Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-01-27
ANTI-CONVICT LABOR.
MASS MEETING At THE COURT HOUSE
Much Enthusiasm Cheap Labor Sat Down
0n-The Meeting Supposed to be
Productive Of Good Results
The Legislature to
be Pettioned.

The anti-cOnyict laborquestion has been
agitating our labOrers for several months
past and in view OF abolishing the nui-
sance and giving to free mechanics work
at living price, over 5000 persons
have signed a petition which will be
presented to the Legislature, who
will DO asked to act on the move
now of vital Importance. Previous
to the Mass Meeting of last Saturday
evening, a number of the working men
of the city had held two meetings in or
der to make preliminary arrangements
for the mass meeting held at the Court
House, which was called to order by
VIM. Travis, who nominated Fred.
GOOdfellow as president. After the
election oi Mr.. GoodiellOw, {. Z. Ham
ilton was chosen secretary.
The object of the meeting was stated
by the President, who called upon ). \.
kepner, foreman of the REGISTERS news
rooms, To address the meeting Mr..
kepner came forward, and, as he stepped
upon the rostrum, his appearance was
hailed with shout of applause
sent up from large and enthu-
siastic audience, which represented
many Of Wheoling's best mechanics,
who are active in trying TO have the
cheap convict labor system done away
with. The speaker logically dealt with
the existing evil, and after taking the
report Of the Superintendent of the
Ponitentiary and comparing the prices
paid i'm that institution by contractors
for convict hire, and those that should
be paid for free labor, the gentleman
dwelt at length on the ruinOus effects
arising from convict labor, and compared
il rs a twin evil with Chinese cheap
labor" An immediate repeal was adj
vOCated by the speaker, who intimated
that convict labor should be
employed on internal improvements
and honest mechanics allowed to subsist
on their several trades, which are mon
opolized by the contractors at Mounds
vile, who employ convict labor.
4. \. Rock, Il member OF the LcgiSla-
ture from kanawha county, spoke, and
expressed himself Us decidedly against
convict labor, and believed that it should
be confined 10 prison products alone,
and that such products should demand
the same prices as those of free labor.
Delegate Harvey, from Cabcll county,
said that he was deep sym
pathizcr with the working man, and
would do all in his power to do
away with convict labor.
Martin Hill, another Delegate from
Kanawha county, was called, but eX-
CuScd himself from making speech by
declaring that he Was in favor of the
the move and thought 1t was something
that should be- suppressed. Mr.. Hill
also stated that while walking IN front
of the court house, the evening before,
lac had received fall which had bruised
him somewhat, and would asked TO he
excused from a speech.
The next speaker was Henry Hub
bard, who claimed that he was the
champion OF the move, and was per
fectly willing to do all in his power to
memOrialZe the Legislature TO sit down
on convict labor. Hewas willing 10 tell
the lawmakers that it must be stopped.
The gentleman wound up his speech in
very emphatic language.
kcmplr, the rouslng temperance
WAS standing back in the audience, hid
behind small boy, but was spied by
some one, who yelled " kimple, kem-
pie The dappcr little fellow waltzed
inside the courthouse bar-where he
has been beiOrr-and said: Il have
been in the temperance harness, and
don't know anything about the convict
labor move, but the only remedy for II
is located only two blocks away, viz,
the Legislature at the Capitol After
this gush of elupuence, Jake retired TO
his old stand in the aisle.
j. Dallas Ewing was called and stated
that hC was one OF that unfortunate class
LAWYERS who never work. The speaker
stated that hc had lived in the town OF
MOundsville for some years, not IN the
penitcntiary, and that when the au-
thorities were seeking site on which
To build the penitentlary many citizens
had subscribed SO, SIS, 500 and 500
10 have il built at Moundsville, and
now that they have learned the evil it
has brought with il, the same subscrib-
crs would sign five times the amount 10
have It taken away. This Is what |
think ot II.
After Mr. Ewing's speech President
GOOdiellOw offered the following:
ReSjrrd, That this meeting do, IN a
body, petition the Legislature Ia
abolish entirely the present system ui
convict labor as carried on in this state,
The motion Was adopted unani-
mOusly.
Messrs. Peters, Hamilton and Me
Granahan were appointed Il committee
uf three To scc that a bill be prepared
and presented 10 the Legislature.
u was stated by the President that a
small expense had been incurred for
music and advertising, and, IN order Ia
meet it, collection was necessary.
While the stewards passed the hats
apostle, addressed the audience Fol-
hWing Mr.. Bag,s, DIR. GoOch, member
OF the Legislature from Summers Coun-
N, heartily endorsed all that hal been
said, and, with Senator Johnson, would
advocate the passage ui a bill they hal
prepared. and which provided for work
iug the cunVicts on public roads.
The following resolution Was then un-
animously adopted:
kSsgp,i, by the laboring men OF
Wheeling in mass meeting assembled,
That the senator and Delegates repre-
enting Ohio county in the Legislature
be requested Ia Use their utmost en-
,lcaNorS "a abolish the system ut convict
labor now in operation in the West Nir-
giuiS PenitentIaTy.
The speakers oi the evening wen
then thanked, and the meeting all
Ioumei.