Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-02-02
HAWAII AND PRISON LABOR.

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Hawaii's recent rather experimental tests OF
prison labor seem to be working out satisfac-
I6rily. Certainly the humane efforts Of jailers
and high sheriffs to give the imprisoned men
1nder them some exercise and some recreation
have done the men infinitely more good and
Tie community no more harm than the old
.tstem Of rigid restraint. The old system made
weak man bad and bad man worse and
prison officials are getting away from that kind
1' punishment.
OF very timely interest to Hawaii is q gov
@1of's report that has Just reached the Star
Bulletin that of George w. p. Hunt of Ari4
.6na I1slate months Governor Hunt has been
IL tile limelight good deal on account OF
Mexican troubles. His message to the second
state legislature reveals him as a man of con-
s|rnctive intellect along community welfare
Ines He is deeply interested in prison reform.
This from his message has q general applica-
THE abolition of stripes, the dungeon and the
Iake-den, and the supplanting Of such atrocities
viii sanitary wholesome SURROUNDINGS educational
s'iss too0 nsa,s ,ri, Il
leading 10 the upbudinexof character, are some Of
ne changes which have been wrought with benefit
10 the prison population and with profit to the state
els 3 vndication Of the changed form Of manage
ntnf ii is permissiblepto cite the fact that actual
experience extending over several years. has en-
.1'ed oricais definitely To- determine that there
two ADVANTAGES commendatory OF convict labor on
|.thHays. whereas there is nothing to show that
contract and day labor superior to prison work
comparisons for instance. shows that ad-buders
from the prison not only are more thorough u
.1rfmanship but can be utilized in highway and
bridge construction ct Z lesser cost than attends the
rn1ioyment OF day labor in similar work. II may
Sc added, furthermore that the application Of the
[6nor system materially reduces the cost Of road
construction, since the necessity Of hiring guards
e thereby obyiated Consider in addition ths ad-
11ers heslthfully and steadily employed, and the
1deptabiIity Of prison population to the construc-
.|on Of public works viii promptly become more
Governor Hunt goes on to report that the
treat success which has met efforts at prison
REFORM guarantees the wisdom Of still greater
facilities afforded BY the state, instancing the
need of penal farm and even the establish
nent of snch prison industries as the manufac-
lure Of concrete pipe. He also strongly favors
systematic education for the prisoners, even the
most criminal classes.
This conception of the prison system is q
long way from that Of the sblack hole and the
snake den and the silent cell !" and other
Institutions that have fourished from Sing Sing
10 Folsom.
HIS report on the relative efficiency of prison
labor is highly interesting to Hawaii Why
should not the territory extend its employment
81 prison labor to territorial roadsi The po-
|itical objection would probably be raised
that citizens land good votersl would be thus
deprived ef employment but the facts are that
the territory has not enough funds to build all
the needed roads, and prisoners could be EN-
ployed on work for which there is no territorial
appropriation.
And from the broader standpoint, the prison