1. Manufacture and repair of carriages, wagons, carts, trucks, trailers, etc.
  2. Household and Office Furniture made of mahogany and other native beautiful woods.
  3. Concrete work, construction of buildings.
  4. Rattan and bamboo furniture. The famous fan-back chair.
  5. Hand-wrought articles in silver, gold and other metals; shell-work, horn specialties.
  6. Tailoring. Service uniforms.
  7. Steam laundry. All the work for the inside and a “considerable civilian trade.”
  8. Embroidery, lace making, crochet organized for the female department.
Output per annum $350,000
Profit for the government 100,000

There are two penal colonies on large tracts of land, on one of which the 1200 colonists practically have a government of their own.

The San Remon Farm is where the non-Christian convicts from Moroland are confined. These war-like people have admirable qualities when treated properly, and three-fourths of the inmates are at work on the extensive farm without the presence of an armed guard. Here is found the model prison of the Orient. “Built of reinforced concrete, with grilled walls, dormitories, shower baths, and with every modern feature for the comfort, health and reformation of prisoners confined there, it has proved a wonderful educational institution for the Moro.” The entire credit for this building and the admirable system is due to the genius and sagacity of the former governor, General John J. Pershing.

EMPLOYMENT OF PRISONERS FOR THE GOVERNMENT.

Early in last July, a very earnest assemblage of wardens and superintendents of prisons, and members of the American Prison Association held a conference in Washington with a view of mobilizing the prison industries so as to be helpful to the government in these times of scarcity of labor.

There were forty delegates in attendance, mainly appointed by the Governors of twenty-two States.

After discussions lasting for several sessions, the Conference was unanimous in making certain recommendations.

  1. Already the penal institutions possess enormous acreage. If the government will accept the product, the crops may be greatly increased. Over a half million acres are available and 75,000 workers.
  2. In many States, where the law permits, selected inmates can be paroled to labor for farmers at reasonable wages. Extensive development of this method is possible.
  3. Many of the prisons support industries the outcome of which may be very serviceable. Among the chief industrial products are socks, shirts, underwear, blankets, mattresses, boots and shoes, overalls, harness, and army and navy equipment.
  4. The executive order of 1905, providing that no prison-made goods shall be purchased by the National Government, ought at once to be rescinded.
  5. “We are convinced that a very large majority of the inmates of our prisons and reformatories are ready and earnestly desirous of ‘doing their bit’ for the country.”

To accomplish these results, a bill has been introduced in the U. S. Senate (S. 3076) and in the House of Representatives (H. R. 7353) whose purpose is to utilize the labor of Federal and other prisoners in manufacturing government supplies.