St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-07
SALTWATER NEWS.
Many Members OF the Legislature
- Visit the Prison.

nam members Oh the Legislature
81 Visit the Prison.
Gov. Clough, the house and senate
committees on prison labor and the
house committee on binding Irvine, to-
gether with a number Of members of
the appropriation committees and
friends, visited the prison yesterday
The board OF managers was in session,
and the forenoon was spent in execu-
tive session, matters pertaining to pris-
on labor, binding Irvine and such
things being discussed. When time
came for the convicts to march into
the dining rooms for dinner a recess
was taken, and the visitors proceeded
to the dining rooms Senator McIIale
was requested to say a few words to
them, and spoke in substance as fol-
lows:
Friends: We are here today as mem
bers of state prison committees, and
have come for the purpose of looking
over the institution to see what is
necessary for your employment and
the best interests of yourselves and
the state. The prison is admirably
managed, is neat, healthful and order
ly, and it appears to me you are being
well cared for. 1t is my pleasure at
this time to say a few kind words to
you, for although you are in prison
and are shut out from society you are
still men. You are not all of you here
through faults of your own, but some
are here through faults of society and
the public. Society does not intend to
treat you harshly, and I am glad that
such great advancement has been made
in. prison management during the past
few years, and that convicts and their
officers and guards have come in closer
harmony. Order and the Well-being Of
the state neeessitates the incarceration
| of parties who violate the laws, and the
| only reason the state is harsh with
| you is for the simple purpose of bring
! ing about your reformation. If you
have in you the essential qualities Of
manhood, then in this, your time of
enforced reflection. you can consider
| the problem of life well, and 1 hope
you will arrive at the conclusion to be
! honest and law-abiding citizens. Be-
| fore concluding I have a request to
make, that is that each one of you be
permitted to write an extra letter to
| friends, and that you ask and be per-
| lnqitted to receive the one thing you
most desire, providing it comes within
| the rules OIL the prison.
| The, convicts appreciated the sena-
| tors remarks, and demonstrated their
| feelings by continued applause. SEN
| ator McHale's request was presented
! to Warden Wolfer, who stated that it
] would be allowed. The afternoon was
/ spent in tour of the institution, and
| every member was thoroughly pleased
! with 1t. To many it was a lesson well
worth the trip and not soon to be for
! gotten.
] Gov. Clough, in conversation with a
| GLOBE reporter. bestowed the follow
| ing high compliment upon Warden
| Wolfer and his assistants: ST am
| heartily in favor of the manner in
| which this institution is being man
! aged, and in my Judgment Warden
! Wo1fer is one Of the best prison men
| in the United States. I can see great
] improvements here since my first trip
| to the institution some eight years ago,
/ and can not see where it can be bet
| tered. If the legislature will allow the
| board of managers to go on and do
their business them some latitude
/ this institution will succeed and be
self-sustaining. I cannot see how the
| management can be criticised. Any
| business man must acknowledge that
4 it is run in thoroughly business-like
| way"
| The board of prison managers has a
| number of paroles to consider and
other business to transact, and will be
| in session again today.