The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1895-01-12

| and he reports verbally that tho system OF
keeping accounts Is imperfect. and that many
| OF tho practices thcro should DO changed IL
| Is hoped that the law may be amended SO as TO
| provide for better methods and much loss ex-
pense TO the state for keeping prisoners
Contract Labor.
This brings up tho question OF contract la
Dor. In Jackson prison, where most OF the
prisoners arc on contract. the result Is such rs
TO show that had oil tho men boon employed
the prison would have been self supporting.
and possibly little moro. and IL can hardly DO
said that thcrc was any serious interference
with free labor there. All the food. all tho
clothing and all the material for manufactured
articles purchased thcrc wcro the products OF
free labor. The goods produced there were
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 Ia
Dor. SO that the competition cannot be very Sc
we're. This Is illustrated by the fact that the
Austin. Tomlinson & Webster company en-
ploycd In tho manufacture OF wagons have
surrendered l25 out OF $50 mon, prefcrring to
have free labor At'Ionla whoro The state nc
count system and pieco price plan have
been practiccd, the result has been severe
burden on the taxpayers OF the state. 1t cam
not DO said that competition with FREQ
labor has been less. In the experience of
prisons In this and other states whose busi-
ness Is conducted on state account, 1t has uni
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 ton 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 ininitcsimal, and tho
only way In which their labor can injurc FREQ
labor is by putting the product OF convict labor
upon tho market Mt such price as to reduce
tho market value OF goods produced by free
labor. This i think statistics clearly provo Is
not tho case. On the other hand 1t Is not tho
wealthy person alone that pays the taxes, but
tho home OF every farmer and laborirg man
has to contribute TO the support OF these men
engaged In Improbable industries or entirely
idle. IL Is needless to call your attention to
the fact that 1t Is not practicable or REFORM
atory to keep prisoners without labor. 1t Is
sincerely hoped that no action will be taken to
deprive tho prison management OF the right to
contract tho labor OF thc.prisoners. ~
Factory Inspection.
Act No. 126. Public Acts OF 1893, entitled IAN
act to regulate tho employment Of women and
children In manufacturing establishments OF
this state to provide for the inspection and
regulation OF such manufacturing establish
mcnts, and to provide for the enforcement OF
such regulation aud inspection" has proven n
good ono. Under this act tho commissioner OF
labor has appointed factory inspectors, who
nave inspeoeea more 'nan wv 'iao.or'es. uha
made in machinery, fire escapes etc.. and has
also prevented the violation OF the law in re-
gard to the employment OF women and chill
uI ., mas pIcscINeu iaoor rom uniuir comps
.tioh' anu nus hau 'onueney 70 hccp cnii-
uroh, VINO nave oeen IN factories, anu VINO
shoulu nave oceh IN SCHOOL, IN ther proper
places.
RcmOyal of State Officera
During the year just passed 1t became my
unpleasant duty. in accordance with the pro-
visions OF section 8, OF article II, 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 offlce, for gross neglect OF duty
In connection with the canvass OF votes on the
joint resolution submitted TO the people in
April, 1893, In relation to salaries OF state
officers. Growing out OF this II was also dis
covered that there had been fraud in canvass
ing tho vote increasing tho salary OF the at
torncy general in 1891. After this action had
been taken by the executive. criminal proceed
ings were commenced against all these officers.
and two trials have been held, both resulting
in disagreement OF the jury. These and the
remaining cases are now pending in the
circuit court for the county OF 1ngham.
1t appeared to be necessary. In order to pro-
tect the interests OF the state, that tho prose-
cases must Dc trleo' shoulo nave assistance
This could not be rendered oy the attorney
general. because he was also one
OF the indicted parties. Under the
provisions OF section S., OF Howells Ammo
tated statutes, engaged the firms OF Cahill q
Ostrancer and NJ V. q X A. MONTGOMERY, to
assist In the prosecution. These bills amount
CD to s2't9o 40 ana have been paid by the board
OF state auditors There was also largo ex-
pense incurred amounting to So'70oso which
was entirely Incidental TO ana part OF said
cases IL seems only justice that the state
should assume Mt least the major portion OF
these DIS rather than that they should be paid
by lngham county alone which Is no moro inter-
ested In the result than were all the people OF
the state or Michigan. l respectfully recon-
mend that the legislature provide In somo
manner for paying all or such portion OF this
amount as shall be deemed equitable.
Soon after Mr. Gardner, the new secretary OF
state, took possession. 1t was discovered that
Mr. August w. Lindholm, who was deputy Sec
rotary OF state, was defaulter to considera-
bio amount In the meantime Mr.. Lindholm
had left for parts unknown. After tho excite
mont had subsidized somewhat, 1t was learned
through tho post otlcc authorities that Mr.
Lindhclm had returned to Sweden. Extradi-
tion papers were procured, Gnd he was brought
back for trial.
Salaries.
\ cannot too strongly urge that YOU again