The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-04-30
Legislative Inconsistency.

A very striking example of legislative
inconsistency has been furnished the
people Of Michigan during the past ten
days, and so far as any expression of
opinion is concerned, none of the legis-
lators themselves appear to have no
ticed the matter The Moister anti
convict contract labor bill occupied the
attention of the house for several hours
a few days ago, precipitating the most
earnest and long drawn out debate of
the session. The result was that the
proposition to abolish contract labor in
the prisons, or, in fact, any save labor
on state account, was defeated by q
vote Of two to one. The consideration
involved in the defeat Of this measure
was that the prisons should be made as
nearly self-supporting as possible, and
In order to accomplish this, the conVicts
should be worked to the best possible
advantage. Having by such an en-
phatic vote made this decision It Is q
trife astonishing that tho same legisla-
tors should, but five days later, have by
a practically unanimous vote and after
very little discussion passed a bill re-
curing that all prison or convict made
goods offered for sale manufactured
in this state be branded or labeled so as
to reveal their place Of manufacture.
The only possible purpose ofsuch brand
ing Is, of course, to deter people from
purchasing this class OF goods Here
then we have the refreshing spectacle
OF body Of Legislators saying one day
that 1t Is absolutely essential to the well
fare Of the state and the prisoner as
well, that the latter be kept constantly
at work at some productive industry,
and on the next endeavoring to destroy
that industry by persuadng the public
not to purchase any articles the con-
yipts make, BY destroying the demand
for prison. made goods tho Legislators
will simply render II impossible for pris-
on managers to sell the labor of the
prisoners, and thus will one law nullify
the other. Truly the ways of the aver
age legislator arc past flRding out.
Shades Not Pulled Down.
The ser 80 "0-~' to think they
have q gCtG one Oh Governor Pingree.
For several Neel = 1.u'rg the early part
~ 'hs seseiGr. wicr lie governor and
senators WeFu SpS.Tr 18Th lively times
about the coniilL.at! = Of the formers
appointments, Governor ! l:.gree had
great deal to say about executive ses-
sions, and he rang the changes quite
constantly about pulling down the
shades at the senate chamber windows,
etc. or course the shades were not
pulled down, although the floors and
galleries were cleared of all visitors and
the doors locked before the senate went
into executive session. The senator's
glee just at present is due to the fact
that thick heavy shades have appeared
on the inside OF the glass section of the
door >1eaC::.:s from tne corridor Into the
governors general office, and also be-
fore the two decorated windows which
grace that section OF the capitol. These
are not outside windows, neither are
they windows at all, for all are of
frosted glass through which 1t Is I'M
possible to detect more than the bare
outline of a person or object under the
most favorable circumstances. The
curtains are drawn about o'clock In
the afternoon and they stay down until
morning. The senators are extracting
a great deal of satisfaction from the
situation.
go. JAMES ". BARRY.