Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-28

FOre1gn representatives. NOic, LoA
enzen & Woodman, Mallers Building.
Chicago; 225 Fifth Ave, New York
City: Gumbel Bldg. Kansas City. Mo-
EMPLOYMENT OF PRISONERS.
Chairman G. S. Robinson OF the
board of control of state institutions
has made an extended report dealing
with Investigations he has made OF
prison conditions in other states, espe-
cially that part of the prison problem
that has to do with the employment
of prisoners. Mr.. Robinson was one OF
a party which visited several states
last fall to inquire into the employ
ment of prisoners with special refer
ence to outdoor occupations. The
party visited Colorado and Georgia,
where prisoners are employed in road
making to a greater extent than in
any other states, and Arkansas, Mis-
sissippi and Louisiana, where prison
ers are worked on the farms. Okla
homa and Alabama we're also visited.
Mr.. Robinson believes we should go
slow before adopting any OF the
features of the prison system OF an
other state. The prisoners in this
state, he says. require different treat
ment from that given to the negroes
in southern prison camps and to short
term prisoners elsewhere. In this con.
nection he says: a.
The problem in this state is to hold
prisoners securely until they should
be released and so to educate, train
and employ them as to secure the
greatest possible benefit to them and
to the state. The financial considera.
ton. although important, is not first.
We have progressed beyond the point
where our chief concern is to get from
prisoners the greatest possible finan.
cial profit. If practicable they should
paw for the cost of, maintenance and
should have for themselves and de.
pendent relatives whatever they earn
above that cost. But the protection of
society and the reformation of men
should be sought before financial re-
turns from their labor.
II the state could choose between
deriving profit from a prisoners labor
and turning him out as bad as or
worse than when he entered or spend
ing money to develop his moral char
acter. train him in habits of industry
and turn him out law-abiding and
useful citizen, it would find 1t better
and more economical In the end to
spend the money and save the man.
Mr.. Robinson sums up his con-
illusions in regard to the employment
Of prisoners committed to the peni-
Tertiary and reformatory Of this state
as follows:
/. AS a rule. no prisoner should be
employed in places frequented by the
public outside prison walls II an
armed guard be necessary. A majority
of the prisoners cannot be so en-
ployed and escapes be prevented with
out armed guards. All able-bodied
prisoners should be fully employed In
school, in trade schools or in some
kind Of labor. II in labor their time
should be fully employed and they
should be required to do fair amount
of work each day They should not be
permitted to acquire habits of idleness
BY lettering at work. Therefore it will
be necessary to provide employment
in the prisons for large number of
prisoners.
Q. The contract, system should be
abolished and manufac curing on state
account substituted, but the present
system should be continued until
ample provision Is made for the full
employment of all prisoners.
8. The most desirable employment
for prisoners who can be worked out
side prison walls is farming, garden
ing, stock raising and dairying. This
should be on farms near prisons.
4. The goods manufactured should
be for state use so far as needed and
those not needed for that purpose
should be sold on state account. The
goods manufactured in excess Of the
demands of the state should be Of a
character to compete as little as pos !
sible with industries Of local char
acter.
S. All we'll behaved prisoners should
be allowed compensation for labor |
they perform, and this should be a
substantial share of the value of their |
labor. The allowance should be deter
mined according to the conduct Of the
prisoner. his application and skill, and
the work he accomplishes.
Mr.. Robinson said 1t was the general
opinion Of the wardens that the con-
tract system was the most profitable |
to the state, but he believed the state
account system would make for bet
ter discipline and bring about better |
results in a reformatory way This
would give better check on the
prisoners, permitting the schooling Of
the illiterate prisoner and the teach !
ing Of a trade to the prisoner with
such an inclination. He believes the
best workers are those who receive
some pay for their labor, and he has
no doubt that payment to prisoners
can be so regulated that in time the |
state will receive as much as it does
under the existing system and the
prisoners substantial sums for the
benefit of themselves and dependent
relatives.
ANOTHER CLAWS CASE.
It will be remembered that consider
ahla Of q rnmn1ls was stirred LID by