The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-10-25

but this he says is because the
critics are not familiar with what
a governor has to do and are not
competent to judge how much ne
shall spend.
Prevention of Crime.
Governor Eberhart is very mucA
interested in the prevention of crime
and alleviating the existing condi-
tions in the state prison. In this
connection he said: "Our state pen
itentiary is already giving employ
ment to the convicts and in some
measure caring for the dependent
wives and children, but the system
is not perfect enough. The convict
should be paid reasonable amount
for his labor and a sufficient amount
of his wages turned over to his wife for
her support. This gives the man conf
dence and makes him more salts
fled and it also helps in getting him
employment after he leaves the
prison. The state should conduct
system of securing employment for
convicts who have served their
time, because in great many cases
they cannot get work after they
have been in prison because no one
will trust him, and after futile at
tempts to make an honest living
he gradually drifts back into his
old ways of crime.
In the large city the workhouse
problem is most important. When
ever the husband is sent to the
workhouse the wife is frequently
forced to go out and do scrubbing
in order to support the family and
the children are left to roam on
the streets and drift into crime. Il
believe that the workhouse should
own and operate large farms on
which the prisoners should be en-
ployed at fair compensation and
his wages turned over to his FAM
lily. The produce of the farm could
be used in supplying other state in
situations and thus convict labor
would enter into as little competi-
ton as possible with free labor.
Criticized for Stand.
Perhaps no person ever suffered
more unjust criticism than | did in
advocating and securing this change
of policy at our state training school
and charges were made that | was
influenced by desire to control
the patronage of the board of con-
troll, but today no one has sucn &
criticism to offer. Personally, | feel
very gratified over the results, and
while the duty was an unpleasant
one to perform, it has been great
/ blessing to the hayward boys of
Minnesota.
'In order to make the state train
81 90;
the state, it is necessary that more
funds should be secured for the I'M
provement of the buildings and the
employment of the best possible
teachers as we'll as minor officials.
The compensation paid today is
entirely inadequate for the class of
teachers that the state must employ,
and it is to be hoped that the next
legislature will amply provide for
this important institution.
1.-THE greatest economic waste OF
the present age is that resulting
from preventable and durable dis
ease In Minnesota alone more than
1900 deaths occur annually, which
should be prevented, and it is es-
timated that if all preventable and
durable disease could be eliminated
in this state, the length of every
human life could be increased not
less than an average of fourteen
years. The state must assume the
greatest responsibility in regard to
the care and protection of Apublic
health. 1t is safe to say that thou
sands of cases of suffering, disease,
poverty and crime could be avoid
ed during the wears of advanced
manhood and womanhood if the
health of the child were properly
cared for.
Urges Greater Publicity.
/ Greater state publicity and de-
velopment of all natural resources
is essential in "a state like ours.
Under our present system of collect
ing and disbursing school taxes and
appropriations, the total amount OF
collections and disbursements are