Evening Star Newspaper, April 25, 1900, Page 11

THE EVENING STAR. PUBLISHED DAILY, EXCEPT sunDayr. Temporary Eveiest Of ce, 1109 Pennsylvanie Avence. Tbe Evening Star New: t Company. 8. H. UFFMANN Pres Few York Ofice: 126 Tribune Building, Chicago Offce, Boyce Building, Terex Offce: Trafalgar Buildings, Trafalgar Square. ‘The Evening Star is served to subscribers tn the elty by carrivrs, on their own account. at 10 cents pez week. or 44 -ents © month. Copt at cocnter, 2 centa each. By where 1B ti United States or Canada—postage prepaid—50 cents per month. Saturday Quintnple Sheet Star, $1 per year; with fore'gn postage added, $3.08. Part 2, Che Fyening Stat. Pages 11-14. (Entered at the Post Office at Washington, D. C.. as second-class mall matter, All mall sade ~tptions mast he pald In advance. Rates of advertising made known on anplication. WASHINGTON, D. O., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1900—FOURTEEN PAGES. | coat stuffs. | brightest stuffs } | ) | | | | | | and London. prise you. See the suits we're making to-order at | We suggest to you to make an inspection of our spring line of | top coat, suit, coat and waist- coat, trousers and fancy waist- The newest and made after the latest spring fashion piates from New York . We can’t say | praise of our mew PRECISE- | FITTING method. 1 | BETTERYET Tailoring will sur- Mertz and Mertz, 906 and 908 F St. “15. are here to be too much in Truly our whole system is poisoned. d pai Beware of imitations! waste. ost Q $ $ Q § 4 y) 2 0 ¢ é Make Lazy Liver Lively You know very well how you feel when your liver don’t act. Lile collects in the blood, bowels become constipated and your A laz s and aches to come and dwell with you. comes ene long measure of irritability and despondency and bad Act directly, and in a peculiarly happy manner on the liver and bowels, cleansing, purifying, revitalizing every portion of the liver, driving all the bile from the blood, as is soon shown by increased appetite for food, power to digest it, and strength to throw off the 10¢., 25¢. Best for the Bowels —— ; liver is an invitation for a thou- Your life be- All druggists. DSPDODOHDOID GI DHDHDSHOMOGD OD POPS PO HS HS HOtoe cd FOR 25 Hunyadi Janos HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED BY EMINENT_ PHYSICIANS As the Best Natural Aperient Water. UNEQUALLED AS A REMEDY FOR Constipation and Stomach Get the Genuine! EARS Di i eee nife and Ac- ( cordion PI ee ing. Cord and of inking, yard. mheimer, SEWIN Tucki A AGENCY, 1900 styles. Trunks and," lighter. Also a hand- Rugs, a.m Steamer Rugs, $7 and $10. LUTZ & CO., 497 PA. AVE. ap23- 20d Be sure and wee our fine display of Vebicles aud Harness. Largest of stock, lowest of pri Jas. K. Probey, 1230 32d St. N. W. :B0 te 6:30; every Thursday © nine until Another Carload of ‘Bryan’s Pride’ Flour, = Bryan S. It's our own private brand, that we have milled expecially for us. We've ce and sold it for years— know bow therougbly satisfactory itis. Let us send you a trial sack £F “SMITHFIELD” — “FERRI and other famous brands of HAM. ‘The genuine. Lowest prices. 13 New York Avenue. ¢ 14 Finest Grocerfes aud Table Luzuries. << ap2d-m,w,f,28 DYSPEPSIA CURE Relieves that oppressed feeling after meals. Clears the brain after smoking too mucb and steadies the herves of the tobacco chewer. Cures Dyspepsia and Indigestion. ree and Be you get the GENUINE, made at THE e mire you get the GEN a JOHNSON LABORATORIES. PHILADELPHIA, All druggists. mh3-76t,20 A Cool Cover for FLOORS fiststt it JAPANESE LOOR VARNISH is applied. It's a Rew preparation and produces a hard. $D-50 giossy surface to floors. ‘Phone 287 for a quantity—and apply it on your AGENT, 918 7TH gT. floors. Qt., Te. Chas. E. Hodgkin, mb3-3m-15 LABOR OF CONVICTS How the States Should Employ Their Prisoners, INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION'S REPORT Uniform Laws Needed Throughout the Country. SOME DISSENTING OPINIONS a The industrial commission has made a report to Congress on the subject of con- vict labor, making recommendations for handling the products of such labor and the manner in which prison labor should be employed in order to do the least possible injury to workingmen who are producing similar things. In conducting this inves- tigation, the report says, the commission has confined its efforts to a presentation of the industrial and economic phase of the subject, and has not considered the differ- ent methods of conducting the institutions, such as the congregate or the separate con- finement systems, physical and hygienic re- lations, discipline and instruction, paroling the prisoners on good behavior, oy the in- definite sentence plan. While these fea- tures are essential to a comprehensive dis- cussion of the subject they do not bear di- rectly upon the primary object for which the commission was appointed. The report and recommendations of the commission follow: The industrial commission established by act of Congress of June 18, 1808, have the or to submit this report of the results of our investigations into the employment of the inmates of the penal, reformatory and eleemosynary institutions of the differ- ent states and territories, and the compe- tition of such labor with free labor The investigation of the employment of the prison population has extended Into all of the states and territories. The systems under which prisoners are emp'oyed and the conditions of such employment prevail- Ing in each state are presented with recom- mendations for such changes as are con- sidered necessary to improve the conditions and lessen the competition with free labor. The opinions and recommendations of the various committees, commission bureaus and specialists who have invéstigated and reported on the subject of prison ‘labor have been consulted and their conclusions in regard to the desirable and undesirable features of the different systems of em- ployment are presented. From these sources the commission draws certain conclusi In addition, testimony taken before this Commission, and which will mainty appear In a forthcoming vol- ume on manufactures and general busi- hess, sustains the suggestions for legisla- tion h in made. Uniform Legislation in States. It is apparent that the industrial phase of the convict labor problem can be regu- lated to the satisfaction of all sections of the country only by uniform legislation on the part of the states. The question 1s one of national interest, though partly beyond national jurisdiction. In any report on prfson labor It 1s of the first importance to outline a plan that will, if embodied in the law, enable the prison authorities so to administer the affairs of the institutions that the grievances now ex- isting and complained of may be removed, and a system established which will make the prisons punitive and reformatory, and as nearly se'f-sustalning as may be without materially Infringing upon the rights of free labor or Invested capital. Various schemes have been tried by the States, working independently, to lessen the competition of convict labor with free labor and industry, such as the prohibition of the employment of convicts; prohibition of the sale of convict made goods; marking of convict made goods; substitution of indus- tries not carried on in the state; prohibit- Ing the sale of convict made goods outside the state where manufactured; fixing the price for which convict made goods may be sold in the market; reduction of hours of labor fn prison; the exportation of con- vict made goods; diversification of indus- tries carried on in prisons; payment of wages to convicts; prohibition of any con- tract for convict labor at lower rates per day that the average paid for outside labor of the same kind; employment of convicts upon public improvements that are desira- ble, but of such a character that they would not have been undertaken with the use of free labor. Competition With Free Labor. That the competition with free labor ex- ists and has been and can be made severe by the use of methods now In v@gue Is clearly shown by the evidence presented herewith. his is sufficient reason for a change in those majhods and the adoption, so far as practicable, of a uniform system whereby the employment of convicts !n one state cannot act detrimentally on the in- dustrial interests of that or any other state. In describing the various systems of em- ploying convicts the commission has pre- ented the principal advantages and disad- tages of each. It remains to be deter- mined which of these systems tends best to the reformation of the prisoner and the reduction of the competition of his labor with free labor. Every interest of society and considera- tion of discipline, economy, reformation and health demands that prisoners should be kept employed at productive work. Man- ufacturers, wage-earners, and all who have given the subject any consideration are practically unanimous in this conelusion. The objectionable features of convict labor are not to be found in the fact that prisoners are employed, but to the methods of their employment and the fact that the products of their labor are sold in the open market. In response to the general demand for re- formative laws, the general tendency of prison legislation has been in the direction of reducing the quantity of goods manufac- tured for sale, and the assumption by the state of the complete control and manag- ment of the prison population. This 1s shown by the following fact obtained from recent reports of the department of labor: Value of Convicts’ Work. Considering the penitentiaries and prisons of the country, !t appears that the total value of the Work done and goods produced by the convicts was $24,271,078.30 in 1885 and $19,012,472.33 in 1895, a decrease of 21.5 per cent, while the number of convicts in- creased from 41,877 In 1885 to 54,244 In 1895. In 1885 there were twelve states In which the lease and fifteen {n which the public- account system of employment were in use, while in 1895 there were but seven states in which the lease system was used and twenty-seven In which the public-account system Was in use. The lease system fs one of the methods of employment in which the state has no control over the quantity or disposition of the products, and but slight control over the discipline and care of the prisoner, while under the public-account system the state has full control of both. ‘The lease, contract, and piece-price sys- tems of employing convicts are the three methods under which the products of their labor are utilized for the pecuniary benefit of both private individuals and the state. As now conducted the three systems have many features In common. The contract and plece-price systems are used generally where the convicts are to be worked at or immediately adjoining the prison, and the state has control, to some extent at least, by direct supervision over the discipline, hours of work and the character and quan. tity of product. The lease system is used, as a rule, where the convicts are employed away from the prison proper or in detached buildings styled prisons, but under the com- plete control of the lessee, subject to the conditions of the lease and the laws and rules adopted for the care of the prisoners. ‘The objections to the lease system are here- inafter presented, and they @ppear to the commission to be sufficient to wi the conclusion that it should not be tolerated in any civilized community. In 1898 it was in use in nine states, but in almost every case the objectionabie features of the sys- tem had been eradicated, as far as possl- ble, by stringent laws, Tules and inspec- tions, and in all but two of the states— Florida and Louisiana—the convicts were also worked under other systems in con- nection with the lease system. In the states where the system is in vogue the authori- ties are practically unanimous in its con- demnation, and excuse its use by stating that It appears to be the best that can be adopted under the present conditions. Systems That Are Objectionable, The contract, plece-price and public-ac- count systems are all objectionable, from an ‘industrial standpoint, chiefly because under them the products of convict labor are sold In the open market and enter into competition with products of free labor. During the year 188 the contract system was used in twenty-four states, the piece- price system in ten states, and the public- account system in thirty states. Fifteen of the states using the contract system also used the public-account system, and all but two of the states using the plece-price sys- tem also used the public-account system. Therefore, of the various schemes devised for the employment of convicts with the in- tention of deriving revenue from such work the public-account system is in the most Seneral use. ‘The growth of the public-aceount system and decrease in the contract and other sys- tems is indicated by the following informa- tion taken from the bulletin of the depart- ment of labor. This statement has refer- ence only to the penitentiaries and prisons. Since its preparation there have been ma- terial changes in some of the states; for instance, in New York, where goods to the value of $1,999,769.02 were produced under the piece-price system in 1805, the use of that system has been discontinued and the convicts are now engaged, exclusively, in the manufacture of goods for the use of the State and Its institutions. Value of Prison Goods. Summary of value of goods produced or work done by systems of work, 1885 and 1895: ystems of work. Public account system. vontract system. ee price system Lease system... 71,078.89 §19,042,472.33 By this brief table one can note the gen- eral changes in yalues. Under the public account system there were produced in the Inited States In 1885 goods to the value of $2,083,802.18, but under this system in 1895 there were produced goods to the value of $4,888,506 being an increase of more than 100 per cent. This system has become more popular in recent years, hence the increase. Looking at the next line we find that under the contract system there has been de- crease of about 50 per cent, the decrease be- ing from $17,07 3.69 to $8, 70. ‘This system (the contract) has beeome offensive during the past few years, and legislatures have sought to change their plans from that either to the public account system or to the piece price system; under the latter the value of goods has incrgased from $1,- {84,240.52 In 1885 to §3,705aN825 In 1895, an increase of over 150 per eebt, Under the lease system the values show the effect of agitation in the southern states, where that system more generally prevailed in 1885, for there the value of goods produced or work done decr 3,651,690 to $2 167,626, a decrease of 40'6 per cent But the totals show a great change, the de- crease being from $24,271,078.39 In 1885 to $19,012,472.33 in 1805, a decrease of 21.5 per cent. A Popular System. The popularity of the public account sys- tem fs due to the fact that under ft the prison is better adapted to accomplishing the end for which it was designed, namely, the punishment and reformation of the criminal, and also because the state has complete control of the products of the la- bor of the criminal. "The adoption of the public account sys- tem is the first step in the direction of the state having complete control of the pris- oner and his labor. The reasons why the system has not been put in general use, to the exclusion of all others, are that under it the products of convict labor are sold in the open market in competition with the products of free labor, and {ts adoption has almost Invariably resulted in financial loss. In order to obviate these objections laws have been adopted providing that the work of the prisoners should first be directed to the production of articles and supplies for their own support, and the care and main- tenance of the buildings in which they are confined. Practically all of the states now have laws to this effect, and in many of them the prisoners are also engaged in manufacturing supplies or producing agri- cultural products for the use of other in- stitutions. Maintenance of Prisoners. The two great sources of expense of pris- ons are the support of the prisoners and the maintenance of their imprisonment. The experience of prison industry has been that when employed In productive work the con- victs earn enough to support themsclves, but, with a few exceptions, not enough to pay the cost of imprisonment. The employ- ment of convicts In producing articles for their own support, to that extent, relieves the state from the necessity of entering the open market either as a seller or producer of goods to be used in connection with its convict system. After a careful consideration of the sub- Ject in ail of its phases as presented in nu- merous reports, of the testimony and rec- ommendations that have been submitted, of the present systems of employing convicts, and the conditions that have culminated in the adoption of those systems, che commis- sion feels warranted in arriving at <he following conclusions: First. That provision should be made in the laws of each state for the employment ofall prisoners in productive labor. Second. The state should have absolute control of the care, punishment, reforma- tion and employment of the prisoners, as well as the disposition of the products of their industry. Third. The employment of prisoners productive labor does, of reevsst in competition of some character with tree labor und industry. Fourth. The employment of prisoners with the intention of producing revenue, elther for the state exclusively, or for private in- dividuals or corporations and the state jointly, tends to the greatest eompetition with free labor. Prisoners Producing Revenue. Fifth. That-a system of employing pris- ners for the purpose of producing revenue has a tendency to detract from the puni- tive, reformatory and disciplinary features of the prisons. ‘ Sixth. The employment -cf prisoners in the production of supplies for.the mainten- ance of state, county and municipai insti- tutions and the support of the inmates of the same, or in work on the punlfe build- ings or roads, tends to the least «direct com- petition with free labor. Seventh» Of the various systems for em- ploying convicts, those under which private individuals or corporations are interested have resulted in procuring the freatest revenue to the state. Eighth. No system of employing convicts. however wise In conception and however carefully guarded, can be entirely free from the danger of abuses in management. Ninth. The most destrable system for em- ploying convicts is one which provides, primarily, for the punishment and reform- ation of the prisoner and the least compe- tition with free labor, and, secondarily, for the revenue of the state. Tenth. In order to harmonize the antagon- istic interests of the different states it is essential that the industrial operations of The Evening Star is the only afternoon paper in ‘Washington that receives the dispatches of the Asso- ciated Press. It in there- fore the only one in which the reacer ca: the compiete news of the werld, directly transmit- ted by telegraph, up to the moment of going to press. week. could hardly sit down. well woman today. this great remedy. Wine of Cardui has relieved other ¥ are. We promise you it will do as much for you. not profit by the experience of Mrs. Moore? If you will get a bottle of Wine of Cardui at your drug store you will feel better within a | | ‘Waies Grau address, givinz symptoms, Lad! ‘Thé Chattanooza Mudicine Co. Martinsville, Ind., April 7, 1899. I was a sufferer for'a long time from severe pains at the menstrual period cramping in the bowels and down my thighs and swelling of the womb, so I Hy My wrists, ankles and face would puff up and I was in a deplorable condition. After using Wine of Cardui and Thedford’s Black- Draught about three months, the cramping and pains at monthly periods ceased, the swelling disappeared and I have been in good health. Mrs. HUGH MOORE. natural and When ap- For advice in cases requiring special directions, Statements from women cured by Wine of Cardui ap- pear in the newspapers every day. u them and secure prompt relief from needless pain and agony. Because she gave Wine of Cardui a trial Mrs. Moore is a A sick woman would soon be hard to find in this city if every sufferer would put Mrs. Moore’s statement to a test and take Wine of Cardui. It strengthens and tempers the ligaments which hold’the organs in place, curing and preventing falling of the womb and miscarriage. It regulates menstruation, makes the flow healthy, and stops the drains of leucorrhoea. proaching the change of life no woman should be without You can easily satisfy yourself that omen afflicted as you Many sufferers heed Why all the penal, reformatory, and eleemosyn- ary ii itutions in each should be under the supervision of a central office. Eleventh. The adoption of laws embracing, the above principles has been retarced by the prevailing industrial, economic, social and climatic conditions in many of the states. These conditions are so diversified, and the industrial, moral and educational possibilities of the prison population differ so widely in the several states that the commission is of the opinion that it fs im- practicable for ail of them to adopt a uni- form law for the employment of prisone that would be identical in all of its pro- visions. The necessity for uniform legisla~ tion is, howevez, fully realized. It is the only permanent remedy for the abuses that exist under the systems now prevailing, and for the abatement of competition with free labor. ‘The commission accordingly submits the following general provisions of law mainly from the New York statute, which are 1 harmony with the above conclusions, and recommends that al!, or such of them as may be possible, shall be embodied in th laws of the diff t states, with such addi- tional provisions as to management as ms be necessary to meet the prevailing social | conditions: Proposed Provisions of Laws. Within ten days after the passage of this act the governor by and with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint four persons who shall be commissioners for the purpose of this act, to be called commissioners of prisons, who shall con- stitute the state commission of prisons. One of the persons so appointed shall hold office for one year, one for two years, one for three years, one for four years, as in- dicated by the governor on making the nominations, and all nominations there- after, except to fill vacancies, shall be made for four years; said commission shall have power to make and use an official seal and alter the same at pleasure. It shall be the duty of said commission to visit and inspect all institutions used for the detention of sane adults charged with or convicted of crime or detained as wit- nesees or debtors; to ald in securing the just, humane and economic administration of all sald institutions subject to Its in- spection; to aid in securing the erection of suitable buildings for the accommodation of the inmates of such institutions and to ap- prove or reject plans for their construction or improvement; to Investigate the man- agement of all institutions made subject to the investigation of said commission and the conduct and efficiency of the officers or persons charged with thelr management; to secure the best sanitary conditions of the buildings and grounds of all such institu- tions and to protect and preserve the health of the inmates; to collect statistical information in respect to the property, re- ceipts and expenditures of said institution, the number and condition of the inmates thereof, and to ascertain and recommend such system of employing said inmates as may, in the opinion of said commission, be for the best interest of the public. The proper authorities shall provide for and assign to such commission suitably fur- nished rooms for its office and Its place of meeting at the state capital, where it shall hold its meetings as often as once in three months. ‘The said commission shall annually elect one of its members as the president of the commission, and shail also annually elect a secretary, who shall keep a record of all of its proceedings and perform such duties as may be required of him by the commis- sion and by law, and he shall receive a salary of $—— per annum; and said com- mission may also appoint as employes and assistants of said commission and of the commissioners, in the performance of their official duties, a clerk at an annual salary of $——, a general office assistant at an annual salary of $——, and remove cach and appoint a successor at any time; and the said commission is authorized to make rules and regulatio: for its meetings and the transaction of its business and also us to the manner in which reports to it shall be made and all matters shall be presented before it, Inspection of Institutions. Said commission or any of said commis- sioners or its secretary, if authorized by it, 1s authorized to visit and inspect any cf said institutions subject to its visitations, and may take and hear testimony or proofs in relation to any matter before it or him upon any visit, inspection or examination made by such commission or member therc- of, and the said commission or any mem- bers thereof shall have full access to per- sons, grounds, buildings, books and papers relating thereto, and may require from the officers and persons in charge any tn- formation it or he may deem necessary .n the discharge of its or his duties. Satd commission may prepare regulations ac- cording to which, and provide blanks and forms upon which, such information shall be furnished in a clear, uniform and prompt manser for the use of said commission. Said commission shall make an annual re- port to the legislature, or to the governor when the legislature is not in session, in which it, shall give the results of its work and such information as it deems proper relating ‘to said institutions, and its opin- jons and conclusions relating to the same. ‘The warden of every prison, the superin- tendent or manager of every penitentiary and keeper of every jail or other institution used for the detention of sane adults charged with or convicted of crime or de- tained as witnesses or debtors shall on or before the Ist day of November in each and every year report to the state commission of prisons the number of male and female persons charged with crime and await- ing trial, the number _ convicted of crime, the number detained as wit- nesses and as debtors in his custody on the dst day of October last past, together with a statistical exhibit of the number of admissions, discharges and deaths which. have occurred within the past year, the nature of the charge, the period of ‘detention or sentence, and such other facts and information as the com- mission may require. Any officer, superintendent, or employe of any of said penal Institutions who shall refuse to admit said commission or any of said commissioners or its secretary or other authorized agent for the purpose of visitation gr Inspection, or shall refuse or neglect to furnish the information required by said commission or any member thereof. or its secretary, shall be guilty of a mis- demeanor, and subject to a fine of $100 for each such refusal or neglect. The rights and powers hereby conferred may be en- forced by an order of the Supreme Court In making tnvestigations as herein em- powered said commission or any member | thereof is hereby empowered to issue com- pulsory process for the attendance of wit- | nesses and the production of papers, to ac minister oaths, and to examine persons un der oath and to exercise the same powers as belong to referees appointed by the court. Reports to Be Reauired. The said commission shall have the further duty and authority to require the proper officials of the state and the po- litical divisions thereof, and of all public in- stitutions of the state, and political di- visions thereof, supported wholly or in part | by the state or any political division thereof, to furnish to said commission, annually, esti- mates for each ensuing year of the amount of labor to be required by each, and of the articles which may be manufactured in penal fnstitutions, required to be pur- chased for the use of the state or the po- litical divisions or said institutions in their charge or under their management. All persons sentenced to the prisons, re- formatories, penitentiaries, or jails In the state shall be employed for,the state, or a political division thereof, or in productive industries for the benefit of the state, or the political divisions thereof, or for the use of public Institutions owned or managed and controlled by the state, or the political di- visions thereof, which shall be under rules and regulations for the distribution and di- versification thereof, to be established by the state commission of prisons. The labor of the prisoners in the institu- tions known as state penitentiaries, prisons or reformatories, after the necessary labor for and manufacture of all needed supplies for said institutions, shall be primarily de- voted to the state and the construction and care of the public buildings, roads and in- stitutions thereof, and the manufacture of supplies for the state and public institu- tions thereof, and secondly to the public divisions of the state, and public institu- tions thereof; and the labor of the prisoners in the institutions known as county jails. prisons, workchouses, or reformatories, after the necessary labor for and manufacture of all needed supplies for the same, shall be primarily devoted to the counties, re+ spectively, in which said institutions are located, and the towns, cities and villages therein,.and to the construction and care of the public buildings, roads and institu- tions thereof, and the manufacture of sup- plies for the public institutions of the coun- ties, or the political divisions thereof, and secondly to the state and public institu- tions thereof. It shall be the duty of the sfate commis- sion of prisons to distribute among the penal and reformatory institutions under its jurisdiction the labor and industries as- signed by the commission to said institu- tions, due regard being had to the location and convenience of the institutions to the other institutions to be supplied. The com- mission of prisons shall annually cause to be procured and transmitted to the legis- lature, with its annual report, a statement showing in detail the amount and quantity of each of the various articles manufac- tured in the several penal and _reforma- tory institutions under {ts control and the labor performed by the prisoners therein, and of the disposition thereof. ‘The officers of the state prisons, reform- atories and penitentiart county jails and other penal and reformatory institu- tions, respectively, are authorized and di- rected to cause to be manufactured by the prisoners in the institutions such articles as are needed and used therein, and also such as are required by the state or poilfi- cal divisions thereof, and in the buildings, offices and public institutions owned or managed and controlled by the state, in- cluding articles and materials to be used in the erection of the buildings and con- struction of roads. Disposing of Prison Products. All such articles manufactured in the in- stitutions not required for use therein may ‘be furnished to the state, or to any politi- cal divisions thereof, or for or to any pub- lic institution owned or managed and con- trolled by the state, wr any political di- vision thereof, at and for such prices as shall be fixed and determined as herein- after provided, upon the requisitions of the proper officials, trustees or managers there- of. No article so manufactured shall -e purchased from any other source for the state or public institutions of the state, or the political divisions thereof, unless said state commission of prisons shall certify that the same cannot be furnished upon such requisition, and no claim therefor shall be audited or paid without such cer- Uficate. On or before October 1 in each year the proper officials of the state, and the politi- cal divisions thereof, and of the institu- tions of the state, or political divisions thereof, shall report to the said commis- sion of prisons estimates for the ensuing year of the amount of supplies of different kinds required to be purchased by them that can be furnished by the penal and re- formatory institutions of the state and the political divisions thereof. The said com- mission is authorized to make regulations for said reports, to provide for the man- ner in which requisitions shall be made for supplies, and to provide for the proper di- versification of the industries in said insti- tutions. The state commission of prisons shall fix and determine the prices at which all labor performed, and all articles manufactured and furnished to the state, or the political divisions thereof, or the public institutions thereof, shall be furnished, which prices shall be uniform to all. The prices shall be as near the usual market price for such 1 labor and supplie: ible. The state commission of prisons shall devise and fur- sh to all such institutions a proper form for such requisitions the controller shall devise and furnish a proper system of accounts to be kept by all such instltu- The state commission of prisons shall not, nor shall any other 2 y what- soever, any contract which the labor or time of any prisoner in any state reformatory ntiary, or jail state, or the product or profit of his work, shall be contracted, let, farmed . or sold to any per: or corporation; exce: oners in sald penal or refor stitutions may of their as pos: on, firm, as- t that the the oF or to any public aged and cx political divi The superintend clals of all tions in the cable, cau ons who to be emp : exceed eight hours of each day Sundays and public holid labor shall be either for the purpose of Production of supplies for said institutions or‘for the state, or any political division thereof. or for any public institution owned or managed and controlled by the state, or any political division thereof: or for the Purpose of industrial training and instrae- tion, or partly for one and partly for the ether of such purposes. Eliminating Partisanship. No appointment shall be made in any of the penal, reformatory, or eleemosynary institutions of this state on the grounds of political partisanship; but honesty, capacity and adaptation shall constitute the rule for appointment, and any violation of this rule shall be sufficient cause for the removal from office of the officer committing such violation. The said state commission of prisons shall have the further duty and authority to direct the employment of such of the pris- orers in the state and county penal and reformatory institutions as they may deem desirable in agricultural pursuits on the State or county lands, and the products of such labor shall be devoted to the support of the inmates of the public institutions of the state and of the counties or the politi- cal divisions thereof. No machine, except machines operated by hand or foot power, shall be used in any of the sald institutions in the manufacture of any goods, wares, articles or things that are manufactured elsewhere in the state.” The commission are of opinion that the nearest to a complete remedy for the evils of convict labor competition with the bus- iness and labor of the country would be the interdiction of interstate commerce in all goods, minerals or materials in whole or in t the product of convict labor, supple- mented by state legislation on the lines above indicated. But in the absence of such legislation by all the states, and in order to protect such states as do adopt such legislation from the convict labor com- petition of others, the most practical step would be an act of Congress by which goods, minerals or materials In whole or in part the product of convict labor, upon their arrival In any state, would become fully subject to its laws. Power of Congress. It seems probable that Congress would have power to pass such a statute as to any! article of interstate commerce whatever, at its own discretion; certainly it has the power when the traffic in the commodities concerned obviously affects the health, safety or general welfare of the people, as is the case in both intoxicating liquors and convict-made goods. It would then be possible for the states to enact laws regulating or even prohibiting the sale of all eonvict-made goods, requir- ing bonds, licen: labels or otber safe- guards, which would apply also to the convict-made goods of other states. For an example of such a law see New York act of 1897 (general labor law), art. 4; also Penal Code, section 384b. Summaries of similar laws in Ohio (which were held un- constitutional In the absence of the federal legislation above recommended), Indiana, Kentucky and other states will be found in succeeding pages. James H. Kyle, chairman; Boies Penrose, John J. Gardner, William Lorimer, John C. Bell, Theobald Otjen, Lee Mantle, Andrew L. Harris, *Ellison A. Smyth, John M. Far- quhar, Eugene D. Conger, Thomas W. Phil- lps, M. D. Ratchford, John L. Kennedy, Albert Clarke, commissioners. *For reasons fully stated in conclusion 11 in the report I do not concur tn the recom- mendation fixing eight hours for the day's work. I agree with Mr. C. J. Harris also in his exception to that portion of the re- port which recommends the interdiction of prison-made goods. Ellison A. Smyth, com- maisstoner. Believing that the productive employment of convict labor is beneficial to the convict, to the wage-earner and to the taxpayer. also that the sale of their products under ordinary business principles is not detri- mental to the “life, health or well-being of the community,” I therefore dissent from the recommendation for the interdiction of interstate commerce in convict-made goods. I do not recommend a state Jaw which al- jows only the use of hand or foot power machines and confines the sale of thelr goods to state and county alone. C. J. Har- ris, commissioner. Accompanying the report are several ap- pendices giving information bearing on va- rious phases of prison labor, ——— ss? Case to Be Heard Tomorrow. The case of Ernest Rodgers, colored, charged with having attempted to kill Chas. Johnson by cutting him with a knife about heree ents, as pract!- n said insti- able thereof for not to , other than s, but such hard | three weeks ago, near the Center market, | will be heard in the Police Court tomorrow. Johnson has been under treatment at the Emergency Hospital, but will be able to ap- peer in court at the trial.