New-York tribune., 1900-01-29
MAY BE NO CANAL AC'
WORK IN THE STATE PRISONS.
SUBJECT DISCUSSED BY THE STATE SUPER
INrENDENT IN HIS ANNUAL REPORT.

SUBJECT DISCUSSED BY THE STATE SUPEsc-
INTENDENT IN HIS ANNUAL REPORT.
Albany. Jan. 2S-The annual report OF the Stats
superntendent Of Prisons. Cornelius s Collins. Tor
the last year to be submitted to the Legislaturs
Tomorrow night, shows decrease in the number
Of prisoners for the year compared with 1885, oe
fortv-one There were in September last, the Gloss
Of the fiscal year. 3161 prisoners
The Superintendent devotes much space to tbs
discussion of prison labor. He shows that m the
last year the production OF the State prisons was
greater than In the preceding year. yet the demand
for manufactured articles less The sales IN
1898 reached $49 20 Is but in 1893 they fen 20 s4
5O1 81 One cause of the decrease is special; that Is
the demand in 1898 unusual and abnormal when
the needs OF the National Guard were great and
the purchases on its account were large In 1883
no goods bought its account from the State
prisons. Nor is 1t expected that it will again be
buyer since it is held that it is exempt By law
from the requirements that State institutions shall
purchase supplies from the prisons
The other cause is general and must be felt &C
all times; it is the competition OF other State IN
sttutions with penal Institutions In 1888 several
of these, which had formerly bought shoes and
clothing from the State prisons. engaged IN tna
manufacture OF such articles, the managers OF them
asserting that the employment Of the inmates was
saIutary As these institutions did not manufacturs
goods prior to the addition OF the present system
OF prison labor. but bought them in the general
market right here Is distinct addition 70 the sum
Of Industrial labor by the State Hence. whiia
estimates OF tina consumption OF products by the
State institutions political divisions may prova
to be nearly right. the productive power OF thsss
institutions may largely exceed such estimates
Many departments in New-YorA City which wers
last supplied by the State with shoes. brushes
and street brooms purchasing such sup
plies OF the Kings County Penitentiary. This facH
points to competition among penal institutions
which will be felt and which must be recogn1zedI
for it may result In production In certain Ines
Of manufacture great TO exceed the demand
and then to some degree force tdleness on ths
prisoners
As each Industry IN a penal institution must bsE
duly authorized. 1t be sound policy to pro-
tect any industry which has been lawfully assigned
to an institution. and become organized and asrab
lished, from competition by another institution, SO
products 1t is only possible In this way 70 insure
operao8 II II is 6ss to bs asG sas ~ D mong G
into industries in the prisons and then force them
destructive because the rival Industries cnnot 90
s+ s0 tns 1i open d1c1io II % sen a5 t ~
keenness energy avails 10 find market for tha
Il is probably true that the fun demands OF the
State for products Of prison labor have not been
| be passed which sEaIhonOrs thoroughly protect
these eS0 to the s prodGofs Of p penal nstTtons
The total expenditures for the year We're $4So III.
the lowest since 1890 and decrease OF $s.67S from
| last year. In an the prisons go IN
SaSe II shsd 5hs yfa the mG2 e Cd 6og TS & Is %
in these schools Thus the schools and Libraries
Of prisoners and aid in the preservation OF mental
soundness ana anoru some surnuIuS 10 heaItn1uA
activity. pIsH
For some reason many women convicted IN this
State who should be sent the State prison for
women, sentenced to other institutions. This
is greatly regretted. In its equipment and its
sources for dealing with under sentence.
the women's prison is not equalled or approached
by any other Institution In the State. Adequate
in capacity and in its resources is comparatively
empty. The statistics show that the number IN
the prison September 30 1899, H. while In
the Mattea Prison for insane criminals there
are l9 inmates, although there Is room for only
$50
The Superintendent urges the reconstruction or
he buildings Auburn,
the building OF prisons nearer together and
near TO Albany, the point OF administration Ha
also urges the rapid completion Of the insane prison
at Dannemora, as TO relieve Matteawan- He ad-
vocateS the indeterminate sentence and a Board oc
Parole. He again asks for a special prison for
condemned prisoners, at which executions shall
take place. The work OF the Bertillon system tB
mn