“The knowledge that special privileges are not granted to any prisoner that cannot be earned by every other is an effective aid to discipline. So, also, is cleanliness of person, clothing, bedding and cell essential to good conduct. Plenty of well-cooked and well-balanced food should be provided, a well-stocked library, a school for the illiterate, a new voice in chaplain occasionally at divine service, lectures on interesting subjects by prominent men, entertainments on holidays, all these are good for the prisoner and good for the prison.” The plan of grading prisoners, in operation in many prisons, has undoubtedly brought about a more perfect system of discipline and should be adopted in all prisons and reformatories, large and small. It stimulates pride in most prisoners. Productive labor in prisons not only greatly aids discipline and reformation, conserves the health of the prisoner and fits him to be self-supporting when discharged, but secures to the state relief from the cost of maintenance of the prisoners. The warden or superintendent should be clothed with authority to appoint or remove the subordinate officers without hindrance or dictation. Warden James of Oregon told of the results obtained through generous treatment of prisoners. “I find that the more privileges we can extend consistent with good discipline, the easier it is to obtain good discipline. Since we inaugurated amusements such as moving-pictures, Saturday baseball and other forms of exercise, reports of infractions of rules have been reduced fifty per cent.” Warden Lewis of Michigan said that he allowed outside teams to play against the prison team. He thought the morale of the institution was improved by such innovation. Warden Sanders, of Iowa, thought that men would universally improve if we show that we have confidence in them. Some time ago his friends were very solicitous for his safety when he took a gang of eight convicts out to cut corn. Each convict was supplied with a keen bladed corn-knife and the cornfield was some miles from the prison. He went with them without arms and though his friends feared they would never see him alive, he accompanied them with no thought of danger. Some of them were serving life sentences, but they all returned in the evening, not having shown the slightest indication of escaping or offering violence. FAMILIES OF PRISONERS. Judge DeLacy of the District of Columbia sent a communication with regard to the dependent families of prisoners. He informed the Association that such families are cared for in two ways: one by direct appropriation from the public funds and the other by a collection of the earnings of the prisoners. In 1907 there was paid for this purpose from the funds, $200.00; and from prisoners’ earnings, $6,050.00. In 1911 the public appropriation had reached $3,000.00; and the amount dispensed from prisoners’ earnings, $38,684.00.