The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-07

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Always led to honesty and economy Of admin
istration. State-built roads are too far from
the people, and always have been and always
will be constructed on too extravagant
scale and with no economy OF administration.
The old fashioned small road district cannot,
however, command the services of skilled en-
gineers and road makers, and so Is wasteful
in results, even though honestly expanding
opposite side. The county road system seems
to offer the golden mean OF securing the ad-
vantage and escaping the evils of the largest
and the smallest unit of management-the
state and the old-fashioned small road dis
trict. 1t is suggested. therefore, that the
legislature establish what. for want of
road system with limited state aid. The leg
islature in furtherance OF this plan, could
pass general law, prescribing certain kinds
of improved highways and outlining the meth
DDS of raising and expanding the necessary
moneys and authorizing any county, upon
the application of majority of the taxpay-
ers along the line of the proposed road, and
by a vote Of the county commissioners, to
avail themselves of the provisions of the
statute. The adoption of the above out
lined scheme Of good roads, or some other
practical line, 1 most heartily recommend.
Correctional Institutions.
. The correctional institutions of this state
are so managed as to secure the ends for
mendable degree.
The training school at Red Wing had within
its custody in the last fiscal year an average
OF 500 youths. The correctional work per-
formed by this institution offers greater
promise of accomplishing reformation than
that OF any of the others, since 1t deals with
Offenders in the earlier stages of life; when
the mind is most easily trained in right d-
rections and the good training of few years
Is most potent for correcting past errors of
Judgment or disposition. This fact should
give weight to the recommendation OF the
board of managers for the appropriation of
money for new school building and new
cottage, to assist in furnishing the youths
in the care of the institution the education
and treatment that may be required to enable
them to rise to useful and honorable career
in life.
The state reformatory at st. Cloud deals
with a class Of offenders intermediate between
those confined IT the training school at Red
Wing and the State prison at Saltwater. Deal
ing with a class of prisoners less amenable
to reformation, 1t has none the less accom-
pliShed most desirable results Out of a total
of seventy-six persons released in the past
two years, only ten have broken the terms
of their parole. Most of those keeping their
parole may be counted as returned permanent
ly to the ranks of good and law-abiding citi-
Zens, and part even of those who once break
paroles will so benefit from the discipline. of
this institution as to rise ultimately to honest
and honorable careers in life. This large rela-
tive success of the reformatory feature of this
institution is just subject of cengratulation
TOR all the citizens of our state. 1t demon
strates that reformatorY methods are the
most economical in dealing with crime espe-
cially for those not advanced in years The
institution asks for considerable appropria-
lions for the construction of a cell wing and
also building for dining-room and school
purposes and other objects.
The managers of the reformatOry also ask
for the appropriation of $25 900 for the cree
ton of woman's building. There is need,
either at that institution or elsewhere, for
additional provision by this state for the
care and custody of female offenders A few
women guilty of heinous crimes such as
murder, are contend at the Saltwater prison,
and large number are, for minor offenses
confined in our warehouses;, which offer no
opportunities and no inducements for
reformation. On the contrary, the work
house, as now managed, seems to have
been specially devised for securing, not the
reformation, hut the further degradation of
the women whose feet have been by mis-
deeds brought to its door. This condition of
affairs is a disagree to our civilization and
should no longer be tolerated in a commu-
nifty with its boosted regard for morals and
good order. Minnesota can take we'll merit
ed pride in its training school at Red Wing
the retormatory at st. Cloud and also, and
more especially, in the prison at Saltwater
as THESE institutions are at present man
aged. 1t cannot as yet take any pride i'll
the management of its female offenders It
should at once adopt measures to correct this
shortcoming. Instead of the construction of
woman building at st. Cloud, most ear
neStly recommend the establishment of a
separate prison for women to be under rhe
care and direction of a board of women
managers, similar to the prison now in opera
strates that the expense for caring for fe-
male Offenders in such an institution can he
reduced to- smaller sum than in the Dres
ent institution. and the state can through it.
accomplish more of reformation, which is
the surest and best way Of lessening and
preventing crime.
The managers of the prison at Saltwater
present an exhibit of the work of that insti-
luton that HI two particulars, at least de-
serves more than a passing mention The
earnings earn p OF the institution are larger than
ever before, and this increased income has
Deen obtained in connection with a discipline
that has attained the reformation of a larger
relative number of conviets than ever be-
Iore. IN tact, it is doubted if any similar in
sutuuon IN existence. can present a. better
record IN these respects than that at Still
water This fact should be sufficient war
rant Tor preventing the adoption of any Ill
CONSIDERED legislation that will in the least
peril the good results now obtained bv the
prison discipline of our oldest penal institu-
ION All experiments and changes in the
laws and regulations concerning prisons
should be those that promise an extension
and not a restriction of these factors for
reformation. "
The application by law of the princin1a of
reformatory sentences and the introduction
or release on parole by the prison hoard has
greatly lessened the occasion for pardons,
P faT are exceptional acts of public Off
Gals and should be reduced to a minimum
This is best done by so framing the stat
utes as to lessen the occasion for the same
AT present the larger share of applications
with persons convicted of grand larceny
where the penalty established by law is
heavier than the Judge and jury believe should
be inflicted. The Judge gives the mininoun1
sentence of the law, but after a laDse of s1InL
period of time as he deems SUFFICIENT to sat
isfy the ends of justice, he joins with others
Is asking Tor executive clemency. l earn
estly call your attention to this phase of the
SUBJECT, and ask you to consider whether the
ends of justice cannot best be secured hv
ssesung greater option with the judiciary in
nfS
thus relieve the pardoning power of many
of the cases now coming before it.
In this connection, call your attention to
the TACT that there is need of some suitable
legislation to make valid the constitutoinaI
provision adopted at the last election creating
a board of pardons. At present no pardon can
De granted by any one until a statute law
makes valid the provision of the constitutions
The law for capital punishment provides for
the execution of the same at the county seat
Of the several counties | resDectfuIIv ,T-ue
you to consider the proposition to remove ali
persons under sentence Of death to the state
prison at saltwater, and have all executions
take place in that institution.
DesertiOn of Children.
My attention has been called to the alarm
ing number of cases of desertion of children
by their parents. During the year 1895 3I8
such children were cared for by the institu-
lions of Minnesota, and there were doubtless
many more. The laws of Minnesota have
proved inadequate to check this evil. The
state OF Ohio has a law which has proved
much more effective and has been substan-
TALLY adopted by Illinois and Colorado. Your
attention is respectfully called to this i'm
portant matter.
Institute for Detectives,
For many years the management Of the
various schools classed under the general
title of Institute for Detectives" has in
Minnesota been doing most excellent work.
In addition to the appropriation for their
many expenses, the directors and officers ask
for additional means to make needed repairs
and Improvements upon the present buiId-
irr IlnnA nlc rI- L..