Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-08-22
TIMES REPUBLICAN, AILTowN IOWA: AUGUST ~ 1sin

the board before the 5newsfSll house
at Fort madison was ,start4hs It was
recommended very strongly by legis-
iatives committees. But POLITICAL con-
siderations prevented any fair consid-
Grafton of the proposition at that time.
NOW the situation has again become
acute. A determined effort Is being
made to interfere with the plans of the
state officials for adoption Of reform
methods at the prison. The city OF
Fort Madison is engaged in heckling
the warden. Next week will be tried
out the legal question of the right of
the city to make it an offense for the
warden to undertake to aid In the re-
form by making use Of convict labor
other than on the old contracts. 1t is
known that very powerful clique at
Fort Madison has been tenacious of the
contract labor system. Doubtless there
is dissatisfaction because 1t Is being
abandoned. The board of control and
the state officials generally feel that
the attitude of the Fort Madison Off
Gals is wholly inexcusable That fact
is sure to compel an investigation by
the Legislature. The alternative Of
securing a new location for the prison
will have to be considered. Then will
come up. naturally, the discussion of
the question whether a cell house, even
a modern and fairly decent one, is a
requisite at a state prison. II the
views that were expressed at Memphis
have sound basis that fact will become
known The meeting of the American
Prison Association at st. Paul may de-
velop discussions that will throw light
on the subject.
1t Is probable that somewhat better
showing will be made in the next re-
port of the board as to compensation to
prisoners for work done than in the
past. The Sanders system is along the
line of methods now universally ap-
proved. Two years ago the board re-
ported to the legislature that the
prisoners We're paid al Anamosa in the
biennial period s399643 for overtime
work and at Fort Madison the men re-
ceived ss.s41.74 This is what went to
the men direct. 1t will be interesting
recall now what the board then said
Of the contract labor in vogue. as In
dicating how entirely different it has
been in Iowa from that in vogue in
some other places:
The work done under these con-
tracts. with few exceptions. is neither
hard nor wearing. The prisoners are
housed clothed and fed by the state,
medical and surgical attention and
hospital care are furnished by the state
under the direct supervision Of guards
employed by the state and no abuse
OF prisoners is tolerated The con-
tractors have no power TO punish nor
have they any right to select the pr.;-
oners who are to work for them.
Prisoners may be removed from con-
tracts by order of prison physician for
physical disability. and by order II in
our opinion such removal is for the
best interests of the prisoners. They
are always permitted to talk with US
or any of us in private whenever we
are at The prison. and that. happens
every TWO or three months and some
times oftener and complaints Of over
work or abuse are made by few and
when made ire rarely found TO have
any merit. We make these statements
TO correct any belief there may be that
the prisoners IN the reformatory or
penitentiary are subjected TO the evils
OF slavery. They are not, except in
SO far as they are required to work IL
able whether they wish to do SO or not
The system in vogue, in this state
should be distins uished from that which
hss' sAxisfef' -iYs~ srene e<ate~-and now
exists in few IL any. of delivering the
prisoners to be the contractor. who is
required To furnish food. quarters and
clothing. Ia guard the prisoners, with
power to work them and punish them
That such a system s an unjusiiffabl
form of slavery will not be denied by
anv Uniformed persons"
The board at that time-two years
ago-recommendad the entire abolition
of the contract system and substitn-
ton of the state account labor system.
the end toward which affairs are now