The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-11

sane asylum, and many other articles
of minor nature, fully enumerated IN
the reports to. be furnished YOU
The cash receipts from all sources
other than the state appropriation have
been SIG. 597. 80 and the profits OF the
institution, after deducting all expenses
for material and supplies, have oeen
81, 9S7 "a for the two years. The Ut
most care has been exercised to engage
the convicts in no industrial pursuit
that would interfere in any way or
compete with the honest labor OF the
state.
The population has. increased about
% per cent, there being III prisoners
serving sentence now. and the net cost
per capita per diem MAS been reduced
from 40 cents in 1896 to 50 cents in 1898.
The prison has lived within its in
come and the board Of corrections man
aging its affairs asks appropriations of
the following sums for the ensuing two
years:
Gratuities 10 discharged convicts.... 1000
Alterations, additions and repairs 1895
Total .-................ .....-.....-. .$6o .S4'
Having perfect confidence in the
management and believing that proper
economy is practiced both in the pur-
chase and use of supplies as well as in
the use of products from the prison
farm, 1 recommend this appropriation.
Pardons and Paroles.
The state board of pardons has
granted sixteen pardons in each of the
two years; in 1897 made one cOmmuta-
ton of sentence and in 1898, two COM
mutations of sentence, making a total
of thirty-five convicts in whose behalf
clemency has been exercised.
The board is composed of the COVER
nor, the justices of the supreme court
and the attorney general. Monthly
meetings are held and all applications
are heard in open session. The great
majority of cases have been denied, and
it is believed that in those granted
proper discrimination has been eXer-
cised. and the motives underlying IA
vorable action have always been de-
sire for and helief in the reformation of
the convict and a conviction that So
ciety would not be injured by the lib
Grafton of the prisoner.
Under section 2251, revised statutes.
authority to parole prisoners for good
conduct after thorough investigation is
conferred upon the state board of cor
rectiOns. Under this authority six
prisoners We're paroled up to April of
1898. when the supreme court of the
state declared the law in reference I'M
constitutional. In deciding the case the
supreme court said: Section 2251. re-
vised statutes 1898. providing for a
board of corrections whose duty it shall
be to allow certain prisoners to go upon
parole, and the rules adopted in pursu-
ance of that section, are void, because
they in effect confer the power to COM
mute a sentence and are therefore in
conflict with section y, article Z, of the
state constitution, which creates a
board of pardons, with the exclusive
right TO commute punishment and grant
pardons; and it makes no difference
that, i'll case of parole by the board Of
corrections the Communication is cOndi-
tional upon the good behavior of the
paroled."
Pursuant to this decision the board
of corrections recalled those prisoners
who had heretofore been paroled and
subsequent thereto have refused to
grant any further paroles.
Believing that the experience of the
board of corrections amply justifies the
effectiveness OF this law as an addi-
tional incentive to reformation and
suits to prisoners in other states from
the operation of such a law, 1 recon-
mend that the function of exercising
parole clemency be conferred by
statute upon the state board of par
dons.
Leper Hospital.
It is estimated by the board of county
commissioners Of TOOele county that 500
will be sufficient to maintain and care
for those unfortunate Hawaiians who are
afflicted with leprOSy and who. Tor the
charge. L recommend this appropriation
10 be expended as heretofore under the