St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-01
TO HUSTLE CONVICTS.
The Habitual-Crlmina Law Fa-
yored for Minnesota.

Prison legislation was Thoroughly
discussed last evening. The senate
and house committees met in the senate
chamber, when Senator Durant's bill
was read and discussed for two and a
half hours. This bill repeats all pre-
vious laws relating to the state prison,
and consists of thirty closely written
manuscript sheets. Secretary Hart, of
the charities and corrections board, has
rendered valuable aid in framing this
important piece of legislation, the pro-
visions of which may be concisely set
forth as follows:
Itprovides that the board OF inspectors
shall be styled board of managers and con-
sist OF five instead of three members.
1t provides that the warden shall be ap.
pointed by the board of managers instead Of
as now, by the governor of the state.
1t provides that no prison officer shall re-
eeiye any compensation for work done in
the prison, aside from the compensation al
lowed by law, and forbids officers receiving
any gifts from conyicts or compensation Tor
services performed for convicts.
1t provides that convicts, instead OF re-
as compensation for good conduct, Shall re-
ceive on an average 10 cents per day Tor
each working day, graded from 8 cents to
II cents per day, according to their industry
and Willingness.
1t provides the appointment of prison
teacher and the establishment of school
system in the prison.
1t provides for extending the parole sys-
tenn already established for the st Cloud re-
formatory to a certain portion Of state con-
Victs.
1t provides that life convicts, after serving
the equivalent of tWenty-years sentence,
shall be eligible for parole by the governor
on recommendation of the state board OF
pardons.
It provides what is known the habitual-
criminal law already established i'll Massa-
chusetts, Ohio and Illinois. Under the law
a man who has served two previous terms OF
three years each, either in or out OF the
state, when he is convicted Of a third felony
may be sentenced for a term OF tWenty-one
years as an habitual criminal SUBJECT 10
parole after the expiration of the ordinary
sentence for his crime, provided ne can con-
vince the board of managers that ne mas
discharged.
1t provides that the board Of managers
may employ conVicts, either on the state
account plan, the peice-prlce plan
or the contract plan: c OF Two OF OF
may be for the best interests of the state and
the convicts. If the contract system is used
it shall be under the following restrictions:
First, free labor to be excluded from the
prison; second. no labor to be let ior less
be let for more than five years; fourth, the
state to reserve the right to fix tasks, trans
fer convicts from shop to shop ana take any
convict off the contract at the discretion or
the warden; fifth, any such contract must be
approved by the governor and state auditor:
sixth, if the piece price plan is adopted all
foremen must be employees of the state; sew
enth, all building and repairs within the
prison walls to be reformed with CONVICT
labor on the state account.
Representative Willrich was opposed
to the provision for contract labor, his
''pet theory" being to employ state prls-
oners solely on the public account plan.
Gen. Norrish, A. K. Doe and Gen.
Dunn, members of the prison board,
controverted Mr.. Willrich's arguments.
but the most able exposition of prison
labor was given 10y Secretary Hart.
This gentleman has national reputa-
ton for his efforts in the direction OF
prison reform. He is not opposed to
the state account system in principle,
but authoritiyeiy stated that under the
conditions Minnesota was placed, that
system could not yet be successfully
introduced in one fell swoop. 1t must
be done gradually; and for that reason
he strongly advocated the provisions OF
this bill.
''Do you want to make money out of
the convictS?" was an Interpolation
made by Representative Willrick."
''Why not?" was the retort of Mr.
Hart. "Why should not the state
make money out of the convictS? There
is too much sentlmentalism about
working convicts. They should be
made to work good honest days labor
like other men--you or l, for instance
and when they come out of prison it
would be much better for them. You
work convicts six hours per day, heat
their cells with steam, provide electricity
and send them to school at night. What
use are they when they come out to
hustle for themselves. Yes; would
have the state make money out of the
work of cOnvicts. 1t would be better
for the convictS themselves"
Two amendments were pro posed to
the bill, which will next be referred to
he senate