Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1899-03-23
TO HANDLE THIS GREAT CUES.
TIoN AS IT OUGHT TO BE IsA
DIFFICULT MATTER.
FEW PENITEHTIARr STATISTICS
Appropriations Made by the Lsgisla-
ture in Behalf Of This Institution
Savings From Prisoners
Labor-Cspt. Aliens
Letter From the
State Capital.


Correspondence Of the LnDann.
JEFFERSON CRY, March 1e.--Unti
q very recent period one OF the mosi
serious vexations and Important
problems which confront the wisesi
Legislators In aImost every state IL
the Union, related to the manage
ment OF prisons, aud by that phase il
meant ~, the sanitation OF prisons,
(2l ahe control OF convicts, and (S) the
employment OF convict labor.
Prior to the late Civil War this
problem did not reach the plane OF
Importance IL attained In the 7O's
All at once, as 1t were, IL came to the
front and demanded the most earnest
attention of the very best minds and
broadcast philanthopists in this coun-
try. 1t called for q settlement which
meted out a just Punishment = the
convict for his violation of the law
and evenhanded justice to the tar
payers.
The punishment contemplated by
law when 1t sentences a human being
TO prison is thres-fold: ~ q separa-
tion from society; C2 confinement in
prison, and 90 constat employment
when in confinement.
His separation from society and
his confinement In prison are attend
ed by q bill OF costs which the State,
10 nine cases out Of ten, hes to pay.
The employment Of his labor should
be 90 regulated As 10 accomplish two
ends, viz: First, 1t should at least sup.
port the convict while in prison; sec
ond, it ahould, IL possible, be made TO
repay to the State the bill ofcosts at
tendant upon his arrest, arraignment,
trial, conviction and delivery at the
prison gate.
Il ls not my purpose to discuss at
this time the exceedingly grave and
important question OF criminal costa,
which is now worrying the minds Of
many members OF this Legislature.
Suffice IL to say, II is my humble iudg-
ment that TO handle that great ques-
tIon, as II ought TO be handled, 80 40
to reduce the apnuaI amount that
goes to pay criminal costa (now quite
s460, 900 per Year, our code Of criminal
procedure will have to bs revised and
remodeled, and perhaps some chang
co made in the State constitution.
So dismiss from this correspondence
the matter OF criminal costs and will
tell the people of Audrain county
something OF the management of the
convict labor of the State-how it Is
utilized, what 1t pays, how the State
is benefited, II at all, by its convict
labor.
There are some, perhaps many,
people who look upon prison man
agement as q matter OF small mo-
ment. That's a grave mistake. Such
used to be the prevailing opinion,
especially in the Southern States; but
the search. light of Investigation and
consideration thrown upon the sub
ject of prisons and prison manage
msnt during the past thirty years
has developed the fact that convict
labor can be managed 80 that prison
can be made self-supporting, at least.
The convicts in the Missouri Peni-
tentiary for several years last past
have numbered from 1900 to 1880,
three-fourths of them being robust
and able-bodied men, capable of per-
forming labor sufficient to support
themselves and help support the old,
disabled, and. .lnfirm ones. The num-
Der in our penitentiary on January I,
1899, was 1887, and the number lie in
creasing monthly rather than de-
creasing.
In 1897 the Legislature appropriate
ed for new cell building, shop build
ing, electric dynamos, ordinary re-
pairs, salaries of officers, etc., ETC.,
the sum of eiee, GOO; OF this sum, how
ever, only s1ls,744. Is were expended,
leaving unused and In State Treasury
the sum OF s47, 1854. In addition to
the above named sum Of s1is,744.1e
used 20 pay for repairs, salaries, etc.,
Of the prison during 1875, the Legis-
lature also appropriated s45o,OOo
out of the earnings of the prison
during ts97-s. Out of this last nam
ed sum only esss, ,444.55 was used in
the payment Of expenses, leaving in
the State Treasury to the credit OF
the prison earnings, the sum of $685.
$685. .45
Just here, let ne pause moment
and fix in our minds two or three
facts: First, the Legislature appropri-
ated in 1897 the sum Of s166,0O0 for
certain purposes above stated. GEN.
orally, ALI that is appropriated is used,