Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-02-11
CONVICT LABOR.
"A Contractors" Argument Dis
sected-WhO Are Benefited
and Who Injured.
Correspondence OF the Register.

N"llcNloiiutllNt pl tut hesl>Ntl'
In Yesterdays htelIigence appears a
communication from ~ Contractor" t.
whom is hired portion of the labor OF
Convicts in the West Virginia peni-
tcntiary, setting forth his side of the
question. Ii the premises from which
a Contractor draws his conclusions
were true, there would be an end To all
argument, for he would have the right
side OF the question. But | propose to
show that the premises, or alleged facts,
from which lac reasons are false, notOri-
ously false, and that A Contractor" is
not an honest reasoner, but is cndeav-
oring to make out case solely in his
own interest. Ii the convict labor sys-
tenn now in operation at Moundsyille
bc abolished, there is one class that
would undoubtedly suffer, and that
class is the contractors, who would no
longer be able to hire days labor Tor
- cents in West Virginia, but would
have TO pay as other citizens, "a fair
days wages for lair days work"
Let us analvzc some OF the ilimsy AS
sertions upon which Contractor" en-
dcavors to justify the present system.
Ills first assertion is that "tho labor
ing man and the mechanic are benefited
to a certain extent 10y convict labor, he
cause they are required to assist i'll run
ming the labor of the prison. am re-
liahly informed that the only laborcrS
employed at the penitentiary, outside
Ot the COnvlCts, are one foreman Tor each
branch OF labor, making a total Of five
PERSONS Now, let thinking people
look at this proposition considerably
The five persons there employed would
obtain employment outside the prison,
ii the convict labor did not prevent COM
petition. The average price paid for
convict labor is twenty-eight cents per
day, price that cannot hc competed
with by outside labor, and the cOnse-
quencc is that all branches of labor
under contract at the penitcntiary have
nocOmpetitiOn outside, unless 1t be III the
manufacture of cigars, and this branch
is 80 badly affected az Ia be- Improbable
10 the men who furnish the capital and
to throw out oi employment hundreds
of cigar makers in this city alone. There
are now employed at the MOundsvillc
penitentiarv POP conviCts at the ruinOus
price OF IS cts per day. While this
gives employment to four or five fore
men, how many persons does 1t affect
injuriously? Twenty-eight cents is but
the sixth OF days wages; each labor
ing man has depending upon
him for support, say four
persons, "a very low est
mate Now, with these known guam
titles it requires very simple process
in arithmetic 10 show who are benefited
and who injured.
The 202 convicts do the work OF l,2l2
men that is, the contractor for the same
amount OF work performed by free labor
would have to pay six times as much.
The wages OF 2O2 free laborcrs for day
would cost S33936, while the labor Of an
equal number OF COnvicts costs but
S,J6. .56, leaving the handsome difference
ui S2S2. 80 in favor of the contractors.
This is pretty good profit on one day 5
work, and shows ConClusiyely that the
contractors are the class benefited by the
present system.
Now, let Us see how free labor is al
iccted:
/, The price paid, 2S cents per day, is
beyond competition. 1t stops manu-
featuring outside the prison, and thus
throws men out of employment
>. The 2O2 conviCts doing the work ot
LIP men, throw out OF employment
POP Tree laborers. Add each ofthese the
four dependent persons, and We have a
total l,OlOpcrsons injuriousiy affected,
directly, as an offset to the four or five
iuremcn imploycd by the contractors.
3. Each oi the 262 convicts does six
days work to the free laborer's one; that
l., the Sl.6S per lay required iur "A day +
labor outside the prison will buy siN
davs' labor inside.
II would require too long an article Ia
answer all the assertions OF "A Con
tractor" D." With your permission, Mr..
Editor, | will continue my dissection to-
morrow. :. 4. X.