Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-03-08

Warden Hatch Protests Against Send
ing them to Detroit.
Gspsr.l Legislative Notes.

Warden Hatch Of Jackson prison appear
ed before the state judiciary commitfe
few DAYS ago TO advocate the repeal OF the
law Of 1887 which allows one-year prisoners
To be sent to the Detroit house OF correction.
His argument embraced showing that
Jackson prison could keep conylcts, 80 iar
as board and clothes go, for less than twelve
cents a day, and including everything that
entered into the cost, for less than nIteen
cents day for each prisoner The force OF
men in the prison Is short ana ne cOulo
readily place 200 more convicts on contracts
paying seventy cents day. The TACT that
the Detroit house Of correction was the only
prison In the state paying expenses seemed
TO irritate Warden Hatch. He thought the
state was giving the Detroit Institution
the means Of making this showing and In
Weighed against the policy. so lar an re.
formatory work is concerned he claimed
that the jackson prison was doing more
than the Detroit house OF correction-as-
sorting that no reformatory work was done
at all at the latter place. As regards moral
influences he claimed that the sentiment
that first offenders ought not 70 be sent TO
state prison was not founded on good kn0wl-
edge of criminals and criminal ways. The
class Of prisoners, tramps and humans
found in the city bridewells were inde-
scribably filthy in their personal habits ana
dreadful contamination resulted from per
hitting boys and young fellows in for
first offense from coming in contact with
such. He preferred and thought every
humanitarian would prefer to have sucn
young offenders placed in u prison, such as
Jackson, where the moral tone was higher
and where the class Of criminals, though
deeply versed in crime, were devoid OF the
terrible habits which characterized the
body of house of correction inmates. War
den Hatch said that the repeal OF the
$4,000 more income, and he put 1t on
that ground saying that although the De
troit house Of correction cared FOR county
convicts gratis, it was wrong 10 send such
convicts there as long as the state prisons
were not full; nor could he see that Detroit,
though paying, as he said, one sixth Of the
state taxes, was entitled to any considera-
ton in this matter, being evidently mortined
TO confess that his institution could not be-
made self supporting, but year after was an
applicant for state bounty. One could only
Judge from Warden Hatch's speech that he
could see no way TO reduce his deficit ex-
cept TO pitch into the business of the De-
troit house Of correction and thus, II posi-
BILE prevent il from being cause OF lrrlta-
ton by the ability which its conductors dis
play in making both ends meet. Warden
Hatch also favors indeterminate sentences.
The house committee on ways and means
have reported favorably the bills TO give the
institute for the deaf and dumb at Flint
Sl2S, 900, and the Kalamazoo insane asylum
$4,000 for chapel, 5000 for a new well
and 81 900 for a new sidewalk.
Speaker DieSma has appointed Represen-
tatives jackson, Salisbury and Baker
committee To correspond and acquire facts
about the effect of cigarette smoking on
minors.
Representative Zogelmeyer has intro
duced bill TO provide for holding general
elections once in four years instead OF
every two years, and extending the term
~ fh.ae and a. tatn nd
officers TO four years; also a bill providing
for four-years' term of Office for coroners,
surveyors and all other county officers
whose terms are not fixed by the constitu-
ton.
The governor has approved the general
railroad act enabling the Flint & Pere Mar
quette 10 purchase the Port Huron Il
Northwestern road.
The house has passed the Nagel bill pro-
vidlng for the election of Detroit school
inspectors by wards instead of at large,
and il has gone to the governor. The bill
provides that the ballots for school inspec
tors shall be placed in separate ballot
boxes, a wise provision in view of the
probability of the passage OF the Murtagh
bill, giving the women of Detroit the right
10 vote for school inspectors and making
them eligible to that office.
Representative Tyrell's free school text
book bill was discussed before the house
committee on education the other day.
Supt. Estabrook and Messrs. Babcock and
Sill of the state board of education were
present and made arguments in favor Of
the measure with certain amendments. 1t
provides that the state board should adver-
tise for bids from publishers of cost of
books delivered TO county seats and then
leave the option with school districts TO
purchase such books If they see tit, select
ing from the bids that are printed and sent
TO them. The system of free text books
has been tried in East Saginaw at an aver
age cost per capita during three years or 73
cents. Mr.. Tyrell believes that uniformity
will result in time from the adoption Of the
free text book plan.
Additional state News.
Stewart =. Cook, a prominent Lansing
,-nnun M on hac haau arras cd oh t,,;tb