Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-12-30
NAMES PRISON.
WIat the inspectors Haze %
Say Regarding 4.
stroasiy Recommend tie RepeA 4
TIE 20 Per cest Law.

TIE 20 Per cesi Law.
Thsss asassts upsa - Atviss esssessiss
Jalts Il ~ slsls.
inspectors Of Prisons ard Isiis G. w.
Jones. A. w. Gilman and Augustus Bailey
made their annual report 10 the Goyernss
sna Council at the meeting Of the latter on
Thursday. In beginning their report Of
the condition Of the STATE Prison they say
During the past year the affairs Of the phi
son have been conducted in 3 very salts
factory manner The discipline has been
good, the panishments few. she beaish Of
the conyicts 20 good that the hospital has
been turned into a sclaooiroom. the food
plain but Of good quality, and everything
about the prison has been kept in perfect
coalition. The manufacturing industries
have been a. successful as eosh be expect
ed under the circumstances. The number
of conviets has not been 30 small for many
years. The average this year has been ~
less than last year. reducing the number Of
days labor of conyiets .3.i2 days, which at
% cents per day would redace our earning
capacity 81 .243. There has been no appro-
pYiasion from the State except for portion
Of the officers salaries. consequently what
ever deficiency there has been has had TO be
made up by reducing The stock already 10
hand. The prison has never Ia It's history
been made self supporting although at time
its affairs have been's so fixed as to show he
institution a. self sustaining. SO far AZ we
can learn there is no penal institution 10 the
country that 10 self supporting or anywhere
near IL, ana ali talk of making our prison
pay its running expenses is the sbeerest
nonsense. The thing for Us TO consider Is
not how to make the prison pay, but how
little money we can lose in its operation.
AFTER careful study Of the existing law
restricting the employment Of convict labor
to 20 per cent. OF the convtefs in any
given indastry, we are fully prepared
to recommend its repeal. With our
present small number Of conyicts Ii Is i'm
possible to obtain the best results in EN-
ploying them in so many diversified indus
tries with 50 large a number of instructors
and disciplinarians. No man, however
great he may be, can be found for a warden
who can attain that degree of proficiency
that will enable him to so successfully man
age Eve different kinds of business as to
obtain the maximum results in each; and
in these times of close competition maxi
mum results are necessary in order to run
trs tr nit tfas
turing could be reduced to two good indus
tries they to be selected by the inspectors
and warden, far better results can be OBJ
tanned and at far less expense to the State
Our conditions and markets are so constant
iy changing that we believe the employ
ment of our convicts should not be gov
erned by any fixed and iniiexible law.
IAN opportunity was presented during the
past year to lease the conyicts to reliable
parties in New York at good price to
manufacture pearl buttons--an industry
that would not conflict with n single wagi-
Garner in the State, but the parties desiring
the service of all the men. were Obliged uH
der the existing law TO decline the offer.
The average number of couvicts EN-
ployed in the workshops the past year has not
been far from 80. These men are largely APP
prentces, not over seven per cent. of them
having trades when they entered prison
These 40 men rs worked at the prison do
the work of about 40 paid men laboring IN
similar employmcnts outside the prison, AMI
without the aid of machinery of any kini
do the work of about 20 lahoring in similar
outside industries with the all Of machinery
aud labor saving devices. The idea that any
industry or class of labor is material.
" injured by such competition
rs this. is the most arrant
nonsense. The best interests of the State
and the convict demand that the prisoner
be employed at some financially productive
trade that will give them the means of live
lihood when they gain their liberty and
again become a part of our social and in.
dus,rial life.
The inspectors and warden are interested
a. much AS anyone to so employ the con
yicts that the products of their labor will
come In competition with outside free labor
as little as possible"
The inspectors speak very highly of the
eiiicieu, labors of Rev. G.. A. Plumer. ap
pointed last June as chaplain and teacher,
and recommend that the Legislature make
the chaplain regular prison officer and
provide a regular salary for the same. |
They also recommend provision
for natron as in other prisons in
the United States. They say that an engine
and some machinery are an imperative
necessity, In this connection they say 1T
seems 10 Us that the interest of the State |
and OF the ronvicts Il best served by making |
use of machinery in prison work"
They recommend that the prison be
lighted by electricity and that the State !
either put in d suitable plant or contract
with some reliable company to furnish the /
light They recommend that some law be /
passed intlietiug additional punishment upon |
life couvicts who shall murder or attempt !
to murder any of the prison officers, than |
our present law provides for. The number /
of life cunvicts is constantly increasing and /
no one knows better than they that no fur
ther punishment can be inflicted upon them
than is contained in their sentence and their
instincts of liberty will prompt them to plan |
escapes and commit the highest Law known |
To The law in order TO carry their plans into /
execution.
Regarding the matter of parlons the iu-
spectors devote some pages of their report
saying that the large number of pardons
granted during recent years compel them to
consider the matter at least briefly. while |
we do not presume TO sit in Judgment on the |
pardonng power of the State, we do deem
ii within our province to call attention to /
what we consider abuses. Tho present ex-
ecutivc. has sp far rs we are able to judge. |
exercised this prerogative with wisdom and
discretion. There is not a single convict |
who does not cherish the fond hope of
executive eiemency encouraged by friends !
and the greed OF interruptions attorneys.
We find on examination of the prison rec
or,is that since Maine became state, 10 /
s-3 per cent of all the prisoners committed /
TO the prison have gained their freedom by |
virtue of a pardon. There Is not a convict /
in prison today who cannot obtain a pardon
ii be is the posssssor of few dollars With
which to pay some glib tongued advocate
and friends who have some political inhu-
cnce and a good degree of PERSISTENCE
when some fellow convict, far more desery
ing. bu, without money or political friends.
IN obliged 10 serve out his whole term,
Whatever may be the palliaiing circum-
stances of his case or however severe bis
sentence The judge who sits on the case.
the inspectors think the best qualified TO
determine what sentence viii best protect
society and most suitably punish the crimi-
nal.
In closing the inspectors express satisfaction
with the efforts 10 make the reformatory
influences as potent rs possible. also ex-
press obligations to the subordinates of