New-York tribune., 1879-11-14

BROOKLYN.
Commissioners from Massachusetts. Connecticut
and New-Jersey gave q hearing in this CITY, yes'ei-
day to persons interested In the subject of aDor III
PRISONS Dr. Wines, DR.. Elisha Harris and froies-
sor Francis Wayland gave their views,and employers
and iourneymen hatters spoke Of the INJURY TO
tbe hat trade which they asserted was caused
by The competition Of convict labor. kepresenia-
lives of the state Boards Of Charities of New-iork
and Massachusetts conferred about the sending Of
paupors from the Bay State to New-York. years
work of the Brooklyn Bureau of Charities was re
viewed at a meeting last evening.
THE PROBLEM OF CONVICT LABOR
MEETING OF THE COMMISSIONS OF THREE STATES TO
DISCUSS THE QUESTIONS INVOLVTD-NIE"s OF
MANUFACTURERS AND wORKINGMEN.
Contrary to the expectations of the Commits
soners who met In this city Wednesday to CONSIDER
the subject OF convict labor prisons, when arranging
for consultation they decided yesterday 10 give hear
ing T. persons well informed the effect OF labor IN
prisons upon that outside. and yesterday mornnk an"
afternoon open sessions held IN pariof on the
nrst fl )or of the 81. Nicholas Hotel. tbc morning
session was opened ut 0OcOck There were present two
members of the Commission OF seven appointed by
the Legislature In Massachusetts to consider thls
whole subject A. p Morse OF the Senate. and Charles
H. Iitchinan OF the House the NewJerscy Committee,
consisting OF Judge Betile samuel Ahnson. W. X.
Mnrphy A. : Mcysck and ). Il. Hunt aud the Com
mission OF Connecticut. composed OF H. T. Demlng VIZ
Wilcox Edmund Twecdy. J. Tlcrncy ana T. L. ClarK'
II was expected by these gent that superintendent
Pilsbury whl was authorized by tbIs state to examine
me subject won meet with them here. as he declined
To be present their previous meeting heO III New
Haven. Oetobcr .. a letter received from him
Yesterday I'm which ne said that be would De un1De 10
leave Albany. and expressed his regret that he coud
not meet the gentlemen comprising the several com
Mr. Is
familiar with the workng OF the contract labor system
in prison management than any else IL was much
regretted that not present yesterday TO express
his views favor OF IT,
The meetings we're presided over by Lucns p. Dem
ing of Hartford and Edmund Tscedy, oi Danbury
Conn., led the position OF secretary. In addition To
the members OF the three commissions there were also
pre. ent Dr. Elisha Harris. Professor Fraucs Wayland
the Hon. George j. Ferry. Dr. Wines W. ID. focum ana
several representatives, OF jonrncyman matters assOcia-
tons and trades After the purposes OF the IL
ouiry In which the representatives. of the three States
were engaged explained by them. Dr. NlneH' o.
| Irying;on. n. Y, was called for his views He
said that his opinion convict labor could not enter
INTO competition with labor outside OF PRISONS as u was
80 small In comparison. Owing to the frequent changes
management OF prisons from partisan policy Tie con
tract system could be abolished II there were tell
IRE OF Office for life good behavior II might be
uos.ihle for the state arrange the prison
| labor prontably But there should be more
trades taught and praciscd. The worknGmen
of this State ask to have labor In prisons abo-
shed but to the trades multiplied 1hey object TO
the contractors getting rich out OF convict laoor and
taking the bread from their mouths. The speaker then
gave Illustrations Of the benefit OF number OF trades
| shown In the prisons OF Spain.
pr. Elisha Harris. veknOwn from hls connection
with the New-YoIk Prison Association, next invited
t. present his opinions. After referring 10 his year-ot
investigation in connected with prisons, he
| he frac
convenient Que prison officers, but Ii is wIetched
and miserable wnlch should be abolished. by II lr
responsible men made the masters Of the congics
and seek only how much money can be made out OF
them The $4,000 ielOns IN this country must be ar
work and IL their work ia distributed among all the
trades IL will affect working persons outside only per
cent This would be vastly better than TO have 1t con
fined to n few trades. That industrial training which
Will benefit the prisoner is the best. While ouy
| 30 per cent of criminals do not know how
TO read aud write, a tar larger proportion
need To be trained In habits OF Industry and regularity
of fe aud effected by the Introduction OF trades
The teachng OF trades cunyicts does not 20
crease inc trade class outside in proportion
Der taught. for when released most men go back 10
their former pursuits, ANA few will practise trade
learned within walls. DR.. Harms Was asked by the
chairman at this point II he would desire all
labor be abolished IN prisons. lie replied that he
| would If there could be non-partsan management and
general reform secured all the prisons. Under pres
emf circumstances he would approve the contract sys
| The chairman then introduced Professor Francis
Wsyland OF New Haven president OF the state Prison
Association OF Connecticut aud chairman OF the Board
of Prison Inspectors. He spoke IN substance as fol-
| lows:
We must in this inquiry deal with things as we find
them also with probabilities Our State Prisons
not under partisan management nor they likely
10 be- IL wnlle consider the ideal State
Prison we still very Tar from IL. There has been
less progress that direction In this country during
the last twenty five years any hing else. There
only practical experiment OF reforming criminals
tnat BrOckway Emira, ana that only with those
the first stages or crime ne advantages OF State con-
convict labor ale that 10 VIII tend To greater
diversity OF interests and me reform OF PRISONERS
possible. the prisoners should be sel-spporhg This
Is claimed for The contract system, bat remains to he
supporen itself but Iacts recently brought to lIehl
prove that apparent showing made up In nyen-
debt, unpaid While state can legislate
| for any other. yet there must be unity OF
STisons OF New-York are filed from houses OF
| correction good authority declares that there is
no ial IN this State that Is not school or crime. Then
the fore IN population landed here soon becomes sIed
better goes away and the worse remuns Tie rules
for criminals must be d fcrent from those In Con-
d xii d Labor and II il NOT po-sIble Tor them m
be better employed. But there men wnen discharged
work al the trades they have learned; honest
| them 50 have To put them farms. II glve
thcn work after discharge. When entering PRISON they
were dishonest and inlempeTate; II they remain long
enough regular hours habits OF exercise, industry and
dle correct these faults to some extent and there is
basis OF reform not found IN mo possession OF trade
! Where the contract system OF labor is employed AZ
SHOULD be so limited that the contractor cannot over
reach or opuress the prisoner The qualities OF good
Warden are rarely united with business capacity
manage the labor OF pIlsOntrs besides, IN gvlDg hs
personal aud influence To prisoners he would hack
| time 10 control labor The WORK IN "a prison
| must Dc to make reformed, reputable
| Der OF society out OF INSCRIPTIONS criminal
the opening or ihe afternoon session f. ID. Cornell
President OF TIE Hattrrs' Trade Union OF tine United
states gave his views He stated III per OF
the fur work done in this country done pIis
ous aud TO that the contract convict labor de-
priyed mechanics, who have spent four years In
learning their trade, OF lie claimed that con-
tract systcu was wrong In giving one man profits
tnat should goto tine state. IN hunting honest labor
side and harmng the convict by hard labor and lack
| of Tine instruction. AS contractors want many
men TO work thing there cannot 10y diversity OF