Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1919-01-30

oLdIo LaDOT department, Win, OF
course, the necessary appropriation
to carry on this work.
It has been proposed by some
that the primary principle as applied
to the selection of candidates for Of
fee be abandoned by this state. In
my judgment, such move would be
a step backward and would seriously
be regretted by the people in the
days to come.
The primary principle is funda-
mentally right, for it gives to the in
dividual an unhampered choice in
the selection of his party candidate.
That there can be change I'm the
present law which will work to the
advantage of the state and Of the in
dividual, have no doubt. l am
firmly of the opinion, however, that
executive and legislative offices such
as United States senator, governor,
lieutenant governor, congressman,
and members of the legislature,
should be chosen by primary, and
that If there are to be offices select
ed by convention the first delegates
should be chosen through a primary
regulated by statute.
The question of enlarged suffrage
regardless of sex no doubt will soon
become nationwide, this at least
should be brought about. The Con-
stitution of the State Of Iowa should
be changed from it's present form
limiting suffrage to males and permit
female citizens to vote.
In the meantime, while this change
is being brought about in our funda-
mental law, the state statute should
be changed giving women primary
suffrage
1 recommend this for your care
full consideration as a right due to
this class of citizens now disfran-
chised because Of sex.
In due course Of time and in reg
ular form, there will be transmitted
to your body an amendment to the
federal constitution prohibiting the
manufacture and sale of intoxicating
liquors
commend this to your considera-
ton and bespeak for it your early
concurrence in due and regular form.
The system of employing convicts
by contract on work for private COM
panies was wholly abolished May LIST,
1918.
1t is gratifying to me to be able
to report that all the state industries
under the management of the Board
Of Control are now conducted on q
sound business basis and are pro-
ducing net profits to the state.
The appropriations granted by the
legislature for establishing and main
tanning industries aggregate $685.
900. OF this amount, $27,941.66 was
spent for land at the state penitenti-
airy. and $157,470.sO for Industrial
buildings, equipment, and appliances,
at both the penitentiary and reform.
5atory. The total amount remaining
to the credit Of the industrial fund
is 987,415.95. This is used az a work
ing balance to cover operating ex-
penses and to purchase material. It
is expected that this balance will be
increased very materially by the end
of the calendar year.
The institution industries are Of
three classes: First, the manufacture
ing plants established by special or
direct, appropriation of the legisla-
ture to replace the prison labor con-
tracts. These industries are
equipped for and are doing a com.
mercial business. Second, these de.
partments first organized but not
equipped for commercial business
from the support funds of the insti-
tutions with which they were con-
nected. The products from these
were used for the maintenance Of the
inmates. Third, the institution
farms, the operating expenses Of
which. except the state farm at Give,
are borne by the support funds, the
products going back to the support
Of the institution.
Under the first class, there are
three industries: chair and furniture
at the state penitentiary, cooperage
at the reformatory. and brick and
tile factory at the state hospital. The
chair and furniture industry is the
largest and best institution of its
kind west of Chicago. It was first es-
tablished at the expiration of the
prison contract with the Fort Madi-
son Chair Company in 1915. The
buildings vacated by that company
were remodeled and equipped with
machinery at Q total cost Of about
$4,000. The contract with the tool
company expired in May. 1918. The
Buildings this company had occupied
we're also re-modeledi and added & to
the factory. The total capital In.
vested in this plant ct this time is
sls2.s00.00. The aggregate OF profits
and reserves earned now. and carried
on the books Of the chair industry
exceed 3ss.o00.o0. The industry pro.
vides work for $50 prisoners. The