Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-03-18

PENAL LAW BILLS
BEFORE ASSEMBLY
Important Series Drafted by the
Commission Appointed by
John K. Tener Last Year

A series of bills, carrying out the
recommendations of the commission
to consider the revision of the penal
laws of the State, was presented to
the House to-day by Representative
Warren c. Graham, of Philadelphia.
The recommendation of the COM
mission are combined in five measures,
providing substantially for a system
OF employment and compensation Tor
the inmates of the Eastern Peniten-
tiary. the Western Penitentiary, the
Industrial Reformatory at Huntingdon
and other correctional institutions,
providing for the purchase of tract
of land to, be used as Il farm for the
Eastern Penitentiary; providing that
inmates of the various penal or re-
formatory institutions or warehouses;
may manufacture goods for their own
use. and providing for the establish
ment and government of six correc-
tional institutions to be known as
State farms.
The measure which provides for
system of employment and compen-
sation provides that all persons sem
fenced to the institutions noted who
are physically able shall be employed
at hard labor for a time not to exceed
eight hours q day, Sunday and holi-
days excluded This labor is to be em-
ployed in the manufacture of supplies
for the use of the institutions of the
State. This is what is known as the
"State-use' system and is in vogue in
other States.
For New Commission
A prison labor commission is es-
| tablished which is given charge of the
| supervision of the labor of the inmates
| and the disposal of the products of
| institutional labor. This commission
| is authorized to designate the indus
tries to be carried on in the various
| institutions The commission is also
empowered to fix the price of all ar
! ticles and materials supplied by the
prisons. These prices shall conform
4 as nearly as possible to the wholesale
| market prices.
| An appropriation of 100000 is
! made to the commission for the pur-
chase of material, equipment and ma
chinery. The sum of $4,000 is appro-
priated for salaries, travelling expenses,
etc, of the commission.
The measure further provides that
an account shall be kept of the work
done by each inmate and that payment
| for this labor shall be made at a rate
not less than 10 cents or more than
| so cents a day. Three-fourths of the
entire amount credited to each pris-
oner shall, at the discretion of the
i prisoner be constituted a fund for the
relief of any person or persons de-
| pendent on the prisoner. If there are
no dependents the sums credited to
each prisoner are to constitute a fund
! to be invested for the benefit of such
| prisoner. All wages paid under the
act are to be charged to the manufac-
! turing fund.
Eastern Prison Farm
! The bill authorizing the purchase of
| a. farm as an adjunct to the Eastern
Penitentiary calls for a tract not to
exceed 500 acres suitable for general
/ agriculture. stock raising and fruit
growing. An appropriation of SIS, 900
! is carried for the purchase of the
! tract. which is to be made by the in
spectors of the Eastern Penitentiary.
The measure permitting all prison.
| ers to work on goods for use in State
institutions is an amendment to the
act of 1897 and provides that instead
of certain percentage of prisoners,
all of them may work on goods to be
used by the State.
The fourth bill calls for the es-
tablishment of six State farms and
specifies six districts of the State in
which these farms shall be estab-
| lished. The first district is Philadel-
phia. Allegheny county is the second
district. The bill provides for the ap-
pointment by the Governor of a COM
| mission of five citizens to select suit
able sites for the farms. The tracts
are limited to 500 acres each. When
the farms are purchased the Governor
| is authorized to appoint a board of
trustees for each of the institutions
This board is given the power to super
wise the farms. Provision for the
transfer of prisoners from institutions
to the farms is made in the bill.
S2O0.000 for Land
An appropriation of 5000 900 is car
ried for the purchase of land, $40, 900
| to become available June 1. 1915, for
| the taking of options, and the balance
on January l, 1916. The sum of
| $4,000 is appropriated for the con-
struction of buildings and develop
ment of the land and for salaries and
expenses of the commission.
The bill provides that the six boards
| of trustees shall meet as a body and
adopt rules governing the State farms
The rules are subject to the approval
OF the Governor. Each board of trus-
tees is empowered to appoint a super
intendent of the farm and other neces-
sary employees.