New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-04-06
ALBANY.
wopY or TIE LEGISLATURE.

WORK OF TIE LEGISLATURE.
OPPOSITION TO COsyICr LABoR-THE CHAMBER of
coMuggcg-pUBLIc EXPENDITURES IN BROOK
LYN-vIoLATIoNs OF THE LOTTERY LAWS.
Opposition to convict labor is Strengthening ana
becoming organized. A petition against the EN-
ployment in trades requiring skill aud training OF
inmates of the State prisons was presented W 'he
Assembly, yesterday. signed by 1900 citizens Oh
Buffalo At Albany the question OF prison
labor has entered into local politics. anu
bill restricting il was introduced in the Assembly,
by Mr.. Browning. The Assembly passed the bill
amending the charter of the Chamber of Commerce.
Mr.. Waring introduced bill limiting the expendi-
ture of public money in Brooklyn. Resolutions
were adopted inquiring as to violations Of the
lottery laws in New-York.
CRUSADE AGAINST PRISON LABOR.
A PETITION FROM BUrFALo--A NEW ELEMENT IN
PoLInCs-MR. BRowNING's BILL
lFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrBUSE.l
ALBANY, April 5.-The men who would
rather have convct idle in the State Prisons than en-
gagged in any productive industry persistent In their
attacks upon the new system, by which 1t Is hoped
to make the prisons selfsupporng To-day the Assem-
bly, received petition signed by 1900 residents OF
Buffalo praying that the Legislature repeal the statutes
under which the labor OF convcts Is farmed out to ADJ
rogate all contracts now existing, ana 10 prOhDit INC
making OF such contracts in the future The petition Is
prefaced by q OF resolutions passed at great
meeting on the subject held in Buffalo The preamble to
these resolutions well expresses the arguments used
by the opponents Of the present prison system that II
quoted below:
Whereas The incarceration of yloators Of lay and
dangerous persons IN penal institutions has the double
object Of punishment for offences committed ana the
reformation OF tendencies to criminal courses; ana
Whereas The practice OF compelling such connncpu
perform
bly, Intended only as the prncipa measure Sasn se Oh
aud still more recently into process process. OF OF
whereby the State into competition
Giles OF manufacture, and demands their approving
gratitude by showing that their Institutions can De maui
sefsupporting while IL is claimed that the prisoners
are instructed In mechanical arts which VIII enable
them a, the expiration o. their term OF sentence gam
Whereas A critical examination Of the process anu
results OF this OF State prisoners shows con-
cusivey that the hrst-tbe process-is SIMPLY scns e
by which limited number oi Interested co ,ha nDh
may become rich at the expense oI ,uo P aro
lic AZ large, while the deploraoe results are are
so Wild spread and alarming that tney % G hs Io
he contaminated sufficiently dangerous W oo I'M
mediately counIeracted by positive ana stern e'ct
ment. These evils are IN outline lne aapnfeeures
with which prison contractors undertake eopel
oh sne s"ds make this capital remuneraye long
as il has only honorable competition ana legitimate
ua,,v nentralize ali reformatory influences upon the
criminals because when they are released " VIII oe W
ia ,nOnopored by their former associates inside the
prison walls and that their only hope OF Obtaining
decent livelihood by following this industry Is III then
whereas. The citizens OF Buffalo. both workingmen
from the fact that hundreds OF the former aud vast
amount OF the latter directly threatened by cohYc!
contracts now III practical IOfcc anu uJ o'noiS III nv
cess OF Communication
The six representatives OF Buffalo in the Legislature
are Their requested TO do their best 10 put end to the
system. The reference to capitalists as among those
opposed TO the systemi doubtless rne Stove man
ufaenrers In Albany have complained that the nanufac
turr OF stoves at Sing Sing has injured their trad One
OF them recently said angTy to prominent STATE oneer
compeng the stamping OF all stoves made at Sing sing
with tine words Made by conyiets' Then people VIII
mSnsv il sappcrtns The state officer replied
good. will support such bill because II WIN snow
10 the people Of the State that the conylcts make
an excellent stove" The question OF convict labor
has also entered the local Spring election IN lnls
CITY Candidates Supervisor questioned whether
or NOT they are IN favor OF the system. The coming
board OF Supervisors will the power TO dismiss
M, nG penipenyiary here. snd to order that
more contracts be made for the farming OUT OUT
OF the labor of conyicts confined In IT, 10 ne
sure the penentlary is now no expense TO the
County OF Albany and indeed ia the source OF large IN
come TO IL; but tins would be obstacle TO the oppo
nents OF the present management II the present CON
tracts broken the County OF Albany VIII nave 10 pay
large damages likewise; because tne eontraces are al
Ave years Time and the holders OF them VIII not taney
,@S S to ss Of the State ef Psn conves They
ve years time and II they are broken the S.Ao
muctcd
members of the Legislature, however VINO desire to
break up the system.
Mr. Browning Of New-York, who recently said in the
Assembly that the convcts had better be kept playing
foot ball. introduced bl to-day to prevent the farming
out OF convict labor II provides that hereafter such
labor shall not be let or hired ont by contract
The labor shall be upon such articles as
are or NAV be imported from foreign countries, or
snch a, NAV least conflict with the mechanics and work
ingmcn " The State. what is manufactured shal not De
sold in the markets. elsewhere. at less rate than
their market value The earnings OF the convicts sha
b paid into the Treasury OF the state, constituting
senrate fund TO called "The prison and house OF rcf
ue mad" violation OF the act by the superintendent
ar other prison officers shall be made misdemennor, for
which the Governor remove. IL also provides Tor
the removal OF managers 81 reformatories.