New-York tribune., 1878-03-29
COMMUNISM SPREADING.

| COMMUNISM SPREADING.
| A BID BY DEMOCRATS FOR THE VOTE OF THE NATION
| Ms-OpPosITIoN TO PRISON LABoR-THE BILL
| PROVIDING FOR A RAILROAD TO CLINTON PRISON
| DEFENDED IN THE ASSEMBLY.
| IFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE rRiBUNE'I
ALBANY, March 2S.-The Democratic party
la, begun to coquet with the worngmen's party in
view OF the Fall elections Among the latest ideas oi
| tho Workngmens organizations in the State Is this
that in getting employment for the conyicts ana making
the prisons almost sesstaing Mr Pilsbufy, the gu
perntendent Prisons has cut of from dong similar
work large number of worlngmen. They demand that
he shall stop this "competion Of tnc convict with the
honest aborer" One Of their representatives In the
Legislature went so far publicly in the Assembly
last week. that the eonvicts had better be kept idle than
be employed in any industry Privately he sad that IL
IL was necdiu for the cCnvcts TO have some labor they
might be kept work rolling stones backward and Tor
ward across the prison yards. by their action ana
speeches in the Assembly, to-day, the Democratic
partys representatives plainly adopted the above doc
trines the Workingcns party and promised to assist
them in stopping remuneratye work in the prisons All
OF the declarations OF the Workingmens representatives
that it would be have the cOnyics kept dle were
reiterated by Democratic speakers One, Mr Browning,
of NewYork advanced the novel idea that the convics
might be kept playing football But MIR. CALVIN of
New-York, greatly distinguished himself by declaring
vehemently that when laborers were out OF work the
State ought 20 provide them with paying employment
Mr. Efsus Brooks the Democratic leader, after declar-
ing that 1t is almost crime to state IN this Legislature
that should provide for condition OF deness IN the
PRISONS" beat retreat when he saw the direction tue
Democratic current running and afterward voted
with his brethren.
LieutenantGovernor Alvord, the Republican leader,
stood M manfuy against the Democratic attack on the
prisons He showed clearly the c0mmuuistic spirit that
was urging the movement against the present prison
He also declared that the Democratic party
had only taken up the Workngmens parys idea out OF
compaisance to 1t. This Mr. Calvin did not deny On
the contrary, he boldly revealed the Intention
OF the Democrats to capture, II possible, the
Labor Reform vote by calling attention to the
recent successes OF the Workingmen's party, and
asserting thar these victories had been gained over Doth
Democrats and Republicans. because the Legislature
controlled By them had not granted what the Working
men desired These desires, II the drift OF his speech
are plainly to be granted hereafter II :ho Democrats
come into powor Mr.. Alyord boldly attacked all the
positions taken by score OF Democratic orators. aud
spoke with exceeding earnestnes The Assembly Chamber
was $50 silent that pin could be beard drop" when In
his closing remarks on the subject Of convict labor he
declared that the days Of the Republic woud be num-
bcred when certain class OF citizens demanded and
received legislation IN their behalf. and when public
works that not needed on their demand were
ordered 20 give them work.
Mr. Dewitt c. Peck o! Oswcgo County, was the onJ
other Republican who spoke the subject and he made
an excellent speech lie argued that II one man out OF
100 aborcrs should attempt fost the support OF him
self upon the ninety nine. that the other aDorers
would not consent ni according TO Tue hrgnehts put
forward Democrats, II this put In the state
Prison the nncty ynlne l,bOrers would be willing that ne
should be idle and they would work to supply MN WIN
food and lOdeng-aud be unwilling tha be should Work
To earn IN. own livelihood.
The bill that caused all this discussion about convict
Ia labor + one "a 40 p NJ Pe5nry TO Gnd 10 rap92a
Prison. II tie ralrOld Il built supplies Tor the prison
can h. more cheap TRANSPORTED nnd moreover, the SUI
de ut IL enabled -
for OF the 500 cOnyics employed there instead
of only 25 cents as now, In consequence OF the
Mon cost oi TRANSFORMATION Tho great ground OF
objection that the Democrats had to the bull was that
the superintendent would have the power Of letting out
the labor of more " the at Donnemora n the
railroad Is built or course tins would bring the convict
not matter IT, Mr. AlyOrd pointed out there were only
5000 convicts and 100000 worknginen aud that,
therefore, the labor of the conyics could not have any
apprcciablr effect the Labor market. Below are e1-
tracts from some OF tue chief speeches made;
THE DEBATE.
Mr. CALVIN (Democrai)-Mr Speaker, move that the
enacting clause be struck have learned that when
this railroad Is built the convict. Will come into compet-
ton with honest laborers OF the State. The unemployed
and honest Of the state ought 10 be protected The
convcts ought to employed other than nome in
dusries They should bo employed on articles hitherto
Mr.. Alyord-This Is bill simply to make the prison
payto utilize the property The other prisons pay
the prisons did not than 20 or 80 cents day
for the State Now. In consequence OF the confidence
business men have In MI. Plisbury the convlcs
aO 80 and 90 cents day. This cry against convict
labor Il a sckenng cry. There has been general de-
preston In business that all wages are low Tails s
The that the convics paid such low wages
would ask whether the labor market OF this state con
tanning 100000 wOrkingmcn Is apprecaby affected py
the labor oi 5000 conyictsi
Mr. Niyen Dcmocrail-Iammany Hall has directed
that this bill be opposed. But AIN not Tammany Hall
man aud shall vote in favor OF the bill
Mr. Galyn-I see by the advertisement OF stoyo
manufactOry that they have employed 900 cOnvics for
live years, at the rae 0f 5 90 cents day II tnese , men
out OF work workingman cannot live at that rate.
OF it Is pleasant for taxpayers to hear mat
Of tie state give It's unemployed laborers work.
believe that men that have work will be good citizens.
There is not dcspOc government IN Europe that al
lows its conviets 10 come In competition win honest
workingmen. Look at the elections that have been
held. Why did the worknsinen succeed against b9th
partes Because they asked Tor things that were sht
iully theirs. which the Legislature had denied.
Mr. Browning (Democrat)-Mr Pi!sburys sole idea
is to make the prisons sesuSianlng would rather rather
take bread out oi the mouths oi worklnginen. ,
Mr. Burns (Democra II believe II was mover intended
M Devils G. Peek epublican)-i Will suppose that
100 aborng herein Albany Zone OF those
should endeavor 10 SHIFT tho burden OF the support
OF his family upon the other ninety-nne they would
decline consent to It, But let that man steal, aud
then, according to the theories OF the workngmen ad
vanced here to-day, no should DO permitted live In
ideness In Tho prisons at the expeuse OF these very
ninety-nne am informed that convict labor
not worth much IA outside labor. The c0nycts have
not that incentive TO work that the outside aborers
II the workingmen have idea that the wealthy are
20 s m o ns m assoS are s Sna e b
laborers Is the laborng man willing to support one Of
his own fellows In ideness, he willing that the
should support himselfi
Mr. Gredy Democrat)-whle it is entirely psoper to
have them employed, you should employ Them that
thcrcompettIOn shall be as small as can be- We must
support conycs else support the honest ho
Is We passing laws against the tramps,
aud now we seeking pass laws to provide work Tor
the convcts who are iauguhng for work. have heard
OF their lansuishinx for work before II you had
walk them up stairs aud walk them down again. surely
that would DO giving them wOrki wish the state was
In better business than IN letting convict Labor The
poor cannot compete with him. You have turned
your back the honest Of TOLL and have left him
sarve.
Mr.. Fitzgerald Democral- Why should we pass bill
to give the conycis an unjust advantage over the
Tn giy those