The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1897-01-22

less imam the cost OF prOuuctlOn, tnuS
not only reducing the demand for the
products for free labor. but also the
price of IL.
Governor Pingree's Recommendations.
The above will constitute the SUBJ
stance of the arguments to be made by
those who believe that the contract sys-
tenn Is altogether the best and most
profitable 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 of 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 be replaced 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 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
situations was created by the legisla-
ture Of 1891. When the old system of
90 10 In,
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 constant and
painstaking investigation of the ques-
ton of prison labor. For this reason
your correspondent sought him out a
few days since and asked II 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 it 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
Il IL
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 I 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
OR co rda an nd 70 RIM
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 to
proceed with caution. They are anX-
ious to make any change that will be
an advantage to the state, and, on the
other hand, they are anxious to avoid
mistakes. Several of the states have
wasted immense sums in changes of
prison industries that have resulted in
losses instead of gains. The law al
ready allows the carrying out of the
suggestions of the governor as to con-
I Wet labor, If found to be for the best
good of the state, and / am in favor
of investigating the question of utilizing
the prison farms and charging them, il
found best, as recommended by the
governor. We would not thereby eS-
cape the objection made to prison labor,
for the competition would then be
thrown upon the farmers. But after all,
no matter what the convicts do, IL they
do anything we will encounter objec-
lions from some quarter in every field
of labor, and in some fields greater diff
ficulties than in others. Even If we go
to making streets and roads with con-
victs we compete seriouly with a large
body of free laborers who now do such
work.
Boards Have Power.
I'VE are thus compelled to look at the
matter in all of it's bearings. Indeed,
1 may say that the boards have at
tempted hitherto to do so, but that will
not prevent doing so again, and 1t may
!. be that with the new views and aids
some changes may be found to be i'm
provements. The laws already suffi-
GENTLY empower the boards to under
take new kinds OF labor If found advis-
able and shall advise a review of this
entire subject, although I am inclined
to think that the fuller the investiga-
ton the more clearly will it appear that
very few changes can be wisely made.
1 shall be glad If we can increase the
number of convicts employed in farm
and garden work in the direction sug-
gested by the governor. One serious
difficulty has confronted us in respect
to farming convicts. 1t is this: But
little can be done on the farm in win
ter. Perhaps, however, some other
/ kind of work could be found for them
during the winter months
what the governor says" concluded
Mr. Barnes "about the classification Of
| prisoners and prisons, and the transfer
ring of convicts is, in my Judgment,
excellent"
When the matter of convict labor was
before the legislative committees two
years ago. Mr.. Barnes opposed the prop
osition of the furniture manufacturers
of the state that the manufacture Of
furniture at Ionia and Of chairs at the
Detroit house of correction be prohibited.
! Those who favored the proposition sug-
gested that the convicts be employed on
the streets, and called attention to the
fact that none of that class of citizens