The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-07-20
- , -. - ~ -.
esv. BIease Thinks 7 loo Aueh
Money Behind h0..> ST.. d. <.
HE has NOT LOST HOPE
In Letter to the Governor of Iowa
as to the Pathological Conditions in
This State, Blease Gives His Views
On Statement Of Penitentiary d.

Governor Blease on Monday gave
his first impression upon the Peni-
tentiary situation since the directors
made public their letter informing
the Governor they purposed standing
by the hosiery mill contract. The
views of the governor were expressed
in a letter to Governor Carroll, OF
Iowa, replying to inquiries. con.
corning genealogical conditions in
South Carolina.
Prison. labor is employed in part,
the letter says, on farms and roads,
but sin part, ] regret very much to
say, in hosiery mill, located within
the walls of the penitentiary, which
;mill) is common nuisance and a
death trap caused by tuberculosis.
l am now doing my best to get rid
of the hosiery mill, but it seems there
is too much money behind it, and l
am having a hard fight.
However, I have not lost hope and
have appealed to the solicitor Of this
circuit and asked him to bring suit to
abate the nuisance. Why the board
of directors are figthig me, I am
unable to say, unless it is personal
political prejudice"
The Governor says that If this is
not the reason he would not care to
state what he land good many OF
the people" believe to be the reason;
but anyway their action is certainly
peculiar"
The letter follows:
His Excellency, B. F. Carroll, Gov
ernor Of the State of Iowa, Des
Moines-Dear sir: Your letter OF
July IA received, in which you ask:
''How many penitentiaries and refor-
matories have you in your State?"
In reply, beg to say that we have
one Penitenttary and connected
Herewith a reformatory for colored
youths. We also have an Industrial
school, or reformatory, for white
boys. .,.,.;,-,-- ~, 80 ", -,
The Penitentiary is self-supportlng
and last year turned something like
$S5,O0O over TO the State in profits.
The reformatory for white boys Is
in its infancy, and has not yet had a
fair chance to show what it can ac-
complish.
In reply tn your question, "How is
your prison labor employed?' On the
farms, on the roads, sometimes In
shops, and, regret very much to say,
in hosiery mill, located within the
walls of the penitentiary, which is a
common nuisance and a death trap
caused by tuberculosis, this having
been reported by the State board. OF
health and condemned, by my having
called attention to it at the last meet
ing of our General Assembly, and ]
am now doing my best to get rid OF
the hosiery mill, but it seems there
Is too much money behind It and am
having a hard fight. However,
have not lost hope and have appeal
ed to the solicitor of this circuit and
asked him to bring suit to abate the
nuisance. Why the board Of direc-
tors are fighting me on this matter
am unable to say, unless it is persc-
nal political prejudice, I would not
care to state, if this is not the rea-
son, wha I and eooiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Ohio
son, what I and, yood many of the
people believe is the reason, but, any
way, their action is certainly pecul-
lar, knowing, as they do, that it Is a
death trap and a menace to our peo-
pie.
In reply to your last question,
"What is your prison population?"
cannot give you exact figures, but !
suppose to be about ten or twelve
hundred. 1t would have been much
heavier, possibly, but in the last six
months have reduced it considerably
by exercising executive clemency, and
will reduce it some more now soon
along the same line.
Any other information which I can
give you I will be pleased to do So
Very respectfully,