Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-11-20

Meeting of the Mechanics and MAN.
ufacturers' Association
DIR. AtchIss,a on Convict Labor.


Discussions, Reports, etc, etc.
This Association held the regular weekly
meeting last night, President Stocke]l in
the chair, and large proportion Of the
members present
The minutes of last meeting having
been read and approved,
Mr.. John J. McCann moved that the
regular order of business be suspended,
that the Association might listen to the
Commissioners of the Penitentiary.
We may here state that at the last regu-
lar meeting resolution was adopted in
viting the Commissioners of the Peniten-
tiary to be present at the next regular
meeting, and that, in response to said res
olution, DR.. Atehison and Maj. Nancy
were in attendance.
The motion was carried, and the Presi-
dent informed DR.. A. that the Association
was now ready to hear any remarks he
might have to offer.
REMARKS OF DR.. AToHIsoN
DR.. A. began by stating that he scarcely
knew what the Association desired. He
had no set speech to make He was in at
tendance in response to the invitation. for
which he sincerely thanked the Association
He as here to testify to his sympathy with
the Association and to cooperate in any
practical course that might lead to the at
tainment Of the objects desired. But if the
gentlemen wished to know what was the
best method of getting rid of the Peniten-
tiary as a manufacturing establishment, he
was prepared to offer some suggestions.
The President remarked that he supposed
that to be the wish of the Association.
Dr. A. continued: Waving then, the
discussion of the question whether it is
right for prisoners TO labor at all; waving
the mooted question whether prison labor
conflicts at all with private enterprise;
waving all questions that would lead to
improbable discussion here, l come to
this solution of the difficulty, from a
prison standpoint, and you from per-
sonal standpoint, want to change the di-
rection of prison labor. Now, no matter
whether we agree in other matters or not,
we agree in that most cordially. Now,
how are we to work in harmony for the at
tainment of that object? The commits
sioners are anxious to direct the prison
labor into two or three grand channels
Legislature, in which am happy TO say
we had the entirs concurrence of the
Board of Inspectors was. to put all
The labor that we could by law work out
side of the prison walls, into coal mines.
Now l know that this question of
coal mining hes been discussed by
some other gentlemen on the stump as a
question dc ROoO. We claim that it is oar
proposition, and if there is any credit we
want it and we intend to have it.
We wanted to divert prison labor into
coal mines, and for two or three prominent
reasons. In the first place it is an occu-
patton SO profitable that it would enable
the miners to pay fair price for labor.
In the second place IL would cheaper the
product of coal, and enable the mines to
supply the markets with coal at greatly re-
duced prices. In the third place it would
produce such quantity of coal as would
bring it into the markets and force re-
duction. Now, we thought if the State
barely got g support for her miners, that
wealth would come back to her treasury
By stimulating industries, by enabling you
to enlarge your enterprise, building up
manufactures all over this Middle Tennes-
see valley, and more particularly Nashville,
where we felt more direct personal inter
est.
We believe that the treasury of the State
would be enriched, if she could dispose of
the entire prison labor, if possible, in the
production of coal. But there comes up a
legal obstacle that prevents Us from en-
ploying more than one-half Of the prison
labor. The law expressly provides that we
shall not work outside the prison walls con-
viets guilty of murder, arson or rape, and
this class includes about 800 We have to
provide work for this class inside the prison
walls. The law further says that they shall
be confined at hard labor. The question
then is what shall they labor at within the
prison walls. I may state that we have
succeeded in hiring TO two of the mines in
Tennessee $50 mixers; 80 are now at work
and are succeeding most admirably; 100
will be taken by the Sewanee mines on tie
1st of January, and 100 more on the 1st of
August, and the Battle Creek Company ask
for 100 more, making 300 in all for mines.
Now, what work shall we have inside the
prison walls 1 and my colleague are
anxious that it should be that soft Of work
as business men-that shall be the most
profitable work we can find. We believe
that that would be car-building, for one
thing, the building of portage cars, box
cars and fats; for another, we have the
manufacture CT shoes for the wholesale
trade. There is nothing of that sort of
work dore in the State of Tennessee. We
don't propose to compete with a single
man in Nashville, but we propose to com
pete with the northern prison trade, from
whom l undertake TO say that a large PSF
6 hat I'll of oh oil
chants are bought. The Honorable Presi-
dent knows this, and il familiar with the
operations of large establishment Of that
sort in Philadelphia.
There are fourteen or fifteen others
making shoes. Our merchants buy them.
Certainly there would be nothing wrong
in working in competition with Northern
prison labor. We think we can TINS en-
ploy three hundred men aud children. We
think that IN those two departments we
can employ the character of prisoners we
are obliged to work within the walls. Now
! suppose you will all agree with rs, IN
less it is some gentleman who takes rad
ical extreme view that convicts ought not
to be employed at work at all. l don't
propose to discuss that question. OF
course, if we can get the means of inaug-
uratiDg these enterprises we will gladly
give up all we are doing gladly, because
it accommodates you; gladly, because it
will enable US to testify our respect for
you, and gladly, from prison standpoint,
because we believe it will be more remu-
nerative to the State and to the prison.
The Doctor continued his remarks by
saving that the commissioners could do all
this within a year, but an immediate
remedy was desired. He proposed an
overwhelming petition to the Legislature;
$4,000 would enable the commissioners
to do what they desired, or if the credit of
the State were furnished that would suffice.
Their arrangements made with the coal
mines would enable them with the labor of
800 men to support 800, and from the
profits of the coal mines and the manu-
factories they could put into the treasury a
handsome revenue. Cheap coal was
needed, and by this system competition
with honest labor would be removed.
DR.. A. further stated that the COM
miss1oners stood ready to join the associa-
ton in memorislizing the Legislature, and
he had the most unequivocal assurances
from leading members of the Legislature
that this measure would be supported.
In regard to schedule of prices the
Doctor said he thought that impossible;
he never knew an agreement between
lawyers or merchants or doctors, as to
scale of prices, that was not broken when
occasion offered, each one getting the best
price he could secure. The Doctor said
| the commissioners occupied a position
thew did not seek. It had been thrust up
on II EN-, and it was an unrewarded and
an unthanhful position; but they were
bound as conscientious men TO discharge
their duties faithfully.
It had been intimated in leader in the
Banner a few days ago that the prison
authorities were selling their goods al a
loss TO the State; but the Doctor remarked
that that was misrepresentation OF