Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-12-06
THEY ARE NEEDED
Government Penitentaries and
RefOrmatOries.
SO SAYS ATTORNEY GE >ERSL GAR
LANDS ANNUAL REPORT. Mg

Meeting of the Board of Promotion OF the
Proposed Constitutional Centennial and
the Worlds ExpOsitiOn-ResoIutiOn In
troduced to Elect the President by Pop
uIar Vote.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.--Attorney Genera
Garland, in his annual report, makes an
earnest appeal to cong ress to provide for the
construction of government penitentiaries
and reformatories. Recent laws that have
been enacted by states with regard to the
labor Of prisoners prove more conclusively
than ever, he says, the absolute need of such
institutions. Provisions should at once be
made looking to the erection of at least one
United States penitentiary, and if possible, a
reformatory.
The objection in the minds of many that
the cost Of conducting such an institution
would be so much greater than the existing
arrangement is being almost overcome by
the fact that the favorable contracts which
the department has heretofore been able to
enter into can no longer be made. This
arises from the fact that laws passed recently
by several of the states and by congress pre-
vent the employment OF prisoners on contract
labor This necessitates a resort 70 expert
ments in other SYSTEMS, as provision must
necessarily be made for the working Of con-
victs il discipline is to be maintained and the
prisoners health and comfort considered
A large number OF prisoners convicted in
United States courts are those who have
committed but a single offense, and VINO
have but commenced career OF crime If
they could be prevented II ON aSsoclating
with hardened criminals and not confined in
an institution which in every way suggests
criminal life, many, perhaps, could be re-
formed
Besides, many are young men who have
held positions Of trust and responsibility,
and who, through temptation, have com.
mitted some crime against the law of the
country. These, and the class referred 10
above, should not be confined in prison,
but the government shout4 provide suita-
ble reformatory where proper influences
could be thrown aroC nd them and their
reformation effected, as is done now in
several states.
In addition to all this, he says, it would
seem that the United States should have
model prisons and refornatories of its own,
in which to confine its criminals, and provis-
ions could be made for the employment OF
the inmates at some suitable industries on a
system of labor which would not violate the
recent act of congress, nor be inconsistent
with the laws passed by the several states,
and the prevailing opinion relative to the
subject of contract labor
The attorney general recommends special
appropriation of $315 900 for fees and ex-
penses of United States deputy marshals,
and adjustment of the marshal's fee bill
which has not been revised for thirty years
He also suggests the reorganization of the
official force of the department, and increase
of the force to correspond with the increased
amount Of work done during the last four
years
On this subject, the attorney general says:
'IThe work of the department during the
past year was n continuation Of what has
been its policy during the whole of the
present administration, u strict and vigcr-
Gus enforcement of the laws. For nearly
four years the department has kept this ob-
ject in view, and the result of its action are
very apparent
because of the diligent prosecution of
suits for the cancellation of fraudulent
patents and against timber trespassers and
plunderers of the public domain, it has come
TO be- understood that the laws enacted for
the regulation of the public lands, both as to
their general disposition and management,
and as granted to railroads AMI other cor.
porations, are of binding force. and are to be
rigidly and impartially executed u