The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-18

II PROBLEM OF PRISON LABOR.
One of the important problems which the
next Legislature must solve is that of the
disposition Of the labor of the inmates of
the Jacksonville Reformatory and the
State Prison. A Legislature went so far as
TO prohibit the letting of the labor to con-
tractors beyond a certain period, and that
period will end during the next two years.
II was easy TO overthrow a system. 1t
required no wisdom TO vote in favor of a
bill abolishing contract labor, but II will re-
quire wisdom and perhaps courage TO de-
wise and put In motion a pian for the en-
ployment Of the fourteen hundred men in
the two reformatory and penal institutions.
So far as the prisoners are concerned, the
devising of some means OF furnishing them
with employment Is imperative. The dis
cipline OF the prison and the well-being of
the men demand full occupation. In New
York prisons, where the abolition of the
contract system left the mel without en-
ployment. men begged for something to do
after a brief period of idleness. With moth
ing to do tley brooded over their condi-
ton until all were irritable and some were
on the verge Of insanity. Years ago, when
the punishment of the man was the con-
trolling idea Of the penal system, idleness
could be approved, because it would be sure
to make that punishment torment. Now
that torture or anything that approaches
1t is not the end of Imprisonment, and the
future well-being of the condemned is the
leading design of prison discipline, employ
ment Is nearly as essential TO the we'll
being of the prisoner as food. To-day one
of the leading functions of the penal sys-
tenn is to teach the inmates of such institu-
tons some degree of skill In some line of
production which will afford them the
means of an honorable livelihood when they
go out into the world. Furthermore. tax
payers and the Industries of a community
should not be compelled to keep hundreds
OF able-bodied men In idleness at the pub
lie expense.
Such being the conditions, the question
for the Legislature to consider and deter
mine is the giving of the inmates of the
States penal institutions employment. 1t
is a question which must have a positive
answer, and the incoming Legislature
should exert itself to find it. Nor
should intelligent men leave this i'm
portant problem solely to the Legislature
for solution. 1t should be discussed by
labor and business organizations. And here
II should be said that the man is not a good
citizen who would consider this topic from
! tho viauhoipf ~ adyantaUa 10 n pn1ifipal
party.
The Journal could never agree with those
who have made so determined opposition to
the contracting of prison labor. To listen
to the objections of some of the men who
assail the contract system one would con-
clude that the few hundreds of men in our
penal institutions would so fill the mar
kets with their products that tens Of thou
sands of free workmen would be deprived
of employment. There are not a thousand
men in both State institutions whose labor
could be turned to trades that would come
into competition with the skilled labor Of
the State. These men, working as men in
such institutions work, cannot turn out as
many goods as seven hundred men, and
PROBABLY not more tnan nVe hundred free
workmen earning wages for themselves.
II this estimate is approximately correct,
it must be acknowledged that the OPPOSE
ton to the contract system has little real
basis as a harmful competition to outside
labor that is really skilled. If the State
should carry on the same branches of man
u~facture that are now carried on under
contract. the effect upon outside labor and
markets would be much the same that 1t
now is. In either case. 1t would be in
appreciable.
The most that the Journal has i'm view at
this time is to call attention to the subject
and TO the pressing Importance of its con-
sideration by practical men whose judy
ment must have weight with the Legisla-
ture.