Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-09
The Maine State Prison,


muck rakers to work up political
CAPITAL at the expense of Warden Nor
ton mas fallen decidedly fiat 1t has in
fact proved boomerang to it's insti-
gators by serving to give greater
publicity and emphasis to the success
full and altogether creditable record
which Mr.. Norton has made in his
present position. The State prison is
certainly fortunate in having it's affairs
high character and marked business
ability. No warden in the history of
the State has made better showing in
the conduct of this Office. The more
the affairs of the prison are inquired
into the better they will show for him
He has been a most capable and eff
Gent official, under whose management
the prison has been made self-support-
| ing to greater degree than ever be-
fore in it's history. We have heard a
great deal about the products of the
prison competing" with the free labor
OF the State. What are the facts. 1t
is necessary, as a matter of health and
discipline, that the prisoners confined
at Thomaston should be regularly en-
rloyed at some kind Of labor. 1t is
also desirable that this labor should be
renlunerative to the state-otherwise
the total expense of maintaining the
prison would fall upon the taxpayers
Of Maine. Section 81 of chapter al of
the Revised Statutes of Maine provides
that "No more than 20 per cent. of all
| the male cOnvicts in the prison, shall
be employed at any one time in any
any one kind of goods and so far as
practicable, the industries upon which
said convicts shall be employed, shall
be the manufacture Of articles not
elsewhere manufactured in this State"
1t will thus be seen that the estab-
lished policy of the State guards
against any injurious competition with
free labor by providing that only 20
per cent. Of the prisoners at Thomaston
| shall be employed in any one industry.
Undoubtedly this rule has, oftentimes,
worked to the disadvantage of the
has been rigidly adhered to. The aver
age number of convicts in the prison in
1e05-the latest report at hand was III.
1t will, therefore, be seen that the
largest number of prisoners that could
be used in any one industry at one
time was 30. AS no less than s. pris-
oners were serving short term sem
fences of three years or less it is evil
dent that they could not under the
most favorable circumstances have be-
| come proficient workmen, nor have we
ever heard ii claimed that prison labor
under the most favorable conditions
has ever equalled free labor in it's pro-
ductivencss. The trades taught at the
prison are broom making. harness
making. furniture making. and car
rage making. None Of these can he
regarded as typical Maine industries.
! or the trades in which any consider
able number of Maine citizens are EN-
ploycd. When we consider further
| that by far tho larger part Of the pro-
duo Is Of the prison find a market out
side of Maine and at fair market prices.
the faIIacy of the Competition" buga-
boo is readily apparent. Probably in
no other trades or under no other
system could the labor of the
| prison be utilized in paying its running
expenses with less of burden to the
taxpayers Of our State. Even if the
system in question were i'm fact open to
| the criticisms that some have alleged,
| the fault would not be Mr.. NOrtOns.
He did net enact the laws. He has
faithfully discharged his duties as re-
| uuired by them. and it is the general
testimony of those who have taken the
pains to inform themselves on the sub
ject that he has performed them with
| ma rl,a6 ability and Success