The Advocate and news., 1899-02-15
cOnvIcts May Make TwIne.
CONTINUED from page l.)

purchased the capacity Is now 6,OOO,OUO
pounds. There Is now pending before
the legislature an appropriation bill pro-
Viding for increased machinery, so that
when completed the capacity will be in
creased to 100000 pounds.
The consumption for the State Of Min
nesota for 1898 was 100000 pounds.
In the operation of said plant there was
provided by the legislature a fund OF
$4,000 called revolving fund, which
was used exclusively for the purchasing
Of raw material and lor carrying the
manufactured product until sold. By the
judicious use Of this fund 1t has increased
from the original sum of $3.50, 900 to over
100000, exclusive of $4,000 expended
for additional machinery.
In our conference with the warden he
said: when we first commenced man
ufacturing twine we attempted to dis
pose of 1t direct to the consumer. We
soon discovered however, that II the
twine plant was to be Kept upon busi-
ness basis and its growth assured it was
necessary to adopt some other method.
We have since disposed a large part Of
each years product through local deal
ers to the farmers This has given excel
lent satisfaction every year up to the
past season. Not single complaint was
made prior to the year 1893. Some fric-
tion was caused last season by reason Of
the sudden rise in the price of fiber and
twine occasiOned by the war In the
Philippine Islands. In consequence Of
the sudden rise in price every farmer In
the State of Minnesota concluded that he
would send to the prison and procure his
twine; and in a single day 1900 orders
for twine accompanied by the cash were
received at the prison, aggregating 5OO,-
900 pounds, which at the time the prison
authorities were unable to fill. The dis
tributiOn of the product to local dealers
for sale to the farmers is, in my opinion,
the business-like way Of making distri-
buttons Of the twine, for three reasons:
First, because under proper arrange
ment with the local dealer the farmer
can obtain his twine at more reasonable
price than if he went to the prison and
bought it in small quantities; second,
there is a saving Of freight; third, in the
added difference in his favor Of not be-
ing Obliged to pay cash and being able
to secure credit from his local dealer un-
til after harvest. In making distribution
Of the product the prison authorities
have sold upon credit and have given
time until the first day of November with
out interest on approved paper to local
dealers or in carload lots to the farmers"
Your committee desires to direct the
attention Of the legislature to the fact
that much better discipline can be en-
forced among prisoners working in fac
ory Of this kind than in a coal mine.
Your committee is advised that in the
work Of mining coal, as It is at present
carried on at the penitentiary, 1t Is i'm
possible to prevent communication be"
tween the men so employed. A serious
responsibility always attaches to any
plan Of prison management which af-
fords opportunity for communication be-
tween prisoners The adage that EVIL
communications corrupt g0ou manners"
finds ample exemplification in the de-
pressing influence which an association
with habitual and incorrgible criminals
has upon those who are criminals
by impulse or accident and whose natu-
raj aspirations tend to reformation. II
the reformation of the prisoner be the
objective aim and end of prison discip-
line, rather than his punishment, and
his early return to the duties and obliga-
tions Of honest industry, humane and
economical result to be desired, the at
mosphere of his prison life must yield
the wholesome encouragement and pro-
lection which are essential to the moral
uplift, without which he will fail.
For these reasons in choice of indus
tries for prison life, the preference should
lie with those which conserve in largest
measure the moral and physical welfare
of the prisoner.
The experience at the penitentiary at
Saltwater has shown that the work OF
manufacturing binding twine is liked,
clean and pleasant work and in no way
dangerous to health. That 1t admits Of
a high order of discipline That it makes
the management of prisoners occupied