Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1913-01-09
,,nced that for this class Of prisoners

3ority Of all. outdoor employment
should be furnished 80 far as possible
and they be dealt with ON honor as
men, so far as is consistent with prop.
er discipline and safety. A popular
suggestion for such employment at
the present time Is work on the high.
ways. A plan for such employment
may be worked out to some extent.
but there are obstacles In the way un-
der our conditions. In the first place,
on our level prairies, road work lie
done almost exclusively with teams,
and comparatively small amount OF
work Is required In a given space.
approximately, as many teams as men
would usually be required. II would
be impossible 10 establish camps from
which large gang OF men could OPP
crate for a considerable time, as is
the case in mountainous regions.
Again, under our system, road work Is
done chiefly by the townships, some
by the counties, which would require
some sort Of an agreement or contract
between the state and these local or.
CARNATIONS. II Is to be hoped that
some day the state will contribute to
the building of roads, when it might
directly employ prisoners in this field.
] do not wish to seem TO discourage
the plan of employing conyicts at
road labor. / am simply pointing to
some OF the difficulties In the way I'M
der our conditions and present sys
tenn.
For long | 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 con.
fidence. l learn that the state owns
tract OF farm land. about 240 acres,
some distance north OF the peniten-
tiary, and am informed that this land
was. indeed, originally purchased for
the penitentiary. 1t is too far away
to work advantageously from the penl-
Tertiary itself. 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 labor of such of the inmates as
the warden and board OF charities and
corrections may deem best suited
and most deserving of trust. II ii
proves successful, as II seems to have
proven highly successful in other
states, It could be extended from time
to time until employment OF this kind
was furnished to practically all OF the
inmates who can safely be entrusted
in such work.
Contract System Condemned.
| have examined with good deal of
interest the contract under which the
state ls manufacturing shirts In the
penitentiary for the Sterling Manu-.
featuring company. have always
been opposed to contract labor in
prisons. Lately / have given some
special attention to the matter, and
am more than ever convinced that In
principle and practice 1t is absolutely
wrong. In this instance, the state is
here manufacturing an exceptionally
good class Of working shirts for SO
cents dozen, 3 cents apiece. l do
not complain especially on the ground
that It may not furnish sufficient
profit. From my standpoint, profit in
q matter OF this kind Is secondary
consideration. ] call your attention,
irst, to the fact that the state, in max
Ing shirts for such beggarly price, is
engaging in grossly unfair competi-
ton with q class OF workers already
Bhamefully undsrpaid. For this price
the state furnishes room. light. heat.
power and machinery OF all kinds
cutting machines. sewing machines
and everything used In the manufac-
ture Of shirts except the material, un-
boxes and unpacks the material, packs
and boxes the completed shirts, all
for 3 cents each. Ny complaint OF
the price. remember. 10 not especially
that u does not furnish the state sufn-
Gent pront, but principally that Il Ii
brutaily unfair competition with the
workers In this line Of industry.
Il u claimed ~ those who should
Be IN position to know that the com.
bination known 90 the Reliance stsrl.
Ing Manufacturing company. Of which
the Sterling Manufacturing company
II part. controls the contract labor
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