St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-15
PRISON LABOR.
What the Governor Has Got to Say
UnOn Binding TWine


Upon Binding Irvine.
The board of managers of the state prison
at Saltwater has submitted its annual report,
giving an account of the important transac-
tons that have occurred since the last legis-
lature convened. After advertising for bids
for labor, in accordance with the law of
1889, and receiving none, a contract was
made with the Minnesota Thresher COM
pany, whereby about 175 of the cOnvicts
were employed by that corporation.
The board of managers were reluctant
to make this arrangement, but 1t seemed to
be the Wisest plan, all things considered. A
large number of buildings within the walls
of the prison were owned by the thresher
company, having been the property OF It's
predecessor. 1t was necessary in order to
make the contract with the thresher COM
pany TO agree TO take these buildings as part
payment for the labor furnished. There was
a question in the mind of the attorney gen
eral whether those buildings, legally, were
not the property Of the state. as they were
placed upon lands belonging to it, but as
it was known that they had been con-
structed by the former contractor. and
were i'll reality the property Of his
successor, in the interest of equity, the board
decided to purchase them in the manner In
dicated All question of ownership of the
buildings is therefore now settled. The con-
tract so entered into by the board of man.
with the law under which the the prison is
managed at this time. If the present system
or contracting the labor of portion OF the
convicts is TO be continued, 1t will be abso-
lutely necessary to permit the board OF man
ayers to make contract for at least ten
years, in order that the state may leap
the full advantage of this plan of using
its convict labor, it being practically I'M
possible to induce capitalists to expend the
necessary sum to utilize so large number OF
men unless they are given a contact extend
ing over sufficient period of time to war
rant large outlay in establishing a perma-
nent plant. number of the convtctS have
been employed i'll the labor of manutactur
ing wooden ware. with results sufficiently sat
isfactory to justify its continuance.
In accordance with quite a widespread
sentiment, an attempt will be made to en-
plOy portion of the prison labor by making
binding twine. Machinery for this purpose,
of the lest character obtainable, was pur-
chased upon satisfactory terms by a
| committee selected for that purpose. A
| guarantee has been given that the machinery
| will perform the labor claimed for it, and in
| case it does not meet requirements the state
| is not obliged to take or pay for it. 1t is sin
| cerely hoped that the experiment may prove
| n success. If results seem to make 1t desir-
| able. additional machinery may be pur-
| chased, and the producing capacity of the
| plant increased Should the attempt to man
| ufacture binding Irvine result satisfactorily,
| il will be of ineStimable advantage in pro-
! ducing much needed article at home, pre-
| sumablv at reduced cost, and. in addition, the
| convict labor will be utilized in waysnot to
| conflict with the free labor of the state.
Some additional appropriation will be re:
| quired TO properly carry OIL the business OF
| the manufacture of binding Irvine, in ac-
| cordance with the present plan.