The Saint Paul globe., 1897-02-19
a woNDERFCL ARGUMENT.

4 WONDERFUL ARGUMENT.
The argument advanced by the st.
Paul Dispatch in behalf of the propo-
sition to create a consolidated board to
manage the state prison, state reform
atOry and state training school shows
a singular unfamiliarity with the prob
lens to be dealt with and the practi-
cal circumstances of the case. 1t de-
Cides in favor of the change for two
principal reasons. each of which ap-
pears to us to be baseless In effect
and founded upon faulty premises. The
first is that these three institutions
are connected in regular series with
each other as parts of a vital whole.
LAS we'll" says the Dispatch, "have a
different school board for the primary,
grammar and high school grades as
three boards for the penal institu-
tions." This is perhaps, the most eX-
traOrdinary assertion that ever found
its way into print, outside of the
Prison Mirror. We are asked to re-
gard a career in crime as the neces-
sary and normal condition Of certain
individuals in the community, and to
organize our institutions accordingly.
We are to have a common manage
ment in order apparently, that the
depraved juveniles, who begin a course
in the state training school school at
Red Wing, may be so conducted that
they will graduate with honors
from the state prison at Saltwater.
and even be assisted, by the fostering
care OF the state, to highly creditable
exit on the gallows. The whole prop
OsitiOn is mOnstrous That individuals
return to the same correctional insti-
tuition, and not infrequently pass from
one to another, is unhappily true but
there is no intrinsic relation between
them, and nothing that calls for a COM
mon censorship. On the contrary. the
problems are so different and the
methods to be applied vary so widely
from the offender Of tender years to
the life convict, that, to paraphrase
our contemporary argument, it would
be as absurd to ask the same instruc
Tor to teach beginners in arithmetic
and all other courses, up to differen-
tlal calculus and applied mathematics,
as to pass these three institutions over
to single management.
The other argument is lust about &c
valid. Says the Dispatch again: sJt
Is not the least of the reasons for the
change to note that it is a movement
In the interests Of a more rigid econ
omy." 1t again asserts that the nro-
Posed change Will reduce the expense
OF the state" On the contrary if
WouIG either increase the expense ma
teraIly or make it certain that the
managerial work must be sliphted or
neglected altogether. Does the Dis
patch writer know how much the
boards Of managers of these institu-
lions cost the state at the present
time? By consulting the statutes he
would find that the board Of managers
Tor the prison at Saltwater get s.
per diem for the time when they are
engaged in actual service, not to ex
ceed 500 per annum, together with six
cents per mile for the distance actually
travelled The law constituting the
state reformatory says that the men,
bers of this board shall serve without
compensation, but shall have reason
able travelling and other official ex-
DenSPS. Concerning
known as the state training school,
the statute provides that mo member
of the board of managers shall receive
any compensation for his services I"
The maximum possible charge. then.
at present, for managerial work in all
of these institutions, is $1OO a year for
each member of the state prison board
and travelling expenses for them and
for the board of the reformatory. If
these boards were consolidated the
expenses must be increased.
AS matters now stand, a great deal
Of the work Of all our state boards
having charge of public institutions is
done by the resident members. The
men who live where they can visit
the institution every day know most
about the practical details Of its man.
agement and their advice is gener-
ally needed. Put these three institu-
tions under a common board, and eth
er the members must neglect their
duty altogether, or they must give
practically their whole time to the
work. No man could serve on a
board, directing the management of
these three immense and important in
stitutions, located in different parts of
the state, so that he would have to be
constantly travelling from one to an