The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-03

THE free labor. To provide employment
withouttlhis result is the problem which
those interested in prison reform are
most anxious ITO solve.
Observation has taught me that while
moral and intellectual education are
essentials in the matter Of prison re-
form, they fail to accomplish the best
results when the convict is deprived OF
physical employment. II physical idle
ness Is a fruitful source of vice out
side the prison walls 1t is no less
check upon moral reform within. This
truth Is so self-evident that prison re-
formers have shown more zeal in this
line of thought than in any other. The
great mistake, however, in the con-
sideration of this question. is the as
ISOLATION of convict labor with prison
contract labor, under which conditions
the product of such labor come into
competition with the products of free
labor. In some states a great advance
has been made in prison management
by the introduction of reforms which
trust will in the near future find favor
in Montana. 1 refer more particularly
to those measures which contemplate
the production by convicts of the sup
plies required for the use of the peni-
Tertiary itself. The institution could
be made to large degree self-support-
ing, and thus relieve the taxpayers
without infiicting any hardships upon
free labor by placing competitive pro-
ducts upon the market. There Is no
good reason why the honest self-sup-
porting measures can be adopted.
imprisonment does not necessarily
l.1l.s id he
walls of a penitentiary, but restraint
that destroys the liberty OF the convict
by holding him in captivity. Had the
state a productive farm. a large num-
Der of convicts could be employed In
agricultural pursuits, raising all the
grains and vegetables required for the
tables of the penitentiary. A system
of management could be employed that
would reduce the expense of guarding
convicts to the minimum and insure the
best results of labor. Under such a
system all the meat needed for the use
OF the convicts could be produced upon
the farm. which would supply all the
substantial features OF the prison bill
OF fare. With grains and vegetables,
milk and meat as the net results of
systematically managed farm. upon
which convict labor was alone en-
ployed, the saving to the state would be
enormous, while the moral effect upon
the prisoners would be all that whole
some employment could impart. The
best results could be attained without
affecting the interests of free labor in
the least. Texas has tried this expert
mcnt with success, and 1 believe that
within a few years the general plan
Will be universally adopted. both for
| economic reasons and for the moral I'm
| provement of convicts. A great deal OF
the work incident to a farm OF this type
could be done within the prison walls
| by a class of convicts that for pruden-
tial reasons could not be permitted to
do field work. Such a prison farm
might be made of additional value to
| the state through experiments in agri-
| culture, stock raising and fruit grow
ing thus contributing useful knowledge
| to our farmers and ranchmen. The
| scope of such a project has infinite va
| riety.
Another manner in which convicts
can with profit be employed without
| detriment to free labor is suggested by
| the necessity for better highways.
| While it is true that conditions of soil
and climate are such in this state that
| our roads are much better than the
| highways of eastern states. ii Is evil
dent that vast improvements are pos
sible in many localities. In such rich
| fertile sections as the Gallatin valley a
good deal of annoyance is experienced
| by farmers in the matter of hauling
| their products to market. The condi-
nf, he
| practicable If not impossible to take to
| the market at some seasons of the year
the lighter products of the farm, from
| the prompt sale of which more net
money might be realized in proportion
| to the investment than from market
| ing of cereals later on. 1t is often de-
| sirable for the farmer to convert but
| ter, eggs and poultry into cash and
good roads will materially assist him
| in doing this to advantage.
First-class public thoroughfares at
all seasons of the year in the Gallatin
valley would do much to enhance the
wealth of that already rich and popu-
lous section OF the country. The same
| suggestion would apply with equal
| force perhaps to a number of the other
grain and fruit growing portions OF the
| state, and many roads over which II Is
necessary to haul ores and supplies are
sadly in need of repairs. Montana's
magnificent distances and sparse pop
ulation makes the system OF road SUI
pervision that prevail in the East 10 a
great extent impracticable. These
causes would work positive afliction
did not the conditions of soil and cli-
mate referred to operate as a protec-
ton to the roads in many localities and
keep them IN better repair than could
the taxpayer in discharging the obliga-
lions of his poll tax. Had the state q
stone quarry OF its own a large number
OF convicts could be employed breaking
stone with which to macadamize the
public roads throughout Montana. TO
the great profit and relief OF many OF
| our heaviest taxpayers and TO the gen