, 1873-02-07
PROTESTING MECHANICS.
The Tin-PEate and nlcta!-W0rkers
OF CoaTict labor.
Protest Against the Competition OF
Penitentiry-Biras.
They Will hot Put Up Cornices Ianu-
factu1sd at J6liet.

They Will BOT Put Up Cornices hanu-
factursd at joliet.
Thu members of the shee: Metal Workers
protectiro and Benevolent Society held their
regular weekly meeting in the hall OF the Globe
17heatre building, last evening. The association
s,as organized on the 4th of December last, with
80 meobers, and has now Is. The following are
the officers of tho Society: President, James
Walters; Vico President, Richard Willis; Re
oordinz Secretary, George Chambers; Financial
Secretary, William ConCor; Treasurer, A. Burls-
hart; Sezgeant-at-Arns, l.. Gallagher; Trus-
tees: Charles Gross, David Ladigan, Frank
6okup.
The organization is composed Of tin-plate,
eheet-iron, sheet-copper, and sheet-znc work.
ers, who have combined for the advancement OF
tbc art Of working sheet metal in the United
I. States, and for benevolent purposes.
The members wish it to be distinctly under
stood That their Union is not for tho purpose of
organizing strikes, but mainly for benevolent
Objects and to abolish convict Labor, e. least SO
far as their trade is concerned
The special order OF bus;neEs last evening was
tho consideration Of the following protest. which
was read and subsequently discussed:
We, the tin plate and metal workers Of Chicago cn-
p.asa in The manufacture Ct metal corniceE, haze
kessnsl Tint certain frsn named stEuery co..
have entered into contract with the Commissioners
of the Illinois State 1a:entiary for the manufacture
soEH, tic SANG 10 bo done by the ,sn. con.
md md ds!iberste M consideration, we lave con
Guided that this, if permitted to go on, would have
1ssy disastrous effect upon our trade; thercfoss we
apoeal to a generous and discriminating puh1ic to
trdce Of or appeal. II they condemn it unjust,
.Sc Satisfied to abide BY their decision; should they
thetr attention. we hope they will give fair and I'M,
rsrtal investigation and decide upon it's merits ns
becomes honest-ninded Citizens regardless Of friends
our trade Ia comparatively in its infancy in this city
md the demand for Labor limited We have de-
selves in our calling: our wages cannot he considered
exorbtatt they rango from $2.I5 to S3per day our
work alike laborious and hazardous and We are ex-
roed to al kinds ct weather. Tho largcst proportion
of our craft married men, with families depend
ing upon Us for 3 living; aud society looks
tous to bring orr children up good and honest
dzens, and perform al the Obligations imposed upon
Us BY ita laws and regulations. Yet the tntia
ty steps taken to deprive us Of the means Of making
future b. the past under this tniauitous competitive
= s'sa ethees sea's lave ssss. vi be eimpsnad q
@ ae x5f 5s os a 70 enf b enRaee On xapn IS Ssa
performed By the convict In the Penitentiary and yet
no voice has been raised against it. We
EEare TINT tho cost maintaining the Penitentiary is
hea1y burden upon the State, and one which should
be cheerfuy borne by its citizens. according to their
nue7ns and wealth producing citizens OF the State,
We are willing to bear proportion Of that burden
neither do we object to the effort on the part
iesustaining but we do believe that 1t is both wis.,
dom policy the part Of the State to refrain from
Interfering with the legitimate trades and calling Of
Its citizens. II the Penitentary is to be made self
E1ste1ning-if the State ts determined to mike the
convict labor source Of reEenue3it should Intro
terfere or conAict with the labor Of outside
mechanics. There are many branches OF industry
which have not Is yet been introduced into
upon foreign countries. Why not, then, If our Law
makers and law gyers are sincere in their professions
for the convict introduce Of these industries
this would not only benefit the convict, but it wouli
also enrich the State. But the present sRtem OF hir~
Ing the labor Of the convict to and 1nanu-
Gaeture1s, from thirty FIVE to hfty cents per day,
not only does not beueflt the State, but on the
t1ary works positive injury to its industrial popula
tractor { who hires The 1abor OF tbs convict "
FcNo%-c1dzens, were We TO enu1uerate the many
" m s.s nle1 ~ are ond ea te on ne
among the most important branches Of our industries.
And We now solemniy enter our protest against our
because, American ctzcns, who uphold and observe
the laws OF our common country, we object to being
placed upon level with the outlaw and convict who
has forfeited his claims upon, and liberty in.
Eocety; we protest against it in the name Of
tuzttce because consider 1t piece OF criminal In
Justice the part Of the state-whose duty It Is to
foster and encourage industryond labor-to tolerate
the labor Of its outlaws to be brought in competition
With the labor Of its honest end abiding mechanics
and 1rtzans; protest against 1t in the name Of
morality, BECAUSE the system is now conducted, it
offers premium for crime on tho part Of the vicious
in aotiety, well the soulless contractor, who Is
Indifferent alike to the we-beiag Of the 1aborer and
the interest Of the consumer 30 long as he can fill his
And wa nov ask ut tho hands Of just and impair
n.! public, cocl and dispassiouae consideration Of
ocr protest. md in return we assure them that what
eyer action may be compelled to take in the future
topsotcct ourselves and families, will be governed
By prudence and moderation, and desire to do JUS
dee to ourselves and the community at large.
Nr. D. J. Murphy, Of tho Workangmdn's Adco-
cdte, IVES called upon to make aome remarks,
and urged the meeting to bring the matter be-
fore the Legislature, with view to the abolish
nent Of the convict labor complained Of.
Ono member spoke in strong terms against
convict labor, and endeayored to show that the
competition Of the work Of thieves With that OF
honest mechanics was very detrimental to the
latter, and should be met with strong oPposl-
lion.
Aresolution providing for tho appointment OF
Committee Of Three to confer with the other
trade organizations OF tho city, as to the pro-
ptiety Of holding > mass meeting Of all the
trades tc protest against convict labor, YVES
adopted, and the President named the Com
nittee
The meeting resolved to take m obligation to
teateAu from a6ssL1u9 Ill putting up LIS CO4!uSea
nd other metal work made in the State Prison,
and Committee was appointed to draw up
document to that effect.
The Society adjourned to meet again in one
wee,1.
THE CITY IN BRIEF.
D. L. Moody will lecture in the Fullerton Ave-
nue. Presbyterian Church this evening.
The Star and Crescent Club will give one Of
their enjoyable parties this evening at Shows
Dancing Academy, No. 86 Halsted street. near
Madison
Rev. c. L. Thompson, formerly Of Cincinnati,
leads the noon prayer-meetng, aad B. F. Jacobs
t1,a RiF1n 1npatirp af1 o'r1arr {o.l,r ;n 4},n