The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-29
BEs RETURNS IN
E|CHIeAh PRISONS
0ommission Created by Last Legs
lature Would Abolish Contracts
and Teach Useful Trades.

forcing the criminal laws; the prison
industries commission created by act
OF the last legislature and instructed
TO investigate the question how best
can the state employ its convicts. to-
day completed its report.
II declares that no industry can De
operated In the prisons that is NOT
engaged in by free labor and tha'
nrison.made goods should be sold IN
genuine competition with goods maze
by free men. The abolition or the con.
tract system and the working OF All
prisoners on state account Is recon-
mended.
The hoard has inspected the penal
institutions of Michigan, Minnesota
Colorado, Nebraska, Illinois. Ne"
York, Pennsylvania. Maryland, ION.
necticut, Massachusetts, Indiana ana
Maine. II was created by the last
legislature so that course OF actloh
for revising the conduct and manage,
ment of the Michigan prisons conlo
be outlined to the legislature, whlch
meets next week. A forecast OF the
findings was printed by The Times
several weeks ago.
The members are Gov. Warner.
Leonard Freeman of Fenton, who un-
Ill his election 10 the senate was
member of the board OF control or
Ionia prison; Edward b. Anthony OF
Marquette, member of the board OF
control of Marquette prison, and John
r.. Adams of Kalamazoo, member OF
the board of Jackson prison.
According TO the report, reforms
should be gradually introduced. The
development of the Jackson binder
twine plant Is recommended. The
commission believes that existing
contracts at Marquette and Ionia
should be taken over by the state,
declares that prisoners cannot profit
ably or wisely be employed in Michi-
gan at road making, and the raising
OF provisions on prison farms by the
inmates and also the employment OF
a state agent who shall be guide
In the state are recommended
The board points to the Elmira, N.
y, reformatory as the best, example
OF what Is sought to be established
In Michigan, and refers to the Detroit
house of correction as an institution
whose management is commendable.
Referring Of the management of
prisons, the board says:
I'VE submit the primary purpose
Of prisons should be correction and
aim to reform. They should be so
managed and equipped as to build up
character and inculcate In the inmates
thereof the principles of right living,
thus fitting them for better citizen
ship when released. To accomplish
this. moral training and influences
should be exerted and educational ad-
vantages literally extended In add.
ton to these influences daily labor
must be required in order to preserve
health, promote discipline and place
the institution as nearly as posi- bic
on self-sustaining basis.S 49, 1852 2
This Is the creed which the board
believes should govern the attitude of
the state towards it's prisons. Refer
ence Is made to the increasing tenden-
cy to take up new methods OF reform
along lines radically different from
those In vogue, and 1t is urged that.
this should be kept I'm mind along
with the necessity of employing the
inmates at occupations which will pro.
duce as great an income as possible
consistent with reform ideas.
Arguing that the state should not be
Influenced By the whims and fancies
of those opposed to prison labor" 1t
IL declared. that no Industry can. be
maintained which will not compete
with free labor but It is added that
h. Oh l.
at cut-rate prices. 4
Upon the proposal that the labor OF
penal institutions be used to manufac-
ture goods for state institutions. 1t Is
contended that this would divide the
labor into such small units that the
cost to the state would be greater
than 1t Is now.
I'VE think" II is continued, "the
determination OF what shall be man
,lfactured in our penal institutions
should be left to the judgment of the
board of control of each institution
The contract system should be abol.
ished. Prison labor should be entire.
ly utilized by this state on it's own
account In industries which will yield
q substantial profit upon the sale in
fair competition with free labor In.
dustries which are adopted in our in.
situations should be such as will. as
far as possible, teach the inmates
trades and III them for earning wages
when they are released. The board
ls OF the opinion that the prisons can
be made self-sustaining IL the legs-
Nature VIII permit the boards of con.
troll to operate industries upon state
account"
Upon the matter of abandoning the
state contract system IL Is urged that
instead OF precipitately abandoning
the system, the legislature should al
low the prison boards to act as rapid
ly as possible and entirely abolish
the system within five years, the law
TO prevent any board renewing con.
tracts for more than five years.
The board reiterates its approval
OF the plan OF manufacturing goods
on state account throughout the re
port, but adds emphatically each time
that these goods should not be sold
~ cut rates In competition with free
labor, but should be sold at fair
prices.
Referring to the Detroit house NJ
correction IL is pointed out that the
institution, which is operated on The
state account plan, makes an annual
profit of several thousand dollar
while the state prisons operated IN.
DER contract system each have an
annual deficit. and the board believes
that under the state account system
these institutions could be made SELF
sustaining.