Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-04-27
VlROQUA DEFEATS sparta.
The joint Debate Between
school Teams Was a 49,. 90,
Which yiroqusius Co .ss ,i'a. %, IN
"A Pleasant sistt. e VI 'is'oi'ous

. koou,y ae legation OF cilizers &C.
Gun panisa lie high school team to
~ sha -: 20 day evening, to participate
- !" at debate on the que ton:
nl a"InV ID, That the contract system of en-
: prisoners should be abolished.
ofessor Doty and rear AGENT atives OF
40 school met Professor Williams and
he debsters at the train, and showed
them all the courtesies possible during
their stay. The Armory contained a
good audience, where The discussion
opened. Professor Dosy acted as chair
man, and the judges we're Rev Farille,
Attorney Doherty and Mr. Bird, OF
La Crosse, the latter being city super
intendent.
The debate was conducted in most
friendly and dignified spirit, each speak
er receiving generous applause. Both
sides demonstrated good thought end
training, and it was discussion credit
able to the schools and the young men
who took part Viroquains wers greatly
pleased and happily disappointed with
the excellent appearance ard presenta-
ton OF Arguments by their homs team.
Following IL brief synopsis of the
arguments:
Roy Williams, the first on the affirmative
sald that the contract system hinde-ed refor-
nation OF the prisoners in three general par
tlculars. First That the presence of the
contractor was opposed to reformatoPy eff
forts, in that the contractor was not inter
estee In the prisoners. The motives which
control the contractor We're selfish ones and
la m dnlI apaa nA
ond. fhat the contract ystem was opposed
To reformation on account of the routine
WORK OF the machinery, He mentioned that
1t was the duty of the state to endeavor to
teach the prisoner IA trade. and thus prepare
him to live an honest life upon his release
from prison. Third. That the contract sys-
tenn was opposed to reformation because it
aHofded little opportunity TO separate the
young convicts from the incorrigi ole. The
indlscfimlnate association of all grades of
convicts was an undesirable schooling for the
young Offenders. he cited the report of the
Wisconsin warden to substantiate his claim.
Competition with free labor was then taken
up ana by comparing the wages of convicts
ana or free la Dor, as given by report Of COM
missioner OF labor, and by pointing out the |
decrease of wages of Chicago coopers in COM |
petition with convict labor at Joliet, he en- |
ueaVored to support the position that con- |
Wet labor under the contract system injured |
free free abor In conclusion. he pointed out the |
TACT mat the contract system was rapidly |
disappearing as distinct system, and on the |
other land the public account system was |
ihSTedoiHS anu OdklnS luS piace.
Louis Spellum, the second speaker on the
affirmative, said that discipline and reforma-
ton were closely related. Under the Contract
system, on account of the division OF the con-
trolling authority. the discipline did not i'm
not work cheerfully under two masters The
contractor was interested only in the physi-
cal strength of the prisoner, and had the
power to urge the prisoner beyond his nat
ural strength. This, he claimed, was q form
OF moderd slavery, and should be called cruel
ni-h 1
unconstitutional. Under the cC.tr8ct sys-
tenn the mind of the prisoner was rebellous,
ana when he was at war with his environ
ment ne was not proper subject for FefOr-
native measures. Also. the interests of the
state and the contractor were directly on
posed to each other. While the state de
sired to shorten the term of the wel-disposed
the contractor, on the other hand, desired to
retain the prisoner. This gave rise to abuses
in reporting the conduct of the prisoner. Not
only did prison labor, under the contract
system. lnJure free labor, but also manufact- | !
ures The system had few lines of industries. s
and thus manufacturers in those lines had to |
quit Under the public account system the [
industries were diversified and thus the |
did not feel the comnetition
Robert Wilkins, the third speaker outlined
the public account system without steam
power as a substitute for the contract system. +
he said that it afforded a better opportunity
Of separating the young convicts from the | G
and taught q whole trade both o.,
Of which were essential to the restoration of /
the criminal He also said that this system '
r
than any other system because the trades :
we're diversified when hand labor was substi- I
Luted by machinery. He contended that the =
financial side of the question should not con-
dict with the more important consideration
Of reformation, but from financial stand q
point the public account system was superior :.
10 the contract system. He quoted the re- /
ports of the prisons of New York and Illinois, 8
showing that the direct receipts were greater =
and the cost to the state less Also, there |
were enormous indirect savings to the state
In the lessened cost of arrests, convictions
and imprisonmen's of second and third Of
tenders on account of the decreased numb r
Of prisoners. The reformation of the prs \
)ner was good financial investment, and
Illustrations were quoted from Moscow and /
England, showing that under the public ac- I
count system reformation did take place.
The negative of the question was handled g
by Earl Kemp. Mark Jewett and Ernest Gam
BILE They certainly made the most of their
sac or me case Their strong contention was, I
that prisoners should not be kept in idleness o
ana the people taxed to support them: that ,
useful occupation strengthened the charac- l
ter OF criminals: that men were better fitted n
Tor the duties of life when thew returned to
ne world free. The system advocated by
the affirmative Of the question vas attacked ,
as illogical and out Of date. The contract
system, they declared, was the 6ne satisfac- h
,ory manner of employ ing convicts :
The Viroqna team returned home
afternoon In the evening !.
hey were given an enthusiastic recep-
ion at the high school building. in
which the entire school and mary citi- 7
sens participated Brief speeches we're [
made by numerous citizens, congratu-
ating the victors, the school, it's princi- &
pal and the community A short pro-
gram was presented followed by refresh