eurasia(优雷夏)-第3节
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prisoners received no pay during the time they were on bread and water。
Corporals received fifty per cent。 more pay than privates； and sergeants
and company clerks one hundred per cent。 more。 Prisoners were required
to work eight hours each day； Sundays excepted…commencing at eight a。
m。； with one hour for dinner； and ending at five p。 m。； and to attend night
school from six p。 m。 until eight p。 m。 five nights in the week； and once a
week musicians and singers visited the prison and gave entertainments。
The company quarters were only one…story high； but were large and
well ventilated； being eighty feet square with wide verandas and furnished
with steam and hot water pipes for cold weather； and lighted throughout
by incandescent lamps。
The beds were all singly arranged in rows and well furnished with
mattresses； blankets； sheets and pillows； and the room had nine large wash
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basins at one end of the room； where all the company could wash their
hands and faces and comb their hair。
The captains were required to sleep in the same rooms with the
prisoners； and to eat with them in the dining…room； and were held
responsible for their care and good conduct。 He could sentence them for
misconduct to three days on bread and water； but for serious offences they
were tried by a Court of three Judges； appointed by the Minister of Justice。
The regimental dining…room where all the companies dined was
divided into three sections； with partitions eight feet high between them；
each section having a door connecting with the kitchen； and the food
furnished of good quality； but differing in degree according to grade。
The hospital was on one side of the square； and was fitted with every
modern appliance and at the distance of half a mile was a pest house； to
which all prisoners suffering from leprosy； cancer； syphilis and other
malignant diseases； were consigned。 What most attracted my attention was
the bath house； a one…story building； one hundred feet long； adjoining the
laundry。 It had a swimming tank in the middle of it sixty feet long； forty
feet wide and twelve feet deep。 At the two ends were porcelain bathtubs
for the old and feeble； with hot and cold water faucets； and on one side
were shower…bath nozzles overhead； with hot and cold water connections；
on the side next the laundry were rows of shelves reaching to the ceiling
and numbered from one to eighteen hundred； holding a change of clothing
for the entire regiment of prisoners； with a passageway and counter in
front； and every prisoner was compelled to bathe on every Sunday； passing
over the counter the clothes worked in； when they had undressed and
when they had bathed； they received clothes； washed and ironed； to put on。
Any prisoner who did not bathe was placed in solitary confinement for
three days on bread and water； then taken to the bathhouse and well
scrubbed。
Two prisoners were assigned to work as chiropodists to keep the feet
of the prisoners in good condition； and the laundrymen； besides washing
and ironing all the clothes； sheets and pillowcases； had to wash and
disinfect all the blankets once a month。 There were no walls surrounding
the prison building； but the reservation being the headquarters of an army
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corps with barracks on all sides； escapes by prisoners were very rare。
On marching out of the dining…room after breakfast the roll was called；
and also after supper； by the captains of companies； and after nine p。 m。
the doors were locked and no smoking or talking was permitted。
A parole commissioner appointed by the Minister of Justice resided at
the prison； who was also Superintendent of the Night School； with
authority to parole any prisoner according to law that in his judgment was
a fit person to be paroled。 A paroled prisoner； if he did not have friends to
take care of him； was given employment by the Government； and no
money deposit was required。 The Government paid over to him what
money he had earned； and gave him a dress suit and a working suit of
clothes and two changes of underclothing…by those acts of justice giving
him encouragement to become a useful member of society。 He was
required to report by a letter once a month to the Governor of the District
from which he came； and the Governor was authorized by law to pardon
him when he thought proper。 Those rules and regulations applied equally
to both sexes。
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CHAPTER IV。
THE BANK OF EURASIA。
Leaving the prison； I returned to the Capitol and； calling at the
Department of Finance； was given a copy of the laws governing it； and
learned that it operated under the name of the Bank of Eurasia； with
headquarters in the capital； having a branch in every district and in every
town of one thousand inhabitants or more。 It paid out all money owed by
the Government and received and receipted for all taxes due； and accepted
all deposits from one dollar upwards； and issued all banknotes and bills of
exchange； and in consequence there were no panics and no necessity of
issuing clearing…house certificates。 To avoid the folly of locking up large
amounts of money received for taxes each year on the one hand； or
permitting stock…gamblers and money…sharks； on the other hand； to use it；
each district was allowed by law to issue district banknotes of one dollar
denomination； guaranteed by the Government； drawing two per cent。 a
year interest up to eighty per cent。 of the yearly expenses of the district。
The taxes were payable on the first day of November； and if not paid on
that day a delinquent tax of ten per cent。 The banknotes issued by the
district were called in and canceled by this means； keeping the money of
the people in circulation。
Every branch bank in a district was required to send daily accounts of
all money received and paid out to the central branch bank of the district；
which in turn sent a daily account of all bank transactions in the district to
the Bank of Eurasia at the capital。 No district treasurers were required； nor
treasurers in any department of the Government； but vouchers to be paid
by the Government had to be signed and scaled by the proper authorities。
The bank also conducted a National Lottery； with tickets for sale at every
branch bank for one dollar per ticket； drawings monthly； and the highest
prize drawn was five thousand dollars； and the lowest five dollars。 Five
per cent。 of the gross proceeds going to the Government for the
maintenance and education of orphan children。 The amount received each
month and the names of the prize winners was published in the National
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Gazette （a weekly paper）； and a copy sent to every prize winner。 This
paper was published by the Government and every voter was free to
subscribe for it without cost； but no advertisements were allowed in it。 It
published the work of every department of the Government and all bills
approved by Parliament； and all laws recommended by the Parliament for
whilst the Parliament could approve and legalize all Government
expenditures； it could only recommend by a two…thirds vote the amending
or creating of any acts pertaining to the Political； Civil and Penal Codes；
which had to go before the people at the next general election； when they
became the law of the land by a two…thirds vote of the qualified voters
who took part in the election； and had a universal circulation； as the
Government owned and operated all railways； telegraphs； teleposts；
telephones； wireless telegraphy stations and levees； all wa
