New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-15
THE CONVICT LABOR PROBLEM.
SENATOR rAssETT,s SOLUTION.

SENATOR FASSETT'S SOLUTION.
OBJECTIONS ToTHE YATES PRISON BILL WHICH
ARE oBvIATED IN THE FAssETT MEASURE.
tsY TELEGRAPH TO rRR rRmuSEl
Albany. Apui l4-The members, Of the Assembly
VINO followed Assenblyman Yates last week In his
effort TO compel continuation in this state Of tho
present unwse and exravagant prison policy 10 which
was added by his bill that rorc OF barharism the
chaln-gang were altogether hssy and before send
ms this measure to third reading should have
studied carefully the provisions OF the bin introduced
oy Senator Fsssett Upon this there has been ex.
pended great amount of careful thought ana atten.
non, and In ITS construction the services of those
best fitted TO make provisions for tho care and main
tenance OF the prisoners of this State were enlisted
Inc Dill was drawn up by Professor Collins of the
Elnila Law School. who Is probably as familiar with
the needs Of thc prisons any man In the state He
was for some time connected with the Elnira Re
formatory, and while there and since has made a
thorough study OF this problem. with him were as
ISOLATED In the drawing of tbs bill several persons
conversant with the prisons and their needs SO that
the measure is capitalization Of the ideas Of those
most competent to pass Judgment In this matter
Tho evil results of Judge Ystes's bill have been
so widely discussed that It was a matter Of great
surprise TO find that there are stil members of the
Legislature who persisted In upholdng 1t Under
this system the additional cost to tho State for tho
support OF the prisons win be nearly half q million
dollars. Superintendent Mcintyre of the Albany
Pcnentiary, said the other day the doing away with
work there VIII Albany at least $45 900. To
the cities OF Rochester and Buffalo, the additional
expenses under the Yates law viii make tho burden
which viii fall upon these three cities at least
100000.
AZ It now Is, under the act passed at the extra
session of the Legislature last summer there is prac
ticay work being done In the three State prisons
and tho Reformatory at Elmira Tho prisoners
becoming unmanageabe. and disastrous results to
their physical and mental health sure to follow
unless they have something to do.
The provisions Of the Yates bill do not provide
for enough work to keep any number Of prisoners
employed, and the prisoners themselves are begging
for something to do. At Elmra, superintendent Brook
way has organized regiment, and the get exercise
In tho drill thai they compelled to through daily.
The Yates bill, ais It now stands includes the
formatores and pententlaes the scheme OF cutting
of employment for the prisoners. This under the act
Of 1883, is an unsettled question, and the super
ntendents of penitentiarles and reformatores
do not know what to do until this
Is passed defeated It should be by the
passage OF the Fassett bin. The prison laws now
In much the same condition as are the excise laws
OF the State. They are contradictory and rambling,
and Of the sIperintendents really know whether
they are obeyng the law or motif Is so mixed and
muddled Tho Fassett bill is a codiHcation Of tho
the powers and duties Of all prison officials 1t rcpeas
mass of laws passed from time TO time which
are still on tho statute books but have become In
operative by subsequent acts. The principal feature
OF the bill is tho application TO the state prisons OF
the intermediate sentence. cketofleaye PLAN now
tn successful operation at the Elmira Reformatory.
Regarding the employment Of the prisoners and the
plans authorized, there these provisions:
The system Of productive labor In each Of said prisons
shall be either the pubheaecount system or what Is
known tho peceprico system, or partly one or partly
other Of such systems, tho Superintendent OF
state Prisons shall determine BY the publio-account
system the system by which the State furnishes
machinery material the labor Of the prisoners and
markets the products Of such labor thereon BY the
peeeprice system is meant the system by which the
State payment tho products Of the labor OF
prisoners upon materials and machinery furnished by
the person making such payment furnished partly By
such persons and partly BY tho State.
Provision Is also made for giving credit b pris-
oner from 10 lo cents q day for the work. which he
may expend for books instruments. this sum to DO
paid 70 him at the expiration OF his term OF sentence
great diversity Of employment Is also called Dor,
and such employment as q prisoner Is hkely to be
able to work at when liberated. Tho number en-
ployed IN one branch Of manufacture Is restricted
10 per cont Of those engaged In that particular IN
dustry the STATE system of fines ia also intro
dncce. and 90 cents day for the time prisoner
loses for bac conduct is deducted from tho sum &C
cumulated on account Of his labor. board OF
parole consisting Of tho principal officers OF each
state prison. WIN examine the prisoners record while
N jail, and If satisfied that reformation
has come parole the prisoner, who, II again ransgress
Ing is liable 10 receive the maximum sentence I'm
posed upon him. judges authorized 10 give both
positive ndeterminate sentence, as the case
may be.
With all those features save the labor problem. both
tho friends of Judge Yaess scheme and his opponents
are united and Senator Eassetts blu with the labor
night 10 the Assembly by Mr.. Bush This is done 10
have the cOdIhcs and the ind,etminate sentence
and other valuable features OF the the
the statute books though the Yates law with tho
amendments made this year remains. This Is hardly
probable however for the idea Of having men locked
up In small close cells during the hot summer months
with the chance OF becoming Insane through solitude
and idlcness Is repugnant and tho members OF the
senate are not likely TO pass the Yates BILL but
will undoubtedly substitute Senator Fassotfs measure
for IT, Added TO these Objectionable conditions.
comes the chain gang provision for the county prisons,
A demoralizing ard uncvillZed proposition. -,
There viii be hearings Senator Fassets Dill this
week when It's provisions will be explained