St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-13
A PRISON EDITOR TALKS.
Intelligent Opinions Expressed
tt Cole Younger's Idea.

Cole Younger's Idea.
Lloyd Porter, a practical printer be-
fore entering prison, and now editor of
the Mirror, has also devoted much in
telligent thought to the matter. He
says:
After much thought, based upon re-
search among prison reports, news
paper discussion, and arguments and
speeches delivered before pri on con-
crosses, have come TO the conclusion
that the man is deluded who claims that
any plan thus far proposed is prac-
lem. 1t is a many-sided ques-
ten: few holding to the abb
surd theory that the convict should
not labor at all; others that he should
be worked at whatever will produce the
greatest revenue to the state. But the
greater number contend that refOrma-
ton should be the prime Objectin select
Ing system for employing the convict.
We, as convicts, naturally favor the lat
ter idea, and have on our side the high
est authorities on the question of 'What
shall we do with our conyicts?: The
answer of the authorities is. "Reform
them at any cost" Those who ask for
revenue only are short-sighted, and
would have present gain at the cost OF
a future loss. No system ever tried has
given satisfaction to all. The lease sys-
tenn, which gives the greatest revenue,
is contrary 60 all wise and humane prin-
ciples. The contract system, while not
the worst for the convict. gives
the persons employing him a
great and ruinous advantage over
the employer of free labor. The
public account plan is most favored by
those really having at heart the best in
terests of the convict, the state and the
labor element. That our board of in
spectors do not favor this system does
not say that they are not honest in rec
ommending return to the contract
system, but they seem to be figuring on
immediate results, fearing to take the
responsibility of trying the public &C
count plan. because it has not been
proved a success in some states. They
advance against it one argument that
think speaks really in its favor. and
that is that they found poor discipline
and other evils existing in those prisons
where the state account system was not
working well. Now that shows only
that the prison complained of was not
under efficient management, for il there
is any system under which good disci-
pline may be maintained it is that which
gives the states officers complete con-
troll of the prisoners.
The assertion that better disciplinary
and reformative results may be had un-
Ger the contract system than under any
other is also bosh. Some wardeES favor
the system because itSreduceS their own
responsibility to the minimum. II pris-
Oners are not worked enough for their
own good, and are pampered and petted
under the state account system, it is the
fault of the warden rather than the
system.
COLE YOUNGER,
preferring to bear known ills than to
fly to others he knows not of, favOrs a
return to the contract system. He be-
]ieveS that-"When the cOnvictS are
worked by the state we don't know
from time to time who our next officers
will be. They would perhaps be DESTROYS
to retain their positions, and so work
the men all the harder. The outer
world would be barred from us, while
under the contract system the prison
officials would be at hand to protect us.
My long experience here leads me TO be-
lieve that the contract system is best
for the state, and consequently best for
the convicts; the intetestS of the two
cannot be separated. Under the con-
IEdCU SASlclll Utdlc jill GllC Stoves lOr
the threshers for years, and at other
times made more than any citizen la
borer. l could have done one-third
more than did, but quality of work was
what the company looked for, and |
never was urged in the least to turn
out more work than / did. Probably
nine-tenths of the inmates here favor
the state account plan. but three-fourths
of them know nothing about the matter,
ana in time they would curse that plan
as roundly as they now condemn the
contract system"
FAVOR THE CONTRACTS.
Levi TresSler-l have had four years.
experience working here for the con-
tractors, part of the time at the books
and the rest Of the time as mlllwright,
until my toes were torn Off in the ma
chinery. We want anything but idle
ness. | favor the contract plan, but
that heretofore in force should be I'M
proved in some particulars. 1t would
better to grade the pay per convict ac-
cOrdng TO his worth, making the maxi
mum per diem, say so cents, and give