, 1876-04-02
CONVICT LABOR.

| WOAhINGAENH b MA63-NEETlN4.
Last evening mass-meeting Of workingme1
opposed to the letting Of convict labor SO as t.
compete with free artisans WAS held in the nen
Arbeiter Hall, On Desplaines street, near Madi.
BOD. l. q. Brown presided, and a. ". Beechel
| acted IS Secretary.
( Mr. BROWN
| was the first speaker, and said that he vas
pleased that there were so many persons pres
ent who took an interest in this opposition to the
leasing Of convict labor. He held that
the coopers' TRADE had been ruined
makers Ind Jared no batter. shoemakers and
sione-cutters had also felt the effects OF prison
labor. Politicians claimed the Penitentiary as
trophy OF victory. and it Was made depot for
6calawags and bummers, who we're given Offices
in it, and the contractors we're blod for political
purposes. They should oppose every candidate
for Office who was not opposed to convict labor.
He thought labor should be elevated, and he was
opposed to Chinese cheap labor, which had
thrown good mechanics ont of employment On
the Pacific Coast. The Penitentiary Rings were
composed of the Rmartest politicians whom they
had 70 contend with. He thought honest manu-
fActurela Fere also interested in aQppreasing
this great wrong upon the laborets and 8tate.
The resolutions previously adopted At dele
OF the V1ews OF the trades, and published in
TIE TRlBCSE at the time, were then read by
the Secretary and adopted.
Mr. Mc4uiiffe offered tbs following:
Resoioed. That We will not voto for any candidate
sent TO the Legislative body to which he may bo
elected. resolution legally framed and to support
the same, which resolution, il uade Law, viii tend
to abolish the aforesaid evils.
Mr. MGuoREY
Was then introduced, aua said that the working
men had been used "a voting cattle, and weIo
made the servants Of q saloon asistocracy and
ward politicians. 10 then discussed the rcsolu-
tione seriatin1. He held that the furniture trade
had been largely drawn upon by convicts which
had demo1alized it 81 over the country. Con-
vets should be punished BY hard labor. In
but were not allowed labor saving machinery,
as in this country, and 60 they did not compete
with honest labor. He held that
the employment OF convicts, aa tn op-
position TO the honest Workingman, was
nefarious practice. Penitentiary oonvicta
were generally men Who we're beyond reforma-
ton sud vere forced into trades to their demor-
a1izaton. Eight trades supported the Peniten-
tiary and convicts, while all the other indus
tries in the State benefited BY it. While money
and their families were actually suffering for the
necessaries OF life in this city. He ttook !
the ground that the con1cta we're only |
forced to trade, and they consequently vero |
mere autom8tons, who had no interest in the |
trade they learned. He said 800 convict etonecut-
ters we're being created in Joliet every four years.
which was diiusing and running that branch. He |
held that they could not compete with their Ia |
Dor. They were equals under the law ae free I
men, but they themselves, would have to sup /
port the Constitution which granted them their |
Liberty. The workiugmen we're controlled BY . |
fow pot-house politicians He hoped that the |
1orkngmen would rise against caucus and |
party, and would only look Tor honest men. He |
wanted tho worhngmen to organize, and de-
naud q fair show as against the convicts Of the /
State. Thirty-fve hundred men IN thisscity had |
to bear the burden Of supporting the convicts |
of this State
He said they we're great in this country for
making laws, yet the mechanic MAS often cheat
I'd out OF his Just dues, or had to whit two or
.hree years, until appeal after appeal was de-
-1ded. The Lien law Was merely 3 "lean lar.
Which leaned only to ons side. He thought ID
oor should not be brought into such au uneven !
contest with capital.
liR. o'DoSSEIL
followed Mr. McGiIorey. and said that the mar
,le-workers had organized perfectly, employers
md cmployed.-and that they would not work
N any binding in which anything made BY con-
'lcts had been used. OF allow man to WORK
With them who had learned his trade at
he Peniteptiary aa convict
Otto Elmer then made brief speech in Ger.
nan, to the same effect II the previous speak,
re. L.
hesus~ Moore. Mccarthy. MaLogan. md