The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-15
LABOR OF PRISONERS
REPRESENTATIVES, LAMBERT's IDEA
OF DISCLOSING OF THE PRODUCT.
Manufacturing Supplies for State
Institutions and the Poor.

Mr.. Lambert's bill on prison labor. intro
duced in the House yesterday, brings in a
novel idea in the disposal OF the product of
prison labor, SO as not 10 come into COM
petition with free labor in the matter OF
prices, and at the same time prove valu-
able to the State. The provisions Of the
bin are as follows:
There is hereby created a board Of con-
Wet labor commissioners, composed or
three persons. TO be appointed by the Gov
ernor OF this State. at a salary or S.OO
per year each, whose term OF office shall
on the first Monday OF May,
1897, and continue for two years Thereafter,
unless removed by the Governor, as here
matter provided.
1t shall be the duty of said board, i'm
mediately after its appointment. TO meet
at the city of indianapolis and consult with
the Governor. auditor and secretary OF
state as TO the best and most advisable
manner in which to make purchase OF ana
10 maintain in the penitentiarfes OF this
State sufficient and suitable machinery Tor
the manufacture OF boots, SHOES, mats,
caps and wearing apparel of every KIND.
such as is worn and used by the inmates
of the several reformatory, charitable ana
penal institutions of the State, and also
Tor the manufacture OF 1urniture' Deas ano
bedding such as is equired in said institu-
tons.
1t shall be the duty of the auditor Of
state TO procure and complete within sixty
days after the taking effect of this law
a full statement of all the moneys paid out
by the State for the different articles OF
wearing apparel used by the inmates OF me
different r~eformatory, charitable and Pc
nal institutions of the State and Tor All
articles of furniture OF every description
furnished and purchased for the various
institutions of the State; and. i'm order 10
assist the auditor of state 10 make SAID
report, il is hereby made the duty OF the
officers Of the various State institutions.
when notified by the auditor of state. to
furnish him a detailed statement WITHIN
thirty days after the receipt of such no.
tice, setting forth therein the cost or al
articles purchased for their respective insti-
tutions during the fiscal year preceding,
whether such costs were paid by the or
ferent counties or out OF the state treas
ury. Provided, if any officer in charge or
any of said Institutions refuse or neglect
to furnish such report as provided Tor In
this law, he shall be liable TO "A penalty or
So for each and every day said report is
withheld, said penalty to be recovered Tor
the use of and in the name OF the State
1t shall be the duty of said board of
commissioners TO assign such a numoer
of convicts as may be required to manufac,
ture each article hereinabove contemplated
for the use of all the reformatorys charlta-
BILE and penal Institutions in this state, and
to purchase such tools, appliances ana ma
chinery as in the judgment OF said BOARD,
after consulting with the Governor, AUDITOR
and secretary of state, Will be deemed nee
essary to carry out the object or TINS law;
Each convict assigned 10 manufacture sald
articles shall not be required TO work more
than eight hours per day of each working
day, and it shall be the duty OF SAID poard
to see that some competent person, skilled
in the manufacture of each particular ar
ticIe so to be furnished, shall give instruc-
ton to ~convicts in the proper use CT TOOLS
and machinery used in their respective de-
for at least one hour each Gay;
and it shall be the duty Of said board TO
see that the ~convicts receive instruction
for at least one hour eacn Gay IN the coAh
mon English branches. .
1t shall be the duty of the wardens OF
the several penitentiaries to make, keep
and preserve a daily record of each con-
vict's conduct; ana every convict VINO
shall comply with all the rules of the in
situations and who shall not be guilty or
any breach of prison discipline shall re-
ceive at the expiration of his Imprisonment
the sum of III cents for each and every
days work performed by him, and in case
any convict shall be guilty of a breach OF
any of the rules OF prison discipline such
convict shall not be entitled TO receive
any compensation for any day. of that
week in which he has violated said prison
rules. Provided, however, That II any
convict has minor children, parents or
warden of such penitentiary may, in his
discretion, turn over to such dependent
children, parents or wife any money stand
ing TO the credit of said convict in excess
of SO.
When the needs of all the State institu-
tions shall be supplied with all necessary
furniture, beds, bedding, boots, shoes and
wearing apparel of every kind, IL any sur
plus remain such surplus shall be distrib-
uted among the various counties of the
State in proportion to their population as
shown by the last preceding census, to be
distributed among the deserving poor OF
such counties in such manner as the
Board of County Commissioners by reso-
luton may direct.
The Governor may remove any of the
| commissioners appointed by him as here
inbefore specified for any cause which, in
his judgment, will warrant such removal,
provided the person so removed shall not
be entitled to compensation after the date
of his removal.
No article which can be produced by
| hand shall be manufactured by machinery,
nor shall any machinery for the manufac-
ture Of such articles be purchased except
for the purpose OF instructing the convicts
in the use of machinery commonly used I'm
the manufacture of articles similar TO
those manufactured by them in their re-
Spective departments.
There is hereby appropriated out of the
state treasury the sum of 800, 600 for the
purpose of carrying out the object and
intent of this bill, the same to be paid
from time to time on warrants drawn on
the auditor of state. which warrant shall
be mpa by a voucher of the per-
son receiving the same and approved by
the board Of commissioners. specifying the
articles of machinery or other object for
which said voucher is drawn.
Commissioners s Locked ThemscIye In