The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1913-01-17

ChSslOn, matters OF utmost Importance
ID the people, and to the state, calling
for the exercise of your best judgment
and intelligence. 1t is, of course, un-
necessary for me to urge you to take
up your work seriously and earnestly
but l do kindly suggest that you settle
down to the serious and systematic
consideration of measures early in
your session, and push the work
along with such speed as will not in
terfere with thorough and judiciOus
consideration, but at the same time
will save congestion and confusion in
the closing days. Your session is OF
bf1ef duration. The time will quick
" pass. Out Of my own experience
have learned that nothing is more inn
portant to successful legislative ac-
'cOmplishment in our brief sixty day
sessions than getting down to work In
the early days. The duties of con-
scientious legislator are arduOus and
often unappreciated. 1t is my desire
u render you such sympathic assist
ance as can, and / want each of you
taefeel free to come to me at any time
for such advice and counsel as | may
be able to give / want to work with
you, in mutual cooperation, for the
welfare of the state we have under
taken to serve.
In making appropriations you should
use the utmost care and circumspec-
ton. and ecOnOmiZe wherever possible.
without injuring or cripplng any of
the states legitimate institutions or
activities. Not "a single dollar should
be expended, no office created or con-
tinued and no person employed except
such as is necessary for good and eff
Ncient government At the same time
would urge you to so provide for
ZACH department Of the state govern
nent as to enable it to serve the peo-
pie efficiently.
Fits Prison Contracts.
For long I have believed that farm
operation was the natural and proper
employment for ordinary prisoners,
especially the young, the first termers,
those who are serving short sentences,
and those, in general. who demon
strate that they are worthy Of conf
dence. | learn that the state owns
"a tract of farm land. about 240 acres,
come distance north OF the penitentiary
and am informed that this land was,
indeed originally purchased for the
penitentiary. 1t is too far away to
work advantageously from the pen
tteNtiaary itself. I recommend that
you make provision for the immediate
erection Of suitable buildings, and that
arrangements be made to operate a
farm on this tract of land at once,
with the labor of such of the inmates
AS the warden and board of charities
and corrections may deem best suited
and most deserving of trust. If it
proves successful. as it seems to have
proven highly successful in other
states, is could be extended from time
no time until employment Of this kind
was furnished to practically all Of the
inmates who can safely be entrusted
III such work.
have examined with a good deal or
interest the contract under which the
state is manufacturing shirts in the
penitentiary for the Sterling Manufac-
turing company. ] have always been
opposed to contract labor in prisons.
Lately I have given some special at
tention to the matter. and am more
than ever convinced that in principle
and practice il is absolutely wrong.
In this insance, the state is here man.
ufacturing an exceptionally good class
of working shirts for 36 cents dozen.
2 cents a piece. | do not complain
especially on the ground that it may
not furnish sufficient prohr. From
nv standpoint, profit in matter OF
this kind is a secondary consideration.
! called your attention, first, to the
fact that the state, in making shirts
for such beggarly prices, is engaging
in grossly unfair competition with a
class of workers already shamefully
underpad. For this price the state
and machinery Of all kinds-cutting
machines, sewing machines and every
thing used in the manufacture of
shirts except the material; unboXes
and unpacks the material, packs and
boxes the completed shirts, all for 3
cents each. My complaint Of the
price. remember is not especially that
II does not furnish the state suffi-
cicnt profit. but principally that it is
trdtally unfair competition with the
workers in this line of Industry.
Prison Labor Trust.
1t is claimed by those who should
be in a position to know that the com
binaton known at the Reliance-Ster-
ling Manufacturing company, of which
the Sterling Manufacturing company
Is a part, controls the contract in elev-
on or more different state prisons and
reformatOries, and is commonly
known as the Prison Labor Trust"
that the company was organized about
ten years ago with a very small and
insignificant capital; that its profits
have been such that its growth is re-
Markable, having now paid up capl-
ia. stock of over 100000. and an an
naal business in the neighborhOod of
S4O00,000. It is said that in different
states the contract is let to different
Individuals, partnerships or companies,
but that all such contractors are con-
nected with or part Of the Reliance
Sterling coordination.
There is only one possible consider
alton which, under any circumstances,
could be offered in favor of such labor
or the contract under which it is car
ried on, and that is that it furnishes
employment. l will freely admit that
il it was necessary to the employment
of the men that 1t would be eXcusable;
as between making shirts. even on
contract, and idleness, common hui
manity would dictate that the men
make shirts, but there is no such al
tentative necessarily offered. There
.ro yoctlv hattar WAYS in which thew