ambition. vitality. and blunts every
ennObling and elevating attribute that he
possesses. | venture to say that the warden
could point out, at the very least calculation.
! fifty men. and say with all truth and sim
cerity, Il know that these men have been
punished sufficiently know that it they
were given their freedom to-day that they
would at once become law abiding citizens. y
That is the way to reduce expenses" and
most just way, too.
The next statement in Observers article
that |, with many others take exceptions to
is this: ''All will grant that the state has
the right to imprisOn cOnvicts at hard labor
and to apply the proceeds of the labor, first
to the support of the convict" etc. AS far
as might makes right the state has this right.
But it has no moral right to use it as it has
been uSed-tO let us out at SO much per
capita per diem. The moment it does that
the main object of a prison is defeated.
The state loses the direct supervision of us:
we become as cattle. not men: our energies
wasted to swell the profits of greedy con
tractors.
And now | ask, what must be the inevit-
able consequence of this infamous system?
You can see it all around. Look, observe
the listleSs walk. the dull eye. the slow
movement OF every muscle, the careless
way in which the work is performed the
detected air with which the men march to
the shop where they must labor for naught,
receiving no thanks, no acknowledgment
| of services rendered. What life to live
as the years roll on. What is this | now
see: 1.-The state has the undisputed right to
work the convict to the end of the greatest
possible profit. which means hard labor, long
hours, close discipline to secure the greatest
amount of labor, close Overseers with none
to protect the convict from uni ust treat
ment.'
Verify, we must have been transpianted
to Siberia. Is it possible that the present
administration can change in a few short
weeks, from humane guardians to slave
drivers? Ah. no, Mr.. Observer; you err here
also. The abOlShment of contract labor is
but step in the right direction. but it is a
good long one. and a momentum once ac
qured will not be lost, and the contract sys
tenn will sink into obnoxious deSuetude."
To quote again There are many advan-
tageS to the convict in the contract system.
which will be apparent when he comes to
contrast it with a system where the officers
of the prison would have direct object in
getting the greatest possible amount of la
Dor out of each inmate You fail to state
what these many advantages are True.
we may have to work a little harder under
the new system. But if they give us grad
ed work and advance us as our ability is
made manifest none but chronic loafer
will object. | may be unusually dull. but l
cannot imagine these great advantages that
we are enjoying.
Again: I'VE have no assurance that
these evils will be eradicated." No, we