The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-19

III.
not only reducing the demand FOR the
products for free labor, but also the
price of II.
Governor Ptsxree's Recommendation.
The above Fill constitute the SUBJ
stance OF the arguments to be made by
those who believe that the contract sys-
TEN is altogether the best and most
prohtable for all concerned and the
contest promises to be most spirited.
This important question has been
brought into still greater prominence
just at this time by the recommends
ton or Governor Pingree in his inau-
gural message that the employment of
convicts should not be permitted to COM
pete with the great industries. He sug-
gests the idea of attempting to inaugur-
ate a system OF raising beets for the
manufacture OF sugar or other food
plants which will not come into compe-
tition with the farming interests of the
state. In order to make prison farms
secure temporary stockades might, in
his opinion. be built, TO he re placed with
brick walls. the brick to be made and
the walls built by the convicts.
No man in Michigan has given more
thought to this subject than O. M.
Barnes of this city who is q member of
the board Of inspectors Of the state pris-
on at Jackson. and chairman of the
joint boards of the several penal and
reformatory institutions of the state.
Mr.. Barnes was appointed an inspector
by Governor Winans when the central
board of control of all this class of in
stitutions was created by the legisla-
ture Of 1891. When the old system Of
separate boards was returned TO I'm 1893
he was made member of the Jack
son board by Governor Rich, and has
two years yet to serve. During all
these years he has made a constant and
painstal<ing investigation of the ques-
ton of prison labor For this reason
your correspondent sought him out a
few days since and asked If he had
given the governors message consid-
Grafton.
Prison Boards VIII Cooperate.
Yes" was the reply, II have read
the message of the governor, and have
given that portion Of il which relates
to the prisons special attention.
"In my opinion all the prison boards
will cooperate with the governor in all
measures for the improvement Of the
prisons. Such is my own purpose. and
1 believe IL Is the purpose of all the
members of all the boards. The joint
meeting of all the boards required by
law to be held semi-annually is soon to
occur. and / mean to ask the several
boards, in advance, to be ready to lay
before the meeting a report showing to
/ what extent they can carry out the
suggestion In regard to farming, with
out any new appropriation. All the
prisons have lands for garden and farm
ing purposes, and all do more or less
farming already, and it may be that
this industry can be much increased
without great increase Of expense.
1.-THE boards will, of course, follow the
suggestion made by the governor tC
proceed with caution. They are anx'
ious to make any change that will b'
an advantage to the state, and, on thu
other hand, they are anxious to avoit
mistakes Several of the states hav'
wasted immense sums in changes o
prison industries that have resulted II
losses instead of gains. The law al
ready allows the carrying out of tn
suggestions of the governor as to con
Wet labor, If found to be for the hes
good of the state, and I am in favo
of investigating the question ofutilizin
the prison farms and charging them,
found best, as recommended by tn
governor. We would not thereby es
cape the objection made to prison labor
for the competition would then b
thrown upon the farmers. But after al
no matter what the convicts do. If the
do anything we will encounter objec
tions from some quarter in every fiel
of labor, and in some fields greater diff
ficulties than i'm others. Even II we 6
to making streets and roads with cor
yicts we compete seriouly with larg
body of free laborers who now do sue
work.
Boards Have Power.
1--WE are thus compelled to look at tn
matter in all of its bearings. Indeed
l may say that the boards have al
tempted hitherto to do so, but that wi
not prevent doing so again. and 1t ma
be that with the new views and aio
some changes may be found to be IN
provements. The laws already suff
: GENTLY empower the boards to under
take new kinds OF labor if found advi
able. and / shall advise a review of tn
entire subject, although / am incline
|
ton the more clearly will 1t appear thi
! very few changes can be wisely mad
, I shall be glad IL we can increase II
: number of convicts employed In FAR
: and garden work in the direction SUI
) gested by the governor. One serio'
difficulty has confronted us in respe
> to farming convicts 1t is this: 81
! little can be done on the farm In VIII
3 ter. Perhaps. however, some oth
r , kind of work could be found for the
, during the winter months.
= what the governor says" conclude
, Mr.. Barnes, about the classification
1 prisoners and prisons, and the transfe
: ring Of convicts is, in my judgmer
excellent"
r When the matter Of convict labor WI
before the legislative committees w
!, years ago, Mr. Barnes opposed the pro
8 osition of the furniture manufacture
$ of the state that the manufacture
e furniture at Ionia and of chairs at Z
e Detroit house of correction be prohibite
r Those who favored the proposition su
-. Inxyn