They are charged with using their combined political influence,
and even money, to carry their points. We have been told by some of
the leading men of the State that it was a notorious fact that the
penitentiary was controlled by a political ring, a set of jobbers, and
this ring was largely influenced by the contractors. The contract system
is wrong, and should not have a place in any of the penal institutions
of the country.

The contractor assigns the task. The prisoner must perform that task or
be punished. If an avaricious contractor, in his desire to make money,
places too great a task upon the prisoner, who is there to take the
prisoner's part and shield him from abuse? Fully nine-tenths of the
punishments inflicted is the result of the reports and complaints of the
contractors. See how unjust and how hard this contract system is upon
many of the prisoners! Two convicts enter the same day. In outward
appearance they are strong, healthy men. The same task is assigned them.
One of them being adapted to that line of work, and skilled, performs
his task with ease; while the other, equally industrious, cannot get
through with his. He is reported for shirking. He states his inability
to do the amount of work assigned him. The contractor or his foreman
makes a different report. The assertions of the convict amount to
but little, as against the statements of the rich and influential
contractor. He is punished and returned to his work. A second time he
tries, again fails, and is reported as before. This being the second
offense the prisoner is subjected to a more severe punishment. This
brutal treatment is continued until the officer, growing weary with
inflicting punishment upon the poor wretch, concludes he is unable to
perform the task assigned him. If this contract system is to continue
in Missouri, there should be some one whose duty it is to see that the
prisoner is humanely treated, and not let a brutal officer decide, who
is in league with the contractors. I have it from the lips of a prison
official who has been connected with the prison for thirty-six years,
that the treatment some of the prisoners receive because of the
avariciousness of the contractors, is simply heartrending.

After all, is not this contract system a regular jobbing business? If
these men can employ the prisoners and pay forty-five cents a day
for them, and make money and grow rich, why cannot the State work the
convicts and save all these p