Evening journal., 1896-12-03


ministrative tendencies are bad. and,
In the hands Of less conscientious per-
sons, might tend TO a confusion OF in
terests between the state and It's
trusted officials. O tendency which is
opposed TO every sound principle of
administration and is entirely unnec-
essary.
Hence, If associated labor with power
and machinery is equally Objectionable
to the thoughtful penologist and to the
honest iaborer, it should be discarded,
even If by II a few additional dollars
are earned by the stale. or even by the
convict. II would in the Long run be
more economical as well as polite,
for the state and its counties to fOrego
trifle Of doubtful profit. ana pay all
prison expenses directly from taxation.
than to pursue the honest labOrer into
all his hard-bought inventions and
economies to overwhelm his cOmpeti-
tive efforts with its unlimited capital
and TO interpose any obstacle, however
! light, TO the just ambition Of honest
/ industry, whose satisfaction and pros
/ perity ought to be it's highest aim.
1t is, therefore, my strong and clear
conviction that the recent beneficial
state legislation abolishing the prison
contract system should be supple
mented by the entire abolition from its
prisons of all power-driven machinery
and all congregation of prisoners for
any purpose, not required for interior
prison necessities, and this cannot be
done too soon.
IL is true that the immense develop
ment of machinery i'm all manufactur-
ing pursuits has become such that the
I rnnorHrp rvpfrl1 pnaaueatflv oL,Ife t
many forms of industry from our
prisons, but it's real advantages are
not to be measured in dollars and
cents. They are TO be found rather In
the satisfaction Of a large part of our
citizens. i'm the maintenance of the re-
spectability and independence of hon
est labor, in the sounder relations be-
tween the state and its officials, and
finally i'm the immense advantage of
the prisoner himself, since the reform
atOry and punitive advantages Of sep
arate treatment under the cellular
method have now come to be accepted
in all enlightened countries as the
only one affOrding a reasonable chance
OF reformation
10 protect the prisoner from the
ruinOus results of absolute idleness
there still remains some labor that car
be conducted by hand without actual
! loss. and whose competitive influence
on outside labor is too trifing for no.
tice. This is so far proved at the East.
ern Penitentiary, where a pOrti0n-ai
least-oi its prisoners are still KEEP
! partly employed in manual occupa.
= tions, no power being used. l an
] quite convinced that such labor as this
! while a great boon to the prisoners, IL
, too trivial to be feared by any inter
est. De minibus non curat lex.
But since the well-known tendency
] of absolute idleness in confinement is
to impair both mind and body, it is in
e. tolerable cruelty TO conhne any men
r however bad, with no occupation a
s. all. II Is, therefore, due to common
nl humanity, as well as eXpediency, tina
d any legislation on the subject shOul,
e be accompanied by express authorit.
r. for the employment of persons sen
{ fenced to hard labor at unprofitabl'
{ work where manual employ
: ment that is profitable cannot be had
e There are various kinds of such un
: profitable labor in use in foreign pris
3 ons where, in the absence of proiitabl
y labor without machinery, they az
o deemed essential to maintain the cheer
II ful spirits and the muscular and gen
y eral health of the prisoner These ar
1. so conducted as 20 compOrt with IL
,r separate system of cellular coninc
,- ment, and do not admit of the prison
II ers seeing or recognizing each otho
e They include tread wheels, crank turr
Ie ing. the shot drill and others. ever
v one of which ] have tried a course {
Ne in person without inconvenience
though neither young in years nc
" sound OF limb.
IS IL is probable our state prison il
ct spectOrs already possess such author
ir ity as respects convicts sentenced
e. hard labor. but they would undoub
at edly prefer the authority of expires
is law before sanctioning new methods.
or To recapitulate, l believe the con
e. plants of labor are well founded
IN far as regards state competition
n- machine-made goods, but no farthe
r. and. moreover. that cOngregate prise
rs labor which, where artificial power
used. is inevitable, tends to the col
20 frmation of vice in the prisoner and
n the increase of crime in the communit
y Therefore legislation should be adoptl
ss TO prohibit power machinery in pri
i. ons, provided. and not otherwise, tn
n Il is accompanied with authority
IA preserve the health of convicts by er
b- ploying at Improbable labor such
w are sentenced to labor, for whom pro
~ liable hand labor cannot be provide
But such legislation. beneficial as
IN would be, fails to cover the who
~ ground What the Legislature undout
ch edly hopes to have, and ought to ha
~ from your committee. is not misce
se laneous views on detached and trivi
,o1 branches Of the important subject
" crlminology. but general i
20 formation on the entire que
IN tion, including what has been su
.er cessfully accomplished elsewhere
~ its permanent Improvement And {
on more carefully you examine the su
,,t ject the more / am convinced you W
~, conclude with me that what is now il
"a poratively needed in Pennsylvania
av certain general legislation in harmon
~ with modern thought and knowledl
,os which shall cover the entire ground
penal administration.
, The plan generally pursued and f
nc lowed by the best results elsewhe
a.. - nj