The Red Cloud chief., 1897-01-22

the convlcts was illegal and that the
board had exceeded It's authority.
After the decision OF the supreme court.
the board called In Mr.. James Whitehead
and under the designation OF agent Of the
board. he assumed to perform some duties
connected with the management Of the
penlteutidry. which might very properly
have been done by the warden, under the
direction OF the board. The report OF the
boards agent Is presented with the report
OF the land commissioner | am satisfied
that he has accomplished nothing that
might not have been done by the warden,
and that the expenses occasloned by his
appointment were utterly needless. II il
disclosed by the report OF the agent that
there has l,een collected BY him.. as the
proceeds OF the labor OF the convlcts.
$lf.2S0.73. OF this amount there was ex-
pended Si0.0l&97. and paid Into the state
treasury N.1i5.Os. These expenditures I
regard as having been made without au-
thorlty OF law. All moneys derived from
the labor OF convicts should. 1t would seem.
be turned into the state treasury to be
drawn therefrom on approved vouchers,
as in other cases. In tho manner provided
by law. The board having the power to
make provisions for the proper ernploy-
ment OF idle convicts seems not TO have
exercised this authority. except Temporal
rlly from time TO time, as shown by the
report o. the agent Of the board. 1t also
appears that the contracts or agreements
temporarily entered into were at a much
lower figure than heretofore secured.
NEW LAW NEEDED.
I have thought II proper to go into
details to some extent re1irding the his
tory and condition of this institution, as
IL seems necessary hat there should be
an entire revision of the law respecting
its future management Under the lease
system there have been established DIFF
ferent industries at the Institution for the
purpose Of utilizing the labor of the con-
victs. These industries nave been main
talned by sub-ccntractors OF the lessee
and are yet owned by them. There are
now In operation a broom factory, a har-
ness factory. "a cooper establishment ana
an iron foundry. The capacity Of these
several industries Is perhaps large enough
to utilize all OF the labor OF the con-
victs not required In the management OF
the institution. II arrangements could be
made for the continuance OF the work
performed In these different establish
ments at a reasonable rate OF wages for
the labor of the convicts. with suitable
provisions and restrictions to fully pro-
tect the rights Of the convicts and the
morale and discipline. 1t becomes a ques-
ton whether at the present time the state
should attempt to employ all convicts on
Its W account. 1t would seem ad-
visable to ~inaugurate some system look
thS a tiO tiitio Sotttot III h"S
part Of the state of all the labor Of the
convicts and that the pe%nitentiary should
be made self-sustaining. or as nearly so as
possible. Prisons In several states are,
as / am advised. entirely self-sustaining.
In adopting a plan Of conducting the PEN
itentiary entirely en- state account, It
would seem the better part Of wisdom to
begin cautiously and in a moderate way.
and by careful experiment determine the
best method Of utilizing the labor of the
convicts without unnecessary expense on
the part of the state or loss occasioned
by inaugurating an enterprise which cam
not successfully be carried out. In this
Is also involved the question OF bringing
into competition onvic labor with that
Of FREQ labor. The penitentiary should be
so conducted as to reduce to the lowest
degree possible, with due regards to the
interests Of the state. all competition with
free labor. l can see no objections to the
inauguration of a system looking to the
manufacture and production Of numerous
articles required In the maintenance of the
different state institutions as a means
of providing employment for prison labor
and making the prison self-susta aiming.
This plan has many wacm advocates
among those who ave studied the subject
Of prison labor. This could be introduced
~ a small way, and gradually developed
as wisdom and experience would suggest
until. p'ihaps. tho larger portion OF the
inmates car thus be employed.
This whole question is submitted to you
for your consideration with the hope hat
a law will be enacted providing for the
states management Of the p~enitentiary,
In a manner such as to place the insti-
tuition on q higher moral plane and pro-
vide for the proper utilization Of the
labor Of the convicts while In confinement.