The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-01-05

IL Is not probable that Nil tho reforms needed
have yet been adopted The state accountant
has been ordered 20 conduct an Investigation.
and he reports verbally that the system OF
keeping accounts Is imperfect, and that many
OF the practices there should be changed IL
II hoped that the law may bo amended 80 as 20
provide for better methods and much less eK-
pense 20 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 h such as
TO show that had all the men been employed
the prison would have been sell supporting.
and possibly little moro. and II can hardly DO
said Tint there was any serious interference
with free labor there All the food. all the
clothing and all tho material FOR manufactured
articles purchased there were the products Of
free labor. Tho goods produced there were
not 10 any considerable extent sold below tho
market price IL IS clearly shown that con-
tractors OF prison labor do not usually maEo
inrgor profits than those who employ free Ia
Dor. 80 that the competition cannot be very Sc
we're. This Is illustrated by tho fact that the
Austin, Tomlinson G webs company en-
ploycd IN the IN nufacturo Of igons have
surrendered lgj out OF 100 men. prcferring 70
have free llbor. At lonia. whore The state ac-
count ayatcm and piece price plan have
been practlccd. the result rs boon severe
burden on the taxpayers 81 tho state IL can
not be said that competition with fee
labor has boon loss IN tho experience OF
prisons IN this and other stltcS whose busi-
ness Is conducted on state account, IL his Nui-
vcrsallY shown disastrous results financially.
This Is IN accordance with fixed business
principles. No warden. however competent
he may be. "a cap 'Dle Of carrying on success
fully IN al their details anywhere from ten 20
twenty-five different branches OF business.
Then. the number OF prisoners employed on
productive labor compared with the number
engnFcd in free libor 81 innnitcsimnl. and the
only way In which shcir labor can ininro FREQ
labor Is by putting tho product OF convict labor
upon the market at such price as 20 reduce
the market value OF goods produced by free
labor This think statistics cloarly prove IL
not tho ease. On the other hand IL IS not tho
wealthy person alono that pays the taxes, but
the home OF every farmer ana laboring man
has 20 contribute 10 the support OF those men
engaged In Improbable industries or entirely
idle. IL Is needless TO call your attention 70
the fact that Il IS not practic Bile or REFORM
ntory 20 keep prisoners without labor II IS
sincerely hoped that no action VIII be takon 10
deprive the prison management OF the right 10
contract tho labor Of tho'prisonorsA
FACTORY Inspection.
Act No. i26 Public Acts OF 1893 entitled IAN
act 20 regulate the employment ~ women and
children In manufacturing establishments OF
this state. TO provide for the inspection and
I
monts and 10 provide for the enforcement OF
such regulation and inspection. hiss proven a
good one. Under this act the commissioner OF
labor has appointed factory inspectors who
have inspected more than 400 factories and
caused a large number OF improvements 70 be
mndo in machinery Ore escapes, etc, 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 compo-
! tition, and has had a tendency 20 keep chill
dren. who have been IN factories, and who
should have been Ia school In their proper
places
Removal of state Officers.
During the year just passed IL became my
/ unpleasant duty In accordance with the pro-
visions OF section 3, OF article ~. OF the
constitution. 20 cause tho removal Of three
/ elective state officers, viz. The secretary Of
\ state, state treasurer and commissioner o
i the state land once for gross neglect OF duty
i Ia connection with tho canvass OF votes on the
/ Joint resolution submitted 70 the people n
/ April. 1853. IA relation 20 salaries OF stat,
i ofiiccra Growing ont OF this Il was alSo dis.
\ covered that there hnd been fraud IN canvass
ing the vote increasing the salary Of tho a.
torney general IN 1901 After this action hns
! been tlkon by the executive. criminal proceed
ings were commenced against al these Officers
and two trials have been hold both resulting
/ in n disagreement OF the jury. These and thu
circuit court for the county OF lngham.
IL appeared Co be necessary In order 20 pro
| tect the interests OF tho state. that tho prose
cutting attorney OF ingham county, whore tn
cases must DO tried, should have assistance
This could not be rendered by the attornc
general because he was also on
OF the indicted partlea Under IN
provisions OF section afe OF Howcll's Ammo
tated Statutes. engaged the Arms OF Cahlll I
Ostrander and NJ. v. & II A, MONTGOMERY. 1
assist IA the prosecution. These hlils amount
ed 20 s2cg0 co. and have been paid by tho boar
OF state auditors There was also q largo ex
penSe incurred amounting 20 33.1GS S. whic
was entirely incidental TO and part OF sal
cases. IL seems only justice that tho stat
should assume at least tho major portion Z
these bills rather than that they should be pal
by 1ngham county alone, which IA no more Inter
cstcd in tho result than were all tho people {
the state OF Michigan. respectfully recon
mend TINT the legislature provide IN som
manner for paying all or such portion OF th
amount as shall be deemed equitable.
soon after Mr.. Gardner. the new secretary
state, took possession. 10 was discovered thi
Mr. August w. Lindholm who wns deputy sec
Rotary OF state, was defaultor 70 a considers
BILE amount In the meantime Mr., Lindholl
had left for parts unknown. Aftcr the excite
ment had subsidized somewhat, Il was learnc
through the post once authorities that NJ
Iindholm had returned TO Sweden. ENtrad
tion papers wore procured, and he xas brougi
back for trial
Salaries.
cannot too strongly urge that you nga
submit 20 tho people an amendment 10 y
constitution increasing tho salaries OF 81
officers while the people failed 20 vote tn
increase IN both 1901 and 1892 the rcsolutiC
was q mcritOrious one. and had tho people NJ
derstood tho real situation they would ha'
, voted Il chccrfully. Tho officers comprisli
the board OF state auditors also hold the IN
portant positions OF secretary OF state, sta
I treasurer and commissioner OF the land onic
respectively. two OF whom receive only eig
; hundred dollars per annum. while the othe
I the state treasurer. receives but orc thousai
dollars. Owing 20 the monger salary and q
J. imposslbllity OF compelling n man Of ordina
: means TO leave HIS business ana live az q
I capitol or OF even attending habtually 70 h
I duties Il has made 70 necessary 20 Cmpl
, deputies who are competent 20 do the work
the principal. and pay them liberal salar
. Then n chief clerk has been appointed who h
= general supervision Of the once, and w
I has usually done the work which 9
deputy would DO m case the princip'
4 wore rrcNqnt attending pcraOnally 10 the duti