St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-07
The Senate Committee Pre-
fePs Contract to State Ae-
count System.
And Gives VoIuminous Rea.
sons for Recommending
the Change.
They Also Recommend the
Adjustment OF the Boa I'd
OF Inspection
By Substituting a Commits
sioner TO Be Named by
the Governor.

y
the Governor.
Several very radical changes are rec
commended by the special senate cons
mIttee which Investigated the affairs
and management of the penitentiary at
saltwater. The report was submitted
yesterday, and begins with an exhaust
i've and intelligent resume of workings
OF the prison prior to the act of 1889.
Until then the contract system of IabOr
obtained, but since that act part OF the
labor has been OG the state account
plan. After giving the details of the
contract with the Minnesota ThresheP
company already printed in the GLOBE
the report says:
While your committee are of the opinion
that the condition which led the board CT
managers to make such. g contract was an
unfortunate one and ought not 10 have ex-
lsled, they conclude that as long as it cid
exist. the board of MANAGERS were iustI-
ned III entering into the contract that they
made. and that under all the circumstances
u was as wise All application OF the prison
LABOR Tor two years as could have been made.
FROM these unfortunate conditions. produced
without doubt by IucOnSIdeTate legislation in
regard to the prison and prison labor, the
wisdom ard avoid all lncOnsiderate and
! thoughtless action relating to the prison.
tDe prisoners ana the general management of
al matters pertaining thereto. After n
thorough examination OF Witnesses and of all
matters connected with the management of
the state prison, your committee conclude
that the modification OF the contract entered
INTO IN lee2 by the legislature was exceedingly
uuWIse and injurious TO the state and that
the changes IN the law made by the act of
1889 has not contributed III the least to the
public welfare, ana That under its operation
/ the state > prison service has not been as
efficient and satisfactory as IL was under the
system which preceded tt. and the system
which preceded II was deficient.
No Further Time Extension.
The committee believes the board of
managers acted in good faith, and eXer-
cised their best Judgment in pUrchas-
Ing and setting up the binding tWine
machinery. but thinks:
There VIII be nothing realized for prison
labor applied 10 this work, and that If the
stale can avoid loss of money IN the CON
Quct or the business. without realizing any
thing from the labor. 10 VIII be the best result
that can rCasOnabiy be expected We TecOm-
mend lhat there be no extension of thIs in
dUstry. tor the reasons above set forth. and
the further Important reason that in this in
dHStfv c0DylctS ctu learn nOIhiug Of use 70
them after leaving hg prison In regard 10
the financial results TO the STATE of this IN
dustry we make reference 10 Schedule '.B, ~
hereto attached, W hieh Is made part Of our
report.
EaVOTs contract system.
The committee them discusses the
contract system at length, and urges
its adoption. It thinks the best results
would be obtained from longtime con-
tracts. let, after proper advertising to
the responsible bidder Offering the nigh
est price. The report SCOTS at the talk
OF competition with free labor. and saws:
The sentiment that prevails in The oominu-
nIty that prison labor completes with outside
labor rests upon 10 substantial foundation.
It all results from some false ideas and no.
tons that people gather from superficial
thinkers. and which have no foundation IN
the real facts involved. The whole number
of prisoners in the United States hv the cen
sus Of 1850 was less nan 6O,0J9 ana, If he
same percentage holds good in the
census of 1890. they do not at
this time exceed 1900 or $1,000.
while the whole number OF people engaged
in gainfUl occupations by the census of 1850
exceeded I1.0Alc0o. .aud by the present census
will no doubt reach 3).G01. 1.JJ8 To those now
living vino remember the time when 100000
of soldiers that had been Withdrawn from ali
gainful occupations TOR from one 20 three
years were All mustered Out in d few months.
and all entered UPOu these occupations with
out creating ripple or Il jar. 10 VIII be folly
to think about any 60.U00 or 7JGG0 DeO-
pie having any effect whatever upon
any branch of industry, unless IN some
special case in the immediate Vicin-
ity of some large prison II all the
prisoners IN the uited States were applied
10 the single industry of making boots and
shoes it WOHid not affect the market price Of
the manufactured product to any precepti-
bic degree. nor the number Of men outside
the prisoners that would be engaged IN the
same occupation. The public sentiment
that seems TO demand that a man who is en-
gagged IL q gCfutui occupation before ne COM
IN q
upon any occupation after he has committed
it. is not deserving of Rnv consideration
Whatever III is adverse to all sound princi-
pies OF public pOilcy ana IS the voluntary as
sumption of a burden by the iabOring classes
that they arc not called upon to bear and
should not be permitted to bear by the state.
Discipline Oi' tIae Past.
The committee believes that discipline is
more easily maintained with the prisoners
separated from citizens, and that the custom
of allowing prisoners and ciUizens TO work in
large numbers IL the same shops should ba
abolished
The discipline of the prison attained its
highest standard under Capt Reed. during
the last years of his administration, and has
been reasonably good under all the Wardeug
II was thought by some OF the board of mau-
ayers and By inspectors sent by the governor
that the discipline under the late warden,
Mr. Randall, vas not as good as should be
maintained. It IS possible that this warden
had mere sympathy with the prison.
ers anu was given too much to
acts of kindness naturally to enable
him TO maintain he highest standard of dis
clpllue: but all the evidence shows that he
was an honest. faithful and efficient officer
but tnat on account or want OF labor Tor the
prisoners and other circumstances existing
during his administration conditions deYel-
oped that induced the officers in charge OF
the prison to ask for his removal. This was
the result OF no particular failure upon his
part but OF Il desire on the part Of the Off
II he could be found ana for a higher state
or dlscl plIDe II u could be secured. Your
committee dnG tlat the board or managers
ana contractors al complained OF too lax
discipline on the part OF Warden Randall,
but there Was no evidence before US 10 show
any instance of complaint bv either Of
them TO the warden. or any order on heir
part tnat his methods OF discipline should be
changed.
Abolish the Board.
The report concludes with the suhieeT
of a prison board. and is OF the opinion
that such board is detrimental 1t
favOrs clothing the governor with more
executive power and then doing away
with the board. 1t recommends such
changes II the laws as VIII abolish the
boards of managers OF both states
prison and ref0rHatOries on and after
June /. 1891, and the appointment of
commissioner by tie governor. whose
duties shall be prescribed by law, and
VINO shall be required TO keep the gov
ern0r advised of the condition Of the
prisons and the prisoners at all times.
The Osborn d Cheseman company, brass
manufacturers. Birmingham, Ala. was out
into the hands OF q receiver Yesterday The
Liabilities are S350,009 and the nOmin II assets
S359.0N. The death last Week OF the pre- Il
dent Of the company George ". Cheseman