St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-13

1t would be we'll to appoint Superin
tendent other than the warden, who
should have full charge of the manu-
featuring business. The warden would
have charge of the convicts, and ought
to have authority to change them from
one work To another, in order that they
might learn a trade if possible. The
superintendent would have charge of
buying material.selling the products and
the managers should direct. Define the
duties of managers, warden and super
intendent SO plainly that each could be
held responsible for his department
without detriment to other departments.
l do not think the proposed enlarging
OF the board good policy. The more
members the less work, and the harder
it Will be to agree, in case each has
ideas of his own. If the contract sys-
tenn is to be restored. then the board is
already large enough. If any other
system, then board of three
is large enough. Unless salaries
OF the board are made large
enough so that the members can be
made responsible by being bonded,
larger board will make failure of any
thing. What is eyerybody's business is
nobOdy'S.
N am sorry that this convict labor
matter should be such puzzle at the
present time. To me it seems as easy
as A b c, for the next two years at
least. Our population is now 43S. and
may run up to 450 within the next
month. 1t is safe to say, however. that
by the 1st of June twill not be above
40. We have 1880 feet of wall to
build; the material will cost $500,
which sum has already been appropri-
ated. The prison needs school house,
that shall also be used for library. read
lng-rOom and school room, and will cost
$1,000. This will also come out of the
permanent Improvement fund. A great
deal of eXcavating is to be done that
can be accomplished by cOnvicts, as
we'll as the wall building and
the building of the school house,
so that at least half of our
convict force can be used for
two years on work that must be done in
the near future. But. coming down to
figures, out of the 40 convicts that I
estimate will be on hand June l, 25 will
be sick, old and infirm. We need IS for
state work THAT is shoe shop, tailor
shop, kitchen and cell roOnD. This
would leave us SO. Now, figure $50 for
wall-building. school house and excayat-
iuSS, anu stIc Iclb lOU.
refOrmatory law at least rs can be sent
to st. Clond, and this would leave us So
with which to begin experiments on the
state account and piece price plan. The
state will have enough useless machin-
cry to dispose of
TO PAY FOR ALL NEW MACHINERY
that will be needed for manufacturing
wooden ware, cheap furniture or chairs.
The population of this prison is not
likely to exceed 400 in the next six
years, because at least half of
the convictions will go the reforma-
tory. | believe that if the aforesaid
plans were carried out, 50,000 would be
amply suffici ct as capital to run this
business for the next two years, and
that but little more would be needed
then. [ known | am little out of
fashion in saying that the only requisite
to making this success. both for the
state and the sconvicts,is the exercise OF
a little common sense. Why, how
many manufacturers do you know OF
who starting with S100.000 plant and
$50, ,00D cash. failed to make a success?
1t is due the late contractors, so far as
have any knowledge to say that they
were much better than the late con-
tract. The latter gave away about all
the rights the state had, and mad 1t
been rigidly enforced, the contractors
would have been at the same time NAH
ayers, but they cheerfully and mag
unanimously waived some of their rights
under the contract.