Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-18


| Better Roads Commission. delivered an
address before the Board Of Control
and superin,endents OF state institu-
tions Tuesday in which he urged that
convicts be employed by the state at
wages to produce road building ma
terials of all kinds. He said:
The question of utilizing convict or
prison labor upon works OF public i'm
provement, and especially in the con-
struc,ion and maintenance of roads
and highways, seems to be the subject
of legislation in practically every state
in the union Every individual state,
with the possible exception OF Rhode
Island. has some statutory provision
whereby persons under sentence of I'M
prlsonment for crime may be required
20 do some work in connection with
the actual construction OF repair OF
public highways, or in the way OF pre-
pairing material for highway construc-
ton and maintenance. 80
There seem to be as many divergent
plans and provisions as there are
states lesislating upon tins subject. In
some states the provisions for prison
labor apply only to persons under jail
sentence for petty crimes, and the
work to be done is limited to the city
OF district in which the crime was
committed. and the labor con'emplat-
ed, in cases of this kind. is of the most
temporary and transient character.
In MANY instances the inmates OF
prisons are Obliged TO work without
any compensa ton. and under most de-
grading and humiliating circumstances.
the legislature in state having these
provisions seemingly having no
thought OF reformation or the moral
elevation OF the criminal
The compensation allowed for Work
Of this kind runs from nothing. unless
il Is a credit upon the fine: 10 cents
per day in Nevada and IS cents per
day in South Dakota, TO the very iio-
eral provisions made by the Thirty
sixth general assembly of the state OF
iowa as follows:
But TO service shall be rendered by
arv such inmate FOR any person. hrrn.
or corporation at a less wage than IL
paid free la Dor for a like service or It's
equivalent"
This provision applies where the Ia
bor is furnished an independent firm or
corporation. and an additional section
is found in the Iowa statutes. where
the labor Is performed directly under
the Board Of Control which provides
that said board shall:
Whenever practicable allow such
inmate compensation which shall not
exceed the amount paid to free iaoo.
for a Ike service or its equivalent. less
such amount that the state is put to
for maintenance as the board OF CON-
troll may deem equitable"
These provisions OF the Iowa law
are certainly extremely liberal, and
should prove great incentive % good
conduct and a desire to work on the
, part OF the inmates OF our penal In
situations. s
Reform, AZ Well ~ Punish.
The modern and humane idea OF the
enforcement OF the criminal Law con-
templates the reformation as well al
| the punishment OF the delinquent ard
during the period of fncarcerafion the
state. by taking advantage of provt-
sions similar TO those above quoted
VIII not only be relieved from the ex-
psuse OF maintenance. but the indtvto-
/ ual prisoner be given some productive
EN- oloynaent that viii Improve his ply
steal and mental condition. and. when
| he is released and restored TO society
| the rernuueratiye labor which he has
| been engaged IN should serve as ar
object lesson as to the beneficial re-
! suits Of honest labor. not only in his
! improved physical condition. but in
I financial way. al -
! Enforced good habits must surely
iu,prov. the health. and, II the inmate
of a prison leaves the institution witt
a reasonable sum Of money. the result
/ of his own homes; industry. he has hac
! an impressive example. Of the old pro-
verb that honesty Is the best policy
and that he can earn more money
with more satisfactory results. in TIT
realm of honest labor than In th'
; devious paths OF crime.
VIVA, Is known as the honor system
which seems 70 have been successful,
! employed In Iowa IL now quite uni
fornly recognized, and the expression
Of the state highway commissioner O
| the state of washington. in his annua
report: The honor system OF employ
ing convict labor IN highway construc
! ton. altfo an experiment with the de-
partment. has been conducted ssit,
| satisfactory results" is, as under
| stand II, in accordance with the grea
| weight Of evidence In states and n
s.itutions where this method has beel
! tried.
| Hope Instead .. Despair.
The fact tina, an occasional prisone
may escape who. but for the mono
system, might not have gotten away
should not initiate against the grea
good that undoubtedly arises from IN
general observance OF this plan.
introduces into prisons. instead Oh oe
spair and degradation, hope and amor
ton. and. If q very small per cent
1.-the inmates of prisons are turned on
with a correct idea Of life, and be
come decent and reputable citizens In
system most certainly pays
| One serious obstacle to the employ
ment of prison labor has been the con
sistent and effective opposition OK or
panized labor unions. and, while tn
Leverage citizen is unable to appreciAt
how the employment OF convict labo
could seriously affect free labor IN an
Of the manual industries. the fast tina
this opposition exists must De feck
oned with. and will be taken into se
rious consideration by any aSsras
Legislative body.
i Even Bad Man Must Work.
! All reasonable men must ronclnd
that, In the interest Of humanity, con
yfcts should have some occupation.
confne men for any length Of time !
mere idleness would not only be
cruel and indefensib1e punishment, 81
| it would tend to increase degenefac
and criminal inclinations, and, at U
end Of sentence. the prisoner VI
had been confined IN idlcness. woul
return to society manifestiy more "
ut for decent citizenship than WINS
he entered the Institution
zee. .L.- car ts.ve no Sompiain