The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-01-04

IL is not probable that all the reforms needed
have yet been adopted. The state accountant
has been ordered TO conduct an investigation,
and he reports verbally that tho system OF
keeping accounts is imperfect, and that many
OF the practices there should be changed It
Is hoped that the law may be amended so as to
provide for better methods and much less ex-
pense to the state for keeping prisoners
Contract Labor.
This brings up-he question OF contract Ia
bor In Jackson prison, where most of the
prisoners are on contract, the result Is such as
to show that had all the men been employed
the prison would have been self supporting.
and possibly o little more. and 1t can hardly be
said that there was any serious interference
with free labor there. All the food all the
clothing and all the material for manufactured
articles purchased there were the products of
free labor. The goods produced there we're
not TO any considerable extent sold below the
market price II Is clearly shown that con-
tractors Of prison labor do not usually make
larger profits than those who employ free la-
Dor. so that the competition cannot be very Sc
we're. This is illustrated by the fact that the
Austin, Tomlinson g. Webster company en-
ployed In the manufacture OF wagons have
surrendered l25 out OF $50 men, preferring to
have free labor At'Ionia, where the state ac-
count system and piece price plan have
been practlccd, the result has been o severe
burden on the taxpayers of the state. 1t can
labor has boon less. In the experience Of
prisons in this and other states whose busi-
ness is conducted on state account, II has ami
versally shown disastrous results financially.
This is In accordance with fixed business
principles. No warden, however competent
he may be, IS capable Of carrying on success
fully In all their details anywhere from ten to
twenty-five different branches Of business.
Then. the number OF prisoners employed on
productive labor compared with the number
engaged in free labor Is inilnitesimal and the
only way in which their labor can injurc free
labor is by putting tho product of convict labor
upon the market at such price as to reduce
the market value of goods produced by free
labor. This l think statistics clearly prove Is
not the case. On the other hand it Is not the
wealthy person alone that pays tho taxes, but
the homo Of every farmer and laborirg man
has TO contribute to the support OF these men
engaged in Improbable industries or entirely
idle. 1t IS needless to call your attention to
the fact that IL Is not practicable or reform
atory to keep prisoners without labor 1t IS
sincerely hoped that no action viii be taken TO
deprive the prison management OF the right to
contract the labor Of the'prisoners
Factory Inspection.
Act NO. 100 Public Acts OF 1893 entitled IAN
act TO regulate the employment of women and
children in manufacturing establishments OF
this state TO provide for the inspection and
regulation OF such manufacturing establish
ments, and to provide for the enforcement of
such regulation and inspection" has proven n
good ono. Undor this act the commissioner OF
labor has appointed factory inspectors, who
have inspected more than 400 factories, and
caused large number of improvements TO be
made in machinery Gre escapes, ctc., and has
also prevented the violation OF the law in re-
gard to tho employment Of women and chill
dren, has preserved labor from unfair compe-
tition, and has had tendency to keep chill
dren. who have been in factories, and who
should have been in school, in their proper
places.
Removal of state Officers
During the year just passed 1t became my
unpleasant duty In accordance with the pro-
visions Of section 8, OF article To-, of the
constitution, to cause the removal of three
elective state officers, viz: The secretary of
state, state treasurer, and commissioner Of
the state land once, for gross neglect Of duty
in connection with the canvass OF votes on tho
joint resolution submitted to the people IN
April 1893 in relation to salaries OF state
officers. Crossing out Of this 1t was also dis
covered that there had been fraud in canvass
ing the vote increasing the salary Of the at
torney general in 1891. After this action had
been 1ken by the executive, criminal proceed
ing9 were commenced against all these officers,
and two trials have been held, both resulting
in q disagreement Of the jury. These and the
remaining cases are now pending in the
II appeared to be necessary, In order to pro-
tect the interests Of the state, that tho prose-
cutting attorney Of Ingham county, where the
cases must bo tried, should have assistance.
This could not be rendered by the attorney
general, because he was also one
Of the indicted parties. Under the
provisions of section S49. OF Howell's Ammo
tated Statutes, engaged the firms OF Cahill s.
Ostrander and NJ. V. s. Il. A. Montgomery. TO
assist in the prosecution These bills amount
cd to $1,000 40, and have been paid by tho board
OF state auditors There wGs also large ex-
pense incurred amounting to Sj,765 S., which
was entirely incidental TO and part OF said
cases. II seems only justice that the state
should assume ct least the major portion of
these bills, rather than that they should be paid
by Ingham county alone which Is no moro intor-
ested in the result than were all the people OF
the state of Michigan. l respectfully recon-
mend that the legislature provide IN some
manner for paying all or such portion Of this
amount MS shall be deemed equitable.
Soon after Mr.. Gardner, the new secretary OF
state, took possession. it was discovered that
Mr. August w. Lindholm, who was deputy Sec
rotary OF state, was dcfaulter to a considera-
bic amount In the meantime Mr.. Lindholm
had LETT Tor parts unknown. After the excite
ment had subsidized somewhat, II was learned
through the post Office authorities that Mr..
Lindholm had returned TO Sweden Extradi-
tion papers were procured, and he was brought
DuCk lot TRIAL
Salaries.
I cannot too strongly urge that you again
submit to the people an amendment to the
constitution increasing tho salaries Of site
officers. While the people failed to vote this
increase in both 1901 and 1893, the resolution
was n meritorious one. and had the people UNI
derstood the real situation they would have
voted it cheerfuly. The officers comprising
the board OF state auditors also hold the Inn
portant positions Of secretary OF state, state
treasurer and commissioner OF the land ONCE,
respectively, two of whom receive only eight
hundred dollars per annum while the other,
the state treas urer, receives but one thousand
dollars. Owing to the meager salary and the
imposslbillty Of compelling man Of ordinary
means to leave his business and live at the
capitol, or OF even attending habitually TO his
duties, IL has made II necessary to employ
deputies who arc competent to do the work of
the principal, and pay them q liberal salary
Then o chief clerk has been appointed who has
general supervision OF the Office, and who
has usually done the work which the
deputy would do In case the principals
were present attending personally to the duties
OF the Office. The men who have occupied the
position OF deputy have been good men, and
have with few exceptions done their WORK well,
4. l,Ntr 4