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. The prices paid are to be the market prices current in same locality for same commodities. The hours of labor are to be the same as the time prevalent in the same vicinity for the same sort of labor. The same rate of wages is to be paid to the prisoners, subject to the necessary deduction for maintenance. This means that the goods purchased by the United States from the prisons shall be made by labor which is on a par with outside labor. No goods are to be purchased by the Government from “any private person or companies using the labor” of convicts. Thus the Government utters its protest against any form of “contract labor.” The Acting Committee of The Pennsylvania Prison Society has urged the early passage of this bill. A FEAST OF REASON AND A FLOW OF SOUL. Within the last two years, in the Empire State, some prison officials and students of penology have occasionally met for an informal conference on methods of penal management. No reporters attend, they have no Secretary, there are no restrictive features, the discussions are frank, free and open. They have been held at some one of the institutions, and so the visitors have opportunity to observe from the inside the methods and employments of the prison where the meetings may be held. Those who attend these conferences are the guests of the institution which is visited. They have been held at the Elmira Reformatory, at Great Meadow, at Blackwell’s Island and possibly at one or two other prisons. Last summer it was the good fortune of the Secretary to have the privilege of attending the meeting held at Great Meadow at Comstock, N. Y. Perhaps there were fifty ladies and gentlemen in attendance, among whom were Jas. M. Carter, Superintendent of Prisons for the State of New York; Warden Trombly, of Danemora; William George, founder of the school which bears his name; ex-Warden Geo. W. Kirchwey, O. F. Lewis, Secretary of the New York Prison Association; Miss Katherine B. Davis, Commissioner of Parole and Probation, New York City, and various officials connected with the New York City prisons and other penal institutions of the State.