The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-11-19
Is Belief of Local Prison Ex-
pertS
WHO ATTENDED MEETING
OF American Prison Association
in Baltimore-Messrs. Sale
and Mcleod Return

That the contract system Of work.
ing State conyicts is doomed and will
soon be abolished in all states Is tie
impression gained by Warden T. =.
Sale n George b. Mcleod. of the
State prison board, who have return
ed from the meeting Of the American
tFlson association, recently he'd in
baltimore. Discussion on this sub
3ect seems to have evoked the most
interest OF anything in the meeting.
mr. SAFE mas been made a member
of the board Of directors Of the State
prison. and has been put OF the stand
.ng committee on prison discipline.
The meeting Of the national asso-
clatlOn began on Saturday evening
Frederick G.. PettigrOve, chairman Of
n prison commission Of Massachu-
sets, Boston, n president OF the as
ISOLATION, presided. The visitors We're
welcomed to the city by the COVER
nor of Maryland. and tho mayor II
the city Of Baltimore. Then follow
ed the address of the president of the
reception in Mccoy Hall by the ci,,-
xens Of Baltimore, to which all dele
gates were invited
On Sunday the annual sermon at the
Brown Memorial Presbyterian church
by the pastor. Rev. Il. Ross Stevenson,
was pronounced by ell to have beer
a splendid one. DR.. Stevenson ad-
mOnished prison wardens and prison
sOfficials to exercise moderation In all
.th1ngS and to treat those under their
care humanely. Sunday evening a
mass meeting was held in Lyric Mu-
PIC hall. to which all the citizens OF
Baltimore were invited. Speeches
were mad by the Rev. Samuel G..
Smith. chairman Of the board Of pa
-rcle. Minnesota; James A. Leonard.
superintendent Of the boys reforma-
tory, Mansfield, Ohio. and Mrs Bal
1iDgton Booth. president Of the vol
unteer prison league Of New York.
The business session began or Mon
day and lasted through Thursday, the
association holding three sessions each
day, except on Tuesday. when the Wis
itors were taken on an excursion to
Annapolis by the local committee.
This trip was greatly enjoyed by the
visitors.
There were many interesting papers
presented for discussion, and espe-
cjally was that OF the special COM
nlittee on prison labor, which was pre-
sented by tho chairman. Frederick II.
Mills, Of the department Of prisons OF
the State OF New York. This report
recommended the abolition of UPrk-
Ing prisoners on contract work, Claim
ing that it was unfair to the prisoner
and injurious to his health The state
use system Of New York seemed to
meet the approval Of most OF the
delegates IN the states that contained
large population.
State Use System.
In the State use system oil goods
manufactured by the prisoners are
used by the state and the political d.
Visions Of the state. Nothing Is sold
II, the open market. In other states
and especially the southern states,
where the population Is small, the
state use system is not desirable. h
committee recommended farming and
rOad building. OF course, states with
small population would not use
enough goods and wares nanufactur-
81 to keep the risOners busy. conse-
quently road building and farming is
more desirable in the smaller states.
The presentation Of this report pro-
vOked q wide range Of discussion,
some delegates saying that the con
tract system was a relic OF the dark
ages and should be abolished. others
saying tina it was the best thing IN
sight in many states, and should not
be given w until there was something
else to take it's place. However, "hat
is best for one prison does not suit
another, consequently prison officials
will have to be governed by local con
ditiOns In order to decide what kind
Of work and what class OF work Is
best suited to meet these conditions
The general consensus Of opinion
of the delegates was that the contract
system was doomed and that The time
was not far distant when it would De
abolished by all the states.
Jmaes A. Leonard, superintendent
Of the boys reformatory, MaTsiietd'
Chic, was elected president for the
ensuing year and the ASSOCIATION
meets next year in Indianapolis, Ind
AMBIGUOUS.
nNGS smnking is an ~eXpenSiNe hadn't.