Omaha daily bee., 1912-05-28
WOULD ALTER PENAL SVSTF"
Iowa Prison Commission Makes Re-
port and Suggestions.
RESULT OF MADISON INQUIRY
Warden Sanders Exonerated of the
Charges-PenaI Farm with Out
door Work for Men Is
Recommended.
(From a Staff Correspondent J


penal farm for Iowa convicts and a COM
state is proposed by the state prison
commission appointed by Attorney Gen
eral Cosson.
Investigation Of the prison conditions
in Iowa was commenced last fall by Mr..
cossou. in association Nth Farley Shell
don Of Ames and s.dge -. ~ Roberts Of
Ottumwa, largely because Of the accusa-
tons Of one Leonard Haley, a convict.
against Warden Sanders and the whole
prison system. When the committee got
into the matter deeply it decided upon
making a general investigation Of the
prison system Of the state and to recon-
mend as to the future. Not only was the
Fort Madison prison investigated and the
testimony of many convicts and others
taken. but the committee visited leading
prisons and reformatories in the east and
secured a vast amount Of information
from wardens and others.
Present ssstrm Drf~ctivr.
The conclusion OF the committee. briefly
stated. is that the system Is at fault
rather than any board or individual and
that there Is need of a great change In
the penal methods employ ed in Iowa. The
solution Is declared 10 be the establish
ment Of a penal farm. and this should be
located. so the committee says. not far
from the State Agricultural college, in
order that there may be instruction from
the college In farm work.
I'VE know" says the committee. "the
natural haSfsanaY thZra will he IA ISAIAH
fishing a new penal farm with allied In
dustries. but considering that a worse
site for the location Of state institution
could not have been selected than the
particular spot chosen at Fort Madison.
and considering the impossibility OF ever
furnishing the proper means OF classifica-
ton and segregation necessary to any
highly reformatory methods. and the un-
questioned evil effects which result from
combining prisoners OF all classes In one
building. and considering that other states
are now operating as many as six and
seven penal farms and actually making
a net profit Of over $4,000 within a
period Of less than two years, and the
overwhelming testimony Of the economic
value OF penal labor used under favor
able conditions and under q system which
gives the prisoner incentive and hope,
and considering the undoubted benefits
which would follow as result Of proper
corporation given to a penal farm by our
agricultural college, and the far-reaching
effect upon society by adopting the most
scientific and reformatory methods as a
punishment for crime. We believe that
our state cannot afford to continue
policy of indifference, ignore what other
states are doing and wait until the price |
Of land becomes so high as TO make the
proposal prohibitive and thus permanently |
commit ourselves to policy Of reaction
which casts reflection upon the char
aeter and culture Of our citizenship"
The committee fully exonerated Warden
Sanders from any blame in any way and
declared the accusations against him to
be absolutely unfounded. The contract
labor system is unsparlngly condemned
and II is declared II should be abolished |
at once.
Fight ON Parcels Post.
A more vigorous fight on the parcels \
post idea is TO be waged henceforth by |
the Iowa retail grocers At the conven- |
ton held last week they effected a COM
plete reorgan lzation and old officers who l
have long been In charge viii be sup
planned by the new men. One OF the fist
things done was TO send a telegram to ,
the Iowa senators asking them to fight !
the parcels post bills in congress. The /
former officials of the organization In
this state have also signed themselves
with the officers OF the state grange, /
which Is pushing its candidates to the
fore on a platform Of support OF the par
cells post Idea. and this policy will be
Immediately changed The belief of the
grocers Is that the parcels post system
would be immensely injurious to the re-
tail business in Iowa. The association
Will also take a big hand In the settle
ment Of the freight rate matters pending
before the interstate commerce COM
mission.
Iowa Bankers Association.
Captains OF finance to the number Of
between LOO and Iso are expected in
Cedar Rapids Juno 5 and s for the
annual convention OF the
Iowa Bankers association.
Several men OF national reputation
have agreed to attend the convention, in
addition TO the noted bankers, who will
talk. Included in the list are such notables
as Fra Elbertus Hubbard OF East Aurora.
n ri: Adam ]. Bede OF Pine City. MINI.
william ]. Burns. the famous detective.
Hugh L. Cooper builder OF the great
dam OF Keokuk; p. F. Harris president
Of the Illinois Bankers association, and /
Prof. C. r. Curtiss. dean of agriculture at
Ames.
Gompers' Visit for Inquiry.
A great deal Of speculation was INDUCED
in at Museatlne snent the visit there Of
Samuel Gompers. president Of the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor. and his confer
ence there with A. L. Trick. president Of
the state federation. II is now declared
that the visit was one merely OF inquiry
Into conditions at Muscatipe in eonnec-
ton with the recent strike OF the button
workers Mr. Gompers expects to make
a report on this fight ana desired to be
informed as to all features.
Not "a May Drug stores.
The habit Of keeping seven kinds Of
headache medicine and other relics OF
the spotheeary's shop on mlIAdy's dress
ing table must be going out Of style
among the first families.
Trade in moth balls and marbles is
falling off or something else is happen
Ing TO the drug business In Iowa accord
ing to Edward J. Moore. secretary Of the
State Board Of Pharmacy Commission
era
With the licenses for the new year all
issued. the registration book kept BY
Mr. Moore shows there are 4t7s registered
pharmacists with Iowa licenses. Last /
wear the total was ISL