Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-03-29
CANDIDATES ASKED
FOR THEIR VIEWS

Here is the open letter which the
Moline University club has sent to
all of the candidates foI members
of the board of supervisors in Mo
line township seeking to put them
on record relative to working pris-
oners in the county jail
The University club of Moline
at its meeting last night discussed
the question, Needed Reforms in
Our Judicial Procedure Inciden-
tally there came up the matter of
suitable employment for persons
sentenced to terms in our county
jail II was the unanimous senti-
ment of those present that employ
ment should be provided in the in
terest of the public and for the
/ benefit of the prisoners themselves
and their families particularly AT
this time when every Idle person
may properly be regarded as az
aid to the enemy in pTolOnging the
war. This we believe &C be the
general conviction of the people CT
our county
county board of supervisors has
complete authority to establish
some suitable form of employment
for persons serving terms in our
county jail. We therefore suggest
that the Moline members of the
board of supervisors and the va
riOus candidates for places on the
board be asked to express through
the columns of the press their
views on the desirability of estab-
fishing such form of employment
at the next session of The board
If the Moline members favor i.
will they take the initiative in pre-
sentirg the proposition TO tine
board? If they do not favor it,
will they give TO the people of this
county their reasons for opposing
1t? We seek information
While States Attorney F. E.
Thompson and Judge n. A. Larson
were discussing the advantages of
a wOrkhOuse for prisoners in the
county Jail before members of the
University club Tuesday evening,
DR.. Fred Grafund, Moline super
visor, was telling an audience with
a talk along the same line at a
meeting of the Mems club of Salem
Lutheran church. Here is what
Supervisor Grafiund said concern
ing the workhouse and working
prisoners:
Two years ago | was appointed
chairman of a special committee on
workhOuse, to investigate the ad-
visibility of erecting some kind Of
workhouse and the probable cast.
There are several reasons for such
an institution Practically every
body that has given the subject any
thought whatsoever admits that all
prisoners that are able should be
made 10 work if not contrary to
the law. By that | do not mean TO
make slaves Of them. but TO have
them do sufficient work to keep
their minds busy as much as pos
sible and away from mischevious
thoughts, and also to help pay for
their keep. This last item is i'm
portant in a county like Rock Is
land. In case the prisoner is a
husband and father TO have him
earn something toward the support
of his family. These reasons alone
should be sufficient, but when we
consider another one we will see
not only the advisability, but | be
lieve, the necessity of establishing
some system of working the prison
ers. There are any number of
tramps that purposely make county
jails their winter hotels. This com
mittee visited Quincy and found
everybody that we interviewed on
the subject very well pleased with
their workhouse. The only kind of
work done there was on the streets
and crushing stone at the institu-
ton. This was done or a fairly
large scale considering the small
of prisoners. A motor
driven crusher was used. / and
one other member of this special
committee reported favorably TO the
board. but the third member pre-
sented a minority report against
he proposition which was adopted.
very likely because of the stand
union labor took on the subject.
Representatives Of the Tri-City
Federation of Labor appeared be-
iore the board and threatened to de-
eat the proposition if il was al |
owed 10 go on the ballot. To my
mind their arguments against a |
EOrkhouse such as We proposed TO |
nave established, are not sound, |
md | fully believe that the time is /
iot far off until we Will have. pos +
iibly not d county workhouse, but /
'ome system of working the pris- !
,ners"