El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-08
Betterng The Prisons

THE state penitentiary commission Of New Mexico is out
with suggestion that the prison be removed entirely
from politics and placed in charge Of superintendent,
properly paid, who shall hold the position until removed
FOR cause Here is the argument:
"NO real development Of the latent possibilities (of
the penitenary) viii be undertaken by superintendent
who realizes that under existing laws and practices he
viii hold the position for but two possibly four years
Had such plan been installed at the this prison
established 1t would only be self supporting, but
the condition Of the discharged prisoners would have been
enormously benefited and their chances to become useful
citizens greatly enhanced.
40 keep 500 men, more OF less confined in prison IN
ideness and then them loose than when they
incaTceTatci the part Of the state Incl
denay It is also contrary to our statutes on the sub
Not only in New Mexico but in all other states where
the prison system usually is the football of politics. It
should be made nOnpartsau just in many cities the
police and fire departments made nonpartisan by put
ting them under the administration Of nOn-potiea civil
service commission.
New Mexico's prison defects are not UNIQUE Arizona
has had lots Of experience with them especially under the
administration Of Gov. Hunt Vixen the warden took
hold at Florence after having been appointed by Gov
Campbell he reported finding disorder and disorganzaon
everwhereguaIds without arms prisoners going about
very much they pleased shaeks Of various kinds litter
ing the prison yard. II IS known mat Of the
vcts allowed to and 20 10 and from the prison
and pay visits 10 various places in Florence Two of them
recently such excursion Communicated two girls
and automobile and went to Mexico
But if prisoners kept in ideness in the New Mex
leo prison. the Arizona system Is better IN that regard for
industry encouraged at Florence Those prisoners who
tons allowed to work for themselves for each other
One enterprsing convict with mail order business has
become rich out Of it and has large number Of his fel
low prisoners working for him
They might well be working for the state That IS
10 say they should be put work manufacturing things
for the state be paid for their labor The manufactured
articles could be sold by the state profit which might
make the prison self sustaining. the relief the
payers That IS done N many states and it should be
done also in New Mexico and Arizona competent prs-
on warden, chosen for efficiency and of bis place
long as he made good could make the prison real
formatory and thorough business institution
Germans are swarmng into the occupied to get
der the protection Of American troops This is the best
possible indication Of the moderation with which the
Yanks administering the part of Germany they hold
and Of the good order they maintaining.
TrOtzy is simply another car and boshe7ism merely
unwashed autocTacy.
Organizations Of workers all right Organizations of
loalers are menace.
Germany started the scrap with scrap Of paper and
has been sent to the scrap heap
-o
It's simply astonishing how much easier Is to dig I'd
$500 for oil stock than it is $50 for city taxes