Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-08-22

working gradually. Farming and road
making were discussed as entirely pos
sible. and the advantage OF teaching
the young men trades. There are al
ways good number Of old or Ill per-
sons not able to work I'm both pris-
ons, however," said the report, there
are men and in the women's depart
ment Of the reformatory there are
women who can be employed In pro-
ductive labor. This of necessity will
be the manufacturing OF goods for use
in the prisons and for sale. The pris-
ons can not consume all Of the goods
which could be manufactured ins them
nor could the other state Institutions
take the surplus. A market elsewhere
would have to be found. Our observa-
ton convinces US that men work bet
ter and are more interested and that
the discipline is better when they have
a pecuniary interest in their labor as
they now have when they complete
their tasks and are paid for overtime.
A system which would give all of the
prisoners some recompense for their
labor and a means of contributing to
the support of dependent relatives or
in cases where there are none to ac-
cumulate a fund for their own use
when relea sed Is desirable, but the sys-
tenn now practiced in this state Is
greatly superior to one which would
not occupy the full working hours Of
the prisoners. Hence, while favoring
the use of prison labor on state ac-
count and the payment to prisoners OF
something for their labor. we most
earnestly ask that if the contract sys-
tenn should be abolished and manufac-
turing on state account substituted
that ample funds be provided for man
ufacturing and that sufficient markets
rors OF idleness shall be avoided and
remunerative labor
The fact that wEere the industrial
part Of prison is properly handled
fair wage can be paid the workman is
now accepted as settled. Every one
knows about the enormous profits to the
state of Minnesota from operation OF
it's prison. In Illinois 100000 is avail
able for a new 1000 acre farm where
a new prison will be built and Joliet
abandoned after it cost s1T.0e0e0o In
Ohio a similar movement is under way
for abandoning an old prison and
starting all anew. In Mississippi the
state made half million profit in two
years on a prison farm. The Kansas
prison rs said to be operated at net
profit to the state. The Maryland
prison has an earning capacity of a
million a year. These and other in
teresting facts as brought out in the
report made by Messrs. Cosson. Rob-
erts and Sheldon. have a bearing on
the possible esta Enlistment OF a new
prison for Iowa.
It is recalled that some OF the pres
ent members Of The Iowa board visited
Saltwater and other prisons to look
into industries They were much i'm
pressed with the results accomplished.
While the present board has not as yet
gone on record It is certain that the
members are In favor of going right
ahead to establish industries OF some
kind. The custodial farm plan will not
affect the situation at the prisons. for
the custodial farm Is a place for the
persons who at present are either fined
or sent to jail for short terms.
Some years ago very earnest and
patriotic member Of the legislature
from Howard county made hard fight
in tEo Or three sessions for an appro-
priation sufficient to start a twine fac
tory at the state reformatory. Mem
hers of the legislature considered va
rious sums that might be needed for
the work, varying from 5000 900 to a
million dollars. Always. al the end, the
bills were all defeated because OF I'M
Willingness to spend the money neces-
sary And this has been the fate OF
every bill looking toward establishment
of any state industries for prisoners.
One and all these efforts of good men
to put Iowa right before the world and