East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-01-12

! In many Of our eastern counties
agricultural development is being ser
iously threatened by a growing pes
OF rabbits. To those affected, this 4
a matter Of great importance and !
deserves serious consideration.
would recommend that small appro
piratlon be provided for devlsing way
and means Of scientifically combat
ting the rabbit pest.
state InstitutOns CFeditAble.
The biennial reports of the Denal
and eleemosynary institutions OF thC
gtate are before you. As lntlmated
above. do not deem It within my
province at this time to burden you
with lengthy statement dealing with
the details Of their conduct.
With one exception my investlga-
tions have led me to believe that both
In physical condition and manage
ment the institutions are fairly credit.
able.
cannot speak 30 optimistlcally
concerning the Oregon state penlten.
tlary. In many respects that estab.
lishment is In an unsatisfactory con-
dltion- Broadly speaking, it's chief
demerits are insufficient equipment
and the unemployment Of its inmates
During the last month there were
l6O men in the penItentiary without
occupation. and there seems fair rea.
son. to expect that the number will
Increase. Such a condition is contrary
to the dictates OF humanity and
economic wisdom. So far as possible
the prisoners should be kept physi.
cally sound, and assuredly their la
bors should be utilized to the utmost,
for their own good and that OF the
taxpayers who are forced to support
them.
Two methods Of employment with.
In the penitentiary itself are bracti-
cable. One, the manufacture of ar
t.cles for use in other state institu-
tions, is already developed nearly TO
the extent OF its limited field. The
second is production OF something not
manufactured by free labor elsewhere
In Oregon; an example of this policy
Is found at the Minnesota penitentiary
where the convicts not only pay their
own way but actually showa substan-
tial profit through the manufacture
OF farm machinery.
Outside the prison walls the convict
labor might well be employed In the
construction Of state highways. Such
work would add materially to our as
sets; II would take nothing from free
labor. being construction that other
wise would not, and could not, be un-
dertaken; and It would add but slight
ly to the cost OF the institution, In
camp upkeep and extra guards. an in
crease greatly overbalanced by the
benefits derived. Also, the state has
some seven hundred acres OF stump
land and one thousand acres Of un-
drained land all located convenietly
to the penitentiary which should be
grubbed and drained and placed in a
high state OF cultivation.
or the 431 inmates OF the peniten-
tiary in December, 500 were serving
a first term. and 2O9 were under 80
years of age At present there is no
way OF segregating the youthful first
from the hardened criminal
30 that in a great measure the state
Is conducting a school of crime, as
the novice quickly imbibes the spirit
Of the veteran crook. and much of his
Sufficient financial as
sistance should be rendered the in
to alleviate this condition.
md make seasonable segregation pos
,ible.
II would be wise economy. in the
ong run. to provide the institution
With a larger dairy herd, and to give
I more farm land.
The feature OF the prison policy OF
he past which probably has most
the general public has been
he tendency toward exaggerated le-
,iency. / desire at this time TO state
that it will be the pol
cy OF the governor henceforth to en-
ertain all due respect for judicial
and where judge and juSy
iate passed upon case and sentence
las been pronounced. only under the
most exceptional circumstances will I
eel warranted in setting aside or Sc
iously modifying such sentence. The
bollshment OF the death penalty
oupled with a growing disposition to
egard lightly the binding nature Of
judicial sentences. instills me with the
elief that a more sparing use of the
ardoning power viii have a salutory
fleet upon the criminal element. and
; demanded in justice to the commu-
ity at large.
Aid for the INDECENT.
II seems fitting to speak in behalf
{ one class of sufferers who merit
tate assistance. l refer to the indi-
ent, crippled or deformed children.
heir plight is no less pitiful and de-
arving than that Of the insane or fee
le-minded, and far more meritorious
ian the criminals, whose maintenance :
literally forced upon us, Oregon
ives something to these little unfor-
mates, many of whom may blossom :
,rth into notable men and women IL
My their brains are given the oppor-
Unity for development which their
odles can never achieve. recon-
end their plight to your thoughtful
or late we have devoted large sums z
the exploitation OF the states re-
urces. An organized publicity cam