Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-01-21


| Wisconsin, but the subject is receiving a great
deal of attention throughout the country. It Is
! not necessary for me to point out the Injustice
| growing out of compelling honest labor to com
pete with the for ,ed la Dor Of convicta. But tho
| subject isa complicated one, involving various
considerations of great importance. cad do
serves the utmost inyestga ton ynd thought.
Among the things to be considered as involved
In the question Of prison labor are the necessity
for directing the employment OF convicts
confined in the various penal institutions
a. that each convict whom bis terms OF sentence
expires NAV have learned .on,a trade, other.
wise have fitted himself for earning an honor
able is in.;: the necessity dictated by humane
impulses for ~ ing emf 10y meat TO con lets
rather than allowing them to DO idle; and the
importance Ia the taxpayer VI making ccimi.
nalS self-supp2ring rather than q pcfpetnal
burden upoa the state. The iirst VI the-n stlie
most important. An attempt has been made in
New York "a solve this diifi.:Ilt problem hi n
con7tl'iii opal prov ion, Il al the law 81 hat
state may well be considered by your honorable
! body when the subject comes before YOU.
! While considering the effect of colyict-iabor
competition In our own state pri son with prod
ucts manufactured in the state, u mas not DO
INV ~ TO consider whc'he legi nfipn should
not be enacted 10 protect the manufacturers
and labor OF the state against competitions with
similar products made by the conyicts OF other
states. The Legislature 81 New York la 1891
passed an act upon the subject which required
"all goods. wares and merchandise made by
formatory or other establishment in which con
yict labor l. employed, In any state except tho
state Of New York, shall, before being exposed
for sale, be branded labeled marked
a. hereinafter provided. and shall not be
xpp-ed for sale in any place within this
state without such brand, label or mark" Tho
remaining sections OF the act deal with details,
and prescribe severe penalty for violation OF
its provisions. As the act deals with interstate
cpninefce, 1t goes far, probab bis as the legis-
lainre can lawfully go in the exercise Of the
police power of tho state. recommend the in
ve>tigation by your body, either through one OF
your committees or through the board Of control,
of the results of the system adopted in New York
and other states. Such an Investigation may
very well be fruitful of good results. com.
mond tho Whole matter To your best thought and
attention.
The applications for pardons aud comnluta-
tions have multiplied as tai render II difficult
for tho executive, with the other duties to-
volving upon him, to give to each case the m
vestigation and consideration Which the exer-
else OF 80 delicate and great iowrr demands.
With the lapse OF years and increase of popula.
ton, it is not likely that tn Sc applications VIII
diminish, either in Number CO.. importance.
The power TO grant reprieves, combinations
and pardons after conviction, for MI otlen.
except treason and cases of lmpeacnrut, y
is lodged by the constitution solely IN tho
executive OF course, this power cannot bo
lawfully delegated to any other person or. tri-
buual without amendment Of tue colistitGi ION Z.
| am constrained, therefore, to urge upon
your consideration the wisdom of 80 amrndng
the constitution bs Ia create board "i par
duns, ia which IL .sdnctteA wtth the rhrcu-
tive, or otherwise rh,s power shall be looccd.
APpoRrIoSMEST
II has seemed to me to be my duty to suggest
ti, S1n shnd nnt m nendea 90 es +" more
clearly define the rules which shall govern the
10y ~ , i aIJ J;,in,
NV s'a,o ,,,." anr a. ,tt ,ha, ~, ,r.s
eut law is a constitutional one, but the manner
in which this important duty has been per
formed o' me legislature mas
saavn l,i,,t;, ~ ~ i li,iaat;o, ana
- chargcs aud counter charges for which there
' c, a" IN d"ci;m, .Ya,,rning twn losia.
M mort i,',,n,',,,, a. ,itntional IA.
H.! doSi the erlcis,l nlIcs governing the per-
t,,,n,,c,, ~ sn,,l nm. bnt nt,der tho couatitu-
=, IN, 49,, ~, ~, ,','I ,,'i,I i nf nnrassitv
Xxx -, it,pis NJ ,a Li.,r.tir There il un mower
W y T. II ~ W 80 ,it,,i @ 80 i,,. %,
XIX ra,,rIHE -, ,i ,o,'',,,,'l, ~ o,s,,ter ar
,. , s,r,rr,.Iiup i,,,a,,fn,,.. ia an ,I,e lcaisla
,,,s, of r,,,,,rt i,,,i,,,, ,,,d ictng liza
Il tn iowrys, ro,,,,ftlIv .nrL A measure may
H. ,r.,,,,.d II J. go f,r 50. .,ncrience ha !.
q ,,, - av,oc, that a ma
.,r' m n,nr. -. - hunIrcd and
i,n-r, three ner,ons whatever political
r, ,I,ny ,, haI,,,n Ia Eli IA. ,hl. IN CON.
80 o,I '',cr /, ~, a,ia,cnd h, ,artisa
IN l',,i i,,"r,,st ar oainsh nnpno.e The nav
:. ,.,,t,ti a, ~ Nm w c,rofnlIy considered
,t ,'i',,, r, /, ,.'',,onti no ,omnnsed ~ many
,',.,. ~ ..r,pt 'xrerirrce and sbiIify. contains
>, m. Instructive prov ions upon the subject,
l. 10 nj
..,t ~, ,,, ,i,,,;n, ,s 70 ,n;n;ni,e ,ba
'',u' w fo'H' W, ~" b ba tha vol
,r, 4; -, ny il; imnor,a,t hoth
70 'ii ,',o,. so ,nriarp r;aht and
r,,,,,, ~ r,,,;,, ,o,,,i.r lis
,r,, - tEn CON- .,i,,st;nmaIt, ,nfS majority 81
~, -, ,,,i n 49,, VA suh1nc, cansad nv
az i," -" NV nntroyars;os CT
% i oi 49,. ~ Ill h ,,ar,njt,od ~
y, III AMI, ,l,,t 80 or ,>,.ar at tha az
,% - H., " 49,, ,ihJ - nrannr,jon1t.
W. ,"' Nio"I ~ pi ia,f ~, y, Ywh;cH nnaar.
- I. ,'.,.,,, W VI wv "AAe'
l know something pf the large amount OF
work which deNulyes upon this body and the
manner in which, especially towards the close
OF the session, IT. various committee aie t'lr-
deued, II /, this condition of affairs which
makes possible the criticism frequently nade,
thar uuder the severe pros~1rc tf work llNs arc
enacted whsh NAV not rnly b. out of harmony,
bur many times In actual conflict, With -taiat
already III existence, tul 81 character to IN
crease litigation at public and private C&pruse,
and TO foster sense nf lu~ta iliN N The law |
suggest, therefore, that Nuu consider tif qucs'
upu Of appointing a commission of trained mon
whose duty it shall be- whom iuedHur"s pave
passed Ia that stage before Nu,ty body where
tltatp ,al 4rff fH.II a 4#t