St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-15
NO CONTRACT LABOR.
The House Recommends Drastic
LEGISLATION for the State Prison.

Ano mouse 6ecOm mm6neOS Drastic
Legislation for the State Prison.
The Keyes bill, prohibiting the let
ting of contracts for the employment of
prison labor ana the rental of shops
and grounds at the state prison at Still
water, and to remove the contractors at
the expiration of their contracts. was a
special order for yesterday afternoon.
This bill Is the outcome of the report of
the special committee which investi-
gated the management of the state
prison.
There was a short, animated discus
sion over the bill
Mr.. Keyes ably urged the passage of
! the bill, and riddled the management of
the state prison.
Mr.. Searle was not opposed 10 the
bill. but he considered that if contract
labor was abolished at the state prison
proper provision should be made to
carry out the state account sys ten for
! the employment of the cOuVicts. He
accordingly moved an amendment pro-
yiding an appropriation of SIOO.OOO to
enable the prison managers TO furnish
means Tor employing the cOnvIctS.
MI. BJOrge said the amendment if
adopted would kill the bill.
Mr.. heyeS ludOrSed this view.
The amendment was voted down.
A motion was made to indefinitely
postpone the bill.
Mr.. Kinney made an exhaustive and
able argument IN favor of the bill. The
management of the state prison had
long been a theme for scandal. ANY per
son who read the report of the special
committee must come to the conclusion
that 1t was time to sever the relations
thresher company. He denounced the
manner IN which the machinery of the
state and that owned by the thresher
company had been c0mmingled SO that it
was now difficult to tell which belonged
TO the state Or which belonged to the
threSher company. The prison man
ayers. when before the committee. with
but one exception. made most lament
able showing. The prison managers
had paid the thTester company $4,000
for buildings that belonged to the state.
Mr.. LOmen-Whose fault is il the
thresher company has been able TO de-
fraud the state Of this money?
Mr.. Kinney-The board Of prison
managers.
Mr.. Lomen-lf you enact a law estab-
fishing the state account system do you
not give the board OF managers still
more work?
Mr.. kinney-Yes, sir.
Mr.. LOmen-And a greater facility
for defrauding the state.
Mr.. Kinney remarked that he was not
specially committed to the state account
system.
Mr.. Bell declared that the Republi-
cans were not alone responsible for the
miSmanagement of the state prison.
The Democratic party was equally re-
spOnsible.
Mr.. DOyle-I rise to point of order.
The gentleman is not confining himself
to the merits of the bill.
Mr.. Mcclure lin the chair)-The gem
tleman must confne himself to the bill
under discussion.
Mr.. Wacek-If the gentleman wants
to make stump speech let him 90 into
the country.
Mr.. Bell. proceeding, claimed that the
investigation Of the management of the
state prison started with the Republic
ans. He again claimed that the Repub-
llcans were not responsible Tor the man
agement OF the state prison.
Mr.. DOYle-Who appointed the board
of prison managers?
Mr.. B.ll-WhO confirmed them?
Mr.. Doyle-The senate. But who ap-
pointed them?
Mr.. Bell refused to answer the cues
ton.
Mr.. Doyle vigorously pointed out that
the Republican party could not shirk
the responsibility Of the state prison