New-York tribune., 1879-03-14
ALBANY.

THE SENATE ORDERS sUPEuSTESDENr fiLsDo"i
TO REPORT ON THE sYsTEM-THE AMOUNTS
DUE DEPosrroRs FROM BROKEN SAVINGS
| BANKS.
| warm debate took place yesterday in the state
Senate on motion offered by Mr.. Jacobs.
directing the Committee on State Prisons
to report on the subject of convict Ia
bor. Democratic Senators declared that the mo-
ton wac in the interest of honest labor" Mr. Ses-
sions objected to any meddling with Mr.. Pisbury's
experiment at present. and on his motion Senator
| Jacobs's resolution was so amended as
| to require the Supern tendent TO make the
proposed investigation. The Senate Bank Com
mlttee submitted report on the condition OF the
| broken savings banks.
CONVICT LABOR TO BE INVESTIGATED.
| A WARM DEBATE IN THE SENATE on THE SUBJECT
DEMOCRATIC SYMPATHY FOR HONEST
LABOR"
(rRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrBUNE.l
ALBANY, March 13.-The Democrats OF the
Legislature have been casting about wildly for some
time for some subject OF which they eau make polti-
cal capital To-day they seized on plank OF the plat
form adopted last Fall by the NaiOnaGreenback party
OF this state which asked for the abolition OF the
present system OF leasing the labor OF cOnvicts in the
State Prisons contractors and endeaVOred 10 snow
that they are ardent protectors Of "hOnest aDor Ihs
was done in foretfness OF tine fact that month ago
| they were euogzlug superintendent Plsbury for
his economical management OF the prisons. The move
ment to-day made under OF resolution intro
duced by Senator Jacobs, directing the Committee on
State Prisons "to inquire into the subject or convict
labor IN the prisons OF the State and report by b
otherwise. what legislation If any is TO pro-
tec honest labor this from the encroachments
OF said convict labor" AS soon as the resolution WAS
read. Senator Pomeroy Qlep.I made motion to strko
out the word "honest." With appearance OF ndig
nation he then sad: "Mr. Chairman, think all labor
homes -eveD that OF convlcs" Senator Sessions Rp)
who Is chairman of the Committee State Prisons,
swiftly followed Senator Pomeroy with the remark that
he hoped the resolution would not be adopted, AS it was
evidently intended "to send the committee off a wild
goose chase"
The Democrats thought that they had entrapped
the Republicans into opposing any investigation OF the
subject, and accordingly one after another made
speeches intended for the Of the "honest working
man" Senator Eccesine (Dem with all the solemnty
Of manner that he could summon said that the res0lu
t0n related 10 very important question. and ought by
all means be adopted. Senator Ranes D5mD SAID lie
thought II would he conceded that the prisons
became selfsupportnc an investigation should be made
II the trades which the convcts work cannot
| be made varied. The Introduction OF larger
number # trades he said. would certainly tend to
| eye outside labor. Senator Hughes (Dem) said he
! fcndy hoped the resolution would pass.
Senator Sessions in reply TO these speeches. said taa
without going into any theories about prison manage
ment nc wolld confidently assert that nne.euths OF
the people Of the State approve OF Mr. Psburys course
Let well enough alone" ought TO be. he declared the
policy OF The Legislature in regard TO the prisons Sem
Jacobs said there $40 men In his district who
had been pauperized to enable Sing Sing Prison to
| a revenue to the state" There only 900 hat
makers in the State, ana yet superintendent Plsbury
had put 500 men in Dannemora Prison to work making
hats thereby taking food out OF the mouths OF women
| a1d chi in hp
ciose1 his speech, which was delivered In u fer
! l want To make issue on ths question
! / have done IL in cold blood" Senator Harris lep)
sail il had been his opinion that superintendent Pills
bury "a good Democrat" and had full power re-
gardng the leasing OF the labor OF cOnvicis Senator
fIughcs was apparently cast great passion by this
Iaunt for with Redeemed face aud passionate gestures
he vehementy opposed In ten-mlnute speech any lay
ing of the resolution the table or neglect Of the do
| mand OF the worklugman" " that the competition of
tie convicts should be stopped. Senator Mccarthy
epD said IL had become patent that the labor IN the
prisons interfering with the labor outside OF their
| walls. He thought the PROPOSITION very PROPER one
create - diver-ded industry IN the prisons. There
dustr year ago Alter the article was made the con-
pany found that the thing was made In the prs
superintendent OF PRISONS plainly meant to make she
prisons profitable for the state. That was mistaken
Senator Harms eaid 1t bis opinion that the reso
luton ught to be passed. Tnele could be harm
aud pcrhaos there might be much good IN such an in
qniy. Experience I'm the management OF priSOns had
SHOWN that IN the long run conycts could compete
wit free ldbOrers, however much more pay the latr
received. There we're signs already tha the Superln-
! the convicis did compete with honest labor" he
IN favor Of abolshng the present system Sllli 1t was
proved" he aid tha, convict labor can prrjuaice the
riEns OF honest men, suppose %e must y back to the
cd system OF taxing the people $SO0OOO year to
malura i>Ouers N idlcness."
Senator Sessions here turned the tables on the Demo-
erals by moving that the inquiry regarding the convict
labor system should be made by the Democrat who Is
superintendent OF the state Prlsons MI PisDury and
not by he Republicans forming the Committee Oh state
| Prisons. With a perfectly grave face, but with a
twinkle Of The that denoted "A mischlevous intent
he said the inquiry ought To be made by very cOmpe
| tent person. and surely there was no person more
| competent to report whether or not q more
diversified system OF labor could not be intro
| duced in the prisons than Mr.. Pilsbury himself
Tue Democrats all looked cre-tfaen when Mr. sessOnss
motion made. senator EccleSDe said plalntvcly
g don't want to shrk labor" Senator Pomeroy sad
| that he thought Senator sessiOns's motion very
proper one. The Democratic senators lew weeks be-
fore had been prasing Mr.. PlsDury Tor his economy
Surely they would not refuse to give him this task
Senator Ecclesine then said that nrmly opposed
| t0 the Senate deegaimg its authority any one
opinion. Senator Pomeroy said that there dele
CATION Of authority The Senate would Simply 20 to tue
fountain head for Information. In conclusion he SAID
our Democratic friends have either got To stand by Mr.
Psbny and his ecouomy or they have got to denounce
his administration" Senator Raines then sand hOtly
Irepudiate the whole contract labor system Ia the
prisons. But want to break 1t down gently Senator
PomerOy said that study OF PRISON ethics mad satisfied
! nm that the punishment Of crime was Dar0arsm.
Society might mprlson man for it's own Protection;
bat once inside the PRISON gates he mad the same duty
the criuina sucn an Outcast as not 10 have
| the right 10 vote.
gcstrd then adopted by IL vote of l6 to l3. The
original resolution then adopted by vote Ot 27
tO2
THE DEFUNCT SAYINGS BANKS.
| THE AMOUNTS DUE TO DEPosToRs, AND THE
AMOUNTS PAID.