Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-08-08
GOVERNOR WEST PUTS
PRISONERS ON HONOR
Half the Convicts In Oregon
Prison Go About Their Work
Unguarded.
From the New York Times.

SESA
books into laboratories Of experiment
tai legislation" has extended her policy
of trusting the people, beyond the
n of those who have retained the
qualifications of citizenship. Governor
West is trying to show that c~onvicts,
as we'll as free men, are worthy of faith
in Oregon.
An example of Governor Vests
methods is provided by this telephone
conversation in which he recently en-
gagged. quoted by Jennings Sutor in an
article in the Pacific Monthly:
Hello, p~enitentiary? This is Yves.
speaking. Send 1915 up to the capitol,
1 want to see him in my Office
But. governor came the troubled
voice OF the warden, I've no guard to
send now-they are all busy. I'll send
him down this afternoon when I car
get some n to go with him.
NO. you won't. Tell him to get on
the a and get off at the capitol
Alone? Why. he's one of the worst
men we've got. He's a life termer. L
don't dare do 1t, governor
Governor Takes Responsibility.
I'LL take the responsibility. Send
MIN along, said the governor of Ore
gon.
w SiS C0ltCU OO1C ITOLIl IIIGe SION
shops. where he was at work helping
to turn out h heavy black footwear
that the 400 odd men in the Salem in
stitution use, told him to clean up,
and gave him his carfare for the trip
into town.
Tin not going alone?' he asked of
the warden in as surprised a tone as
that official had used to the governor.
a lew minutes before.
That's ORDERS said Warden Curtis.
And 3615 walked down the steps.
along the path where the roses and the
brave hollyhocks try their best to over
come the grim background of the tur-
reted red brick prison, and by the aid
OF the jerky little trolley that runs from
the ~penitentiary into the city OF Salem
proper he came to the capitol build
ing.
1T a been eight years since he had
seer he world outside the ~penitentiary.
prisoner. He had worked hard. it's
true; he had a natural aptitude for me-
chanics that easily CAV him the lead
In the shops. But he had also used his
ingenuity in trying to escape the bar
riers that man and the law had built
around him. the last most successfully.
First Who Had Trusted Him.
How'd you enjoy the trip?' the
governor asked.
A0ASO Oy GU bhA1II lOx a 'IIIlIlOlE@
neither was much in the mood for jok-
ing-and replied that It was a novelty.
Now. you're In Tor life. a muir
derer', the governor said. You have
tried to get away before. Why didn't
you this time? How do you know I
qidn,t SEND for you to give you a
chance to skip?'
NO. 3615 hesitated . minute or two
before answering.
Wen, III tell you. governor. I've
tried it before. This would have been a
pipe for ire But it's the first time
since can remember that a mans
trusted me. 1 couldn't throw you
down.
"'All right said West. go out and
see h town for an hour and then
80 back to the warden
He did. He ven back to work and
stayed with his job for a week. when
another summons came to call on the
governor. He went, visited a while.
and went back to the p%enitentiary and
to work again. The third time his
curiosity was relieved.
iii tell o what I want YOU to
do. said h governor. Our shoe shop
Is In q bad way. We make scarcely
They're poor shoes at that. We ought
TO manufacture shoes enough to fit out
every person in these state institutions
around here. There's no reason why
you boys shouldn't be making shoes
Tor this entire lot, excepting that your
machinery is old fashioned and worn.
out. Take some of the money you have
saved up and go down to Portland,
where there are shoe factories. see
what machinery we need. and how We
can improve shops. and come back
and tell me about t.. The state will.
take care OF your expenses. ;.
Parolsd and . Good Citizen.
"The convict went to Portland that
afternoon. It 30 happened that Il was
the week Of fortland's annual Roso
festival. The streets were q with.
bunting and decorations, bands and pa
rades.
ut must have been q strange sight
for the man who had spent the last
eight years In prison. Out at the avia-
ton Held %aeroplancs were flying.
Everywhere the carnival spirit had
play. But 3615 went to the shoe fac
tories. examined the types of machin-
In the city. and went back to the gov
n with the Information that he had
learned much. but that the most mod
ern plant to be found was at Oregon
City. Should he go there and see that.
too?
Governor West told him to find out
just what the prison needed, ana
when he found out. to order 1t. So he
went to Oregon city. studied the ma
chinery there. placed an order for the
state of Oregon and returned to Salem.
III has been parolcd since. and is
working honestly at the employment
the governor secured for him. He was
the prophet Of the new order OF things
that has resulted In SO per cent Of the
convicts of that state being trusted
to go about their work outside the
prison. walls without q guard to watch
them"
Int The 0riar Ross.
In this region flowers delight