St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-09

Total 49,. ............. Sl.5gs,544 IS
The total amennt OF the funded ana un-
funded debt OF the state, less cash i'll the
sinking and redemption fund. was on the
first day of August, 1894. the sum of S1S92-
l63.l IS of which sum S30a, 0U0 were Minnesota
revenue ana business bonds primarily issued
to cover a temporary Uverdratt upon the gem
erdI revenue fund. These bonds draw per
cent interest and may be redeemed at any
time. In view OF this fact, and OF the large
surplus IN the general revenue fund, | con-
cur III the recommendation of Treasurer
BObleter, that a legislative appropriation be
made out OF the general revenue fund. sui
| fcient 10 pay these bonds; and that the law
providing for the levy OF a redemption fund
TO Iiquidate these be repealed. l also concur
III the recommendation or Treasurer Bob
Letter that section of chapter l5I of the Cen
eral Laws of 1881. providing for the annual
levy Of forestry fund tax, be repealed. and
III lieu thereof direct appropriation be
made out OF the general revenue fund Suf-
fcient TO meet the requirements of the tim
Der culture law.
In view OF the large surplus in the general
revenue Iund, ii is evident that c0nsiQera-
Die reduction in the levy of taxes for general
revenue purposes is warranted. I. accord
ingly, recommend that such levy do not eX-
coed the sum of one and four tcnths of a mill
or the dollar OF taxable property
State Prison.
There are at the state prison cells and
ample room and accommodation for 80 con-
victs. On the IUth day of December. 1894.
there ware 537 conyicts in confinement of
which SIS were sent US by the United states
governments for which the state is paid at
the rate OF 40 cents per day for each man.
The time of most Of the federal conyiets will
expire within the next two years, ana if we
deQuct their number from the aggregate il
leaves only 454 chaTgeaDe to the state and.
with only this number. there would be 1875
vacant and available cells, which would
amply meet and cover the probable increase
in our prison population during the next
Two ana perhaps three Years.
At my suggestion. contained in a special
message. the legislature Of 1898 applied the
parole law and the so-called reformatOry
plan to the state prison. Two years of eX-
peTieuce and observation have demonstrated
the wisdom Of making this change. Il re-
lieves tee executive of much i'm portuniiy. it
makes prison discipline less harsh ana rig
Crous. while fully as safe as under the for
mer system; II ffOrds the convict al oppor-
tunitv TO ameliorate his condition and 10
commute or shorten his time by his own eff
forts and merits, thus placing the man who
is without friends upon footing OF equsiity
with those who are better favored III this re-
spect; ana, in addition 10 all this ii seeks TO
provide him employment and to look after
his welfare in that most critical period of his
ljfe-the tune Immediately succeeding his
discharge.
The manufacture of Irvine at the prison.
while it has entailed no direct loss, has indi-
rectlv been of great benefit to the agricult-
UTaI interests of the state. At the time the
enterprise was initiated the price of tWine
was high and had been unreaSonably en-
HANGED by the manlpuietions OF great tVlne
or cordag6 trust The prison twine has been
of good qualify has given satisfaction 10
the farmers. has been furnished TO them at
near cost. and has been enc Of the chief
means of reducing the price Of Irvine 80 per
cent below the rate existing when our peo
pie were at the mercy OF the great tWine
trust. At the time the machinery for
our twIne plant was purchased, the
state. owing to The hostile action of
the trust, was unable 10 procure other
than soft fiber machinery, which has limited
Us to the manufacture OF hemp tvlne, and
this, owing to the high price OF hemp as com
pared with manila and sisal, and TO the fact
that farmers prefer. other conditions being
equal ~ inc made from the latter has made
it very hard and diticult TO compete with
hard fiber Irvine. These facts and the fact
that sisal and manila are. owing to the re-
movai of the duty, becoming still cheaper.
make it almost imperative for the state, IN
order 10 successfully continue with the man
ufacture Of Irvine, to procure as soon az may
be suitable hard fiber machinery, IN order
that Irvine may be made from these much
cheaper and much more desirable hhers.
Such machinery, with capacity OF from
5000 to 10000 pounds per day, can be OBJ
tanned at price not exceeding go, 900. There
is balance of SIS, 6s3. SO remaining in the
treasury uneXpended OF the amount aDpro-
priated for The purchase Of our present
Irvine plant. recommend that this balance,
with an addition of $4,000 be appropriated
and set apart for the purchase of suitable
hard fiber machinery for our Irvine plant.
Under existing law only one-half OF
the prison labor can be leased on
contract and only tor term not exceeding
TWO years. These restrictions have proved
very embarrassing, especially now since the
Minnesota Tbresher company which EN-.
pIoyed one half Of the prison labor, has gone
out of business. The abandonment by the
company Of its manufacturing enterprise
left 55C idle convicts on eur hands. After
much effort the managers have succeeded in
and forty men In the Manufacture OF boots
and shoes under two-yesE contract, at %
cents per day for each man. But this still
leaves 80 c6nviefs ynprcyided for. In view
Of these facts and cohQiSons, CONCUR In
gers that In regard 70 contract laDsy the re-.