THE MISSOURI PENITENTIARY.

We are indebted to Warden Col. D. W. Marmaduke, and Chief Clerk Capt. Geo. Harper for the following statistical information concerning the employment of the convicts in the Missouri Penitentiary at Jefferson City:

PRISON REPORT.

Prisoners confined in Missouri State Penitentiary, November 14, 1885, males, 1,558; females, 32. Total, 1,590.

PRISON REPORT-CONTINUED.-CONTRACTS EXISTING NOVEMBER 14, 1885.

Jefferson Shoe Co.

66

66

100 men absolute at 50c.; up to 140, 45c.; all over 50c,

104

July 1, 1883....5 years.

A QUESTION TO BE CONSIDERED.

Considerable complaint has for years been made by mechanics employed in the manufacture of that kind of articles which are produced by convict labor in the penitentiary, it being claimed that the manufacture of such articles creates unfair competition with free or square labor. The opposition from this source, to the employment of convicts under contract, has created a public prejudice, under the influence of which the convict contract system has been abolished in various States; but as yet no other way has been discovered in any of those States by which the convicts could be beneficially employed. In the State of New York hundreds of convicts are idle, and in New Jersey an attempt is being made to substitute for the convict contract system a system by which the State sells, at a stipulated price, per piece, all goods manufactured by convicts. But this mode finds considerable opposition, as it has a tendency to rather increase than decrease the production of such articles, and thereby defeat the very object for which the law prohibiting contract labor in the penitentiary was passed. Under this system the State would become the manufacturer, assuming all risks connected therewith, and the present contractor would be the purchaser without any risk of loss of raw material, etc., and at a perhaps not increased price, and competition would go on as heretofore.

In some States propositions are made to employ convicts on public roads, in such parts of the State where required, but for many reasons this would be impracticable, especially on account of the safe keeping of the prisoners, on account of expenses, and the general opposition of the people to having convicts brought among them for any kind of work. The results of the law abolishing the convict contract system in New York, Ohio, New Jersey and other States ought to be closely observed before hasty legislation is enacted on this subject.

A system under which the number of convicts in the penitentiary could be reduced, and at the same time adequate punishment administered to all law breakers, would materially help to solve the question.

A large number of convicts are sentenced for a short term, as will be fully seen by the following statement of the terms of sentence of the convicts now in our State prison:

Many of these short term men are sentenced on account of small offenses, and become inured to crime by being compelled to associate with old and experienced criminals. If the criminal code could be so amended as to keep this class from the Penitentiary, and punish them by confinement in the county jails at hard labor, they could cheaply and advantageously be employed on public roads, public improvements, or at such other work as the county courts might direct. In this way the number of convicts could be reduced, the labor of the remainder of the convicts, on account of the scarcity of the supply of this class of labor, would command higher prices, and thereby increase the price of the manufactured article, which to a great extent would cause a decrease in competition.