The times., 1894-10-26
Ruinous Democratic Influences.

The state of Michigan was fortunate
in getting rid of the Democratic ad.
ministration as soon as it did. Had it
continued two years longer the state
would have been bankrupted. That
this is legitimate conclusion is shown
from the fact that wherever the Demo
cratic influences longest continued,
there the worst conditions were found
when the Republicans resumed control.
A most remarkable instance of this is
the state of affairs in the house of
correction at Ionia.
1t will be remembered how like grim
death the last remnant of the Demo.
cratic Observation-Disclosures Parsell
hung onto his snap, long after he
had been legally removed. A great
howl went up from the Democratic
press over the persecution of so good a
man, and eXtravagant assertions were
made as to the economy and good man
agement of his wardenship. 1t will
prove of interest to the people to learn
the exact state of affairs developed by
the board when Parsell was finally
ousted.
The last legislature appropriated
SO, 900 for general repairs at that insti-
tuition. This was intended to cover
the two years, but Parsell used up
the entire amount during the first
year. And yet, when his successor
took hold, every roof on the premises
leaked and the boilers were badly out
of repair. The present warden had to
begin work on them at once, and the
expenses will have to be paid out of
the current expense fund.
For stationary and printing, for two
years $500 were appropriated. Of that
amount all but S7.3S was used the first
year.
For bedding, ETC., for two years
$1,000 were appropriated, and $500
used the first year for from 800 to $50
men, leaving from $50 to 500 men to be
supplied from the balance of $500.
The inmates clothing was almost
entirely used up.
Out of 95O, 900 feet of lumber on hand
July /, 100000 feet was found to be
Gull lumber, almost entirely worthless
picked out to make showing for the
Democratic administration.
Although Warden Parsell is credited
by the Democratic papers with having
Said he chad to spend $19, 900 the first
month to fix things up" 1t is q fact
that when he turned the institution
over to his successor there was a gen.
eral air of dilapidation about the
whole premises, and so far as could be
ascertained no improvements had been
made to the property during his whole
term. And yet $4,000 were drawn
from the state treasury to run the in
stitution for the two fiscal years end
ing June 80, 1894 besides the special
appropriations of $500, making the
enormous total $1s3, 500 for that insti-
tuition under Democratic rule.
The average number of men in the
reformatory during Parsell's manage
ment was 1853. The number now is
ass. No penal institution in the United
States will show so shameful finan-
cial record as the state reformatory
did under Democratic management.
The vast sum of money mentioned was
squandered in eXtravagant, if not cor
rupt, purchases, and in general mis-
management.
There is not reformatory in the
United States that is self-sustaining,
and nothing but arrant ignorance or
dishonesty will prompt any party to
promise to make such an institution q
source of profit to the state. The large
increase in the number of inmates
without profitable employment, the
hard times and the difficulty of selling
the prison output at profitable figures,
make the outlook for the institution
for the next two years far from promis-
ing; but it can be said of the present
warden that, if he has to draw 800, 900
year from the taxpayers to run the
institution, there will be a voluntary
vacancy in the wardenship, without
any quo warranto to kick him out.
AS fitting finale to the Democratic
record, it must be mentioned that q
suit at law is now pending to recover
from Parsell about 81 500 paid to him
self and wife in salaries, after the date
of his removal by the board. The
supreme court has decided that he was
not entitled to the pay, and the only
honest thing for him to do is to refund.