New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-18
rur sTiTE PRISON PROBLEM

THE STATE PRISON PROBLEM.
Tho animal report of the superintendent OF
Prisons. which was presented to the Legs
lature few days ago, shows that those li'S''1
1utions. instead of being sei-sustaihhs' ar
one of the minor public burdens Inc deh-
cheney during the last fiscal year was 9if
i9s 90 Commenting upon these figures ne
Albany Argus, saws /" 1t j. urgCd by some thd'
il should not be the aim Of the state to make
profit out of its prison population. ms Is Ill
ethical consideration that does not enter INTO
the making of the tax budget. Inc ''iNp';r'
is a hard hearted individual, ana lhV"ilao'
fails to sec the applicability OF TINS coiS'uc''-
ton to the operation of our prison system -
LONG rs he paws the piper Now, uhuer tue
contract system as it was administered ID!
Prison Superintendent Baker, the prisons De-
came absolutely self supporting, while the con,
dition of the convicts-moral, mental ana
nh, sical-was satisfactory to very hlgh dc-
grcc. Those who advocated the continuance
e the system used substantially the same IAN
cuapc rs that which 1.-The Argus now en-
,lovs. But the Democratic leaders. win an
eve 70 thc labor vote. had much to say about
the improperly Of the states making prom
out of its prison population. and pIactlcaiII
ignored the taxpayers. The tone which TINS
re representative Democratic organ now takes IN
dicatcs that it begins 10 occur TO the Demo
cratic leaders that it may not be good politics
,o IGNORE the wishes of the taxpayers touching
the prisons.
No enc proposes 10 return t. the contract
.vstem. although it ha, never been demon
strated that the competition of prison labor
with free labor under it worked n serious in
ury f. the latter: and although, too, the
NJ pular vote so-cacd. of 1883, which pro-
yidcd for the abolition of contract labor was
something Of n humbug. The electors Of the
country districts were largely against the
uronosition 10 abolish. The vote was taken.
rs our readers are aware after Legislature
,,bich was Democratic in both of its branches
had deliberately 70 the cDwardlrc OF IT.
onyiciion,-,hirlcd The question. From lNs3
until 1889 the state cannot be SAID to have
had a fixed prison policy-cer'alnly II had none
which suggested craftsmanship The Legs
lotutc # 1881. in obedience 10 Z" the popular
vote" passed law putting an end To thr
contract system. The prisons were conducted
under the state account plan until lsSs. In
prohibited the uSc of machinery in the prisons
and the manufacture. even by hand OF an!
articles in prisons - he sold IN market. Inc
result was that majority ol the prisoner
were maintained in ldlcncSs and became great
~ dcmoralizcd while the prisons became a
serious charge upon the taxpayers In lhs?
a Iaw-which i, still in forcc-was passed pro-
yiding ,ha: the system of productive labor in
each Of the prisons shall be- either the public
account system or what i known as the piece
price system. or partly one or the other ~ IN"
Superintendent of Prison, shall determine.
I'ndcr this law Of 1859 the prisoners have
been kept employed. while the competition
with free labor for the most pant has been IN
significant. still the taxpayers have been dis
satisfied with the Deficiencies which have been
reported from year t. year. In apparent
recognition Of their attitude Governor Flower
in hi, annual message suggests that after the
state assumes charge of the insane n large
Ia,t Of the cost of their maintenance might
be- saved by utilizing prison labor in the manu-
facturc Of clothing. shoes, etc. for the use OF
the inmates Of the state hospitals The GOV
crnor further suggest. that the superintendent
Of Prisons be authorized TO employ some Of
the prisoners AZ Danncmora in roadmakng in
the vicinity OF the prisons. He points out that
the State controls the roads for about twenty
mile, around about Clinton Prison. and upward
of 200 cOnvicts could he employed III this
work Both of these recommendations are
practical and are worthy the careful considcra-
ton Of the Legislature Still. il is 10 be hoped
that the existing law will not be moddled with
in any radical particular. There is Il growing
disposition in both parties founded upon the
experience OF the last ten years, TO keep the
prisons out of politics and to pay small heed
10 the crude and thoughtle,s demands of dcma
gogues posing aS labor" refoimcrs. The pris-
oncrs were employed on twenty-five different
industries during the year, and the earnings
were SS1 7O7 I3 greater than those Of the
preceding year And while the prisons were
not self sustaining, Sl40,50O is not an alarm
inc deficiency. IL would be most unwlsc 10
abandon policy producing such reSultS-at
| -, until , haitian ono il 1iSrovpr,d