The New York herald., 1879-11-14
CON VICT LABOR.
Evil Effect of the Contract System
on Certain Trades.
OPINIONS OF EXPERTS.
Public Session Of the Joint Leg
islative Committee.

branches of the legislatures Of Massachusetts,. New
Jersey and Connecticut appointed to consider
and report upon the alleged evil influences wrought
upon the industrial Glasses of those and othor Com
monwealths by reason Of the employment by con-
tractors of convicts confined In the State prisons
This committee has held sessions in different parts
of the country. but for the most part they have
been Of executive character. In New York it was
thought best to hold public session. and accord
ingly yesterday the parlors of the st. Nicholas
Hotel thrown open for the purpose. Nearly
every member Of the committee present There
were Messrs. A. p. Morse and Charles II. Ltchman.
Of Massachusetts,; Edward Bettle. Samuel Allinson.
W. r. Murphy. A 8. Meyrick and s. b. Hunt. of New
Jersey, and L. P. Deming. W. +. WILCOX. Edmund
Tweedy. ]. Tierney and p E. Clark. Of Connecticut.
Mr.. Demine was chosen chairman and Mr.. Tweedy
acted Secretary. The following official credential
was read by Mr. Litchman:-
CoMxoSwxALru MASSACHUSETTS
HoUsE REPRESENTATIVES. March "a. 1879
Ordered That there be appointed Joint special com
ss tive S'ss he Of as ss
n to a M oTrs % the TO aa se system S
the penal reformatory Institutions Of this Common
Rs "owns A' ITS next
F.The effect of said system upon the general indus
Secon-The effect said system upon interests Of
ThdTho effect this system upon the of
Fou1-What advantage II any, tho products Of prison
other tho of profits
ih-fhs effect Of any prison contract pPon the par
IThe feasibility Of sseshps the contract system
shs not GO to psSs9 but to the STATE m
give said committee full statistics and information upon
And IL order that the full spirit and intent hereof shall
be attained said shall have power 70 send tor
anime persons under oath.
REFoRMEn's VIEWS.
Mr.. Deming then called upon Dr. Wines, who Is
well known in connection with his efforts to secure
reform in the management Of the prisons OF the
State to address the committee. The Doctor, in be-
ginning. said he did not think the contract labor
system nterfered with outside trade at all. It
only drop in the bucket. It did not come into
competition with the industrial classes. He gave an
account Of the results Of the Prison Commission in
vestigation of 1870 and continued follows:-"I
own country the changes in prison management
are frequent to admit OF the abolition Of the
tract system Sing Sing changes its administration
about once every eighteen months. If there were
good behavior or life tenure OF Office the change
might be made. is hardly possible that than
10000 convicts are engaged in skilled labor.
would have their trades greatly multiplied. In the
prison of Valencia Spsn Colonel Montesinos two
years ago substituted moral for physical force
hope for fear He established less than forty
own choice. 10 each he gave liberal share Of his
earnings. The result was that the prison was
:.What the New York workingmen ask is not the
abolition OF skilled labor. but the multiplying Of
trades. They would be content were it not that
only one or two trades are in use. Gen eral Pills
bury told that he made more money for the State
when he managed the labor himself than he did under
the contract system in the Albany Peniteniary Still
he rather favored the contract system. the State
conducted prison labor there would be greater
tendency to undersell the free market than there
in i'm system. WOrkinpmen object "a
having the profits of prison labor going into the
pockets Of contractors. There is some chance Of
form. Indeed an EFFORT is being made to that end
under the contract system but 1t interferes seri-
ously with reformatory measures. Myself and DR..
Dwight were at jackson (Mich.) Prison in 1865 and
were about to address the prisoners when the
tractors entered and insisted that the men should be
sent to the at M .5 once GenoTA CT , ne con-
that they can. regardless of reformation. In all
changes to be made the most important element
should be the welfare and the reformation OF the con-
vict. Hc should be encouraged by receiving share
OF his earnings. This Is VITAL
Dr. Harris stated that ha had made the subject of
prison reform special study for nine years. In his
opinion the present contract labor system
sity and will be likely to continue necessity long
AZ prisons remain under partisan government. The
system is convenient ono for officials. nearly all
ties all the same. man is removed from his
position in prison not alwsys because he has done
wrong & OF r was gEy III 0r I'm 's 20 Dus 0e
friend. The responsibility tor this condition Of
affairs rests upon the State legislatures and upon
prison officials themselves. There are thou
sands Of convicts at present confined in the
state prisons. and OF course all these
men. except the sick. should be worked
Twenty ve per cent of all the hatters employed in
this country work in prison; and in several other
trades. although the proportion Is less. It often
statement in reference to the perncious influence of
partisanship in the government Of prisons. and
state Of affairs should be allowed to continue for
another year. The contractors. OF course were not
knew contractors that were IN honor to their posi-
tions. The State IL at present supporting twice as
many conyicts as It should support, considering the
advanced state OF civilization OF ve million inhabit
ants.
Chairman Deming asked the Doctor how he would
have the convicts educated.
IL would give them an industrial education. Have
them taught, the truants taught in Boston
and elsewhere. Then give them little better edu-
cation. il you have a mind to. 1 don't think the
learning OF trades by convics swells the industrial
classes. The prisoners do learn q full trade;
they only taught branches"
CONNECTICUT AUTHORITY.
Professor Francis wayland. Of Yale College, was
is the president of the State Prison Association Of
Connecticut and chairman of the State Prison Board
members of the committee tine Professor contrasted
the contract system and the system of public
counts"-thst is. tho State having the management
of the prisons He was Of opinion that the present
management of prisons was far from being up to
ideal standard In the opinion of the Professor the
object of labor State Prisons not to ft
the inmates to follow a calling outside
when they were discharged. Experience had
proven that II was q very difficult matter to get
good. honest men to work alongside OF felons just
let out from prison. In TACT 1t almost impos-
spe tor prisoners. upon their going more into
the word. to hnd employment. However willing
employers might DO to give convict chance to
show that he had truly rot ormcd. the other work.
would have nothing to do with him. This
certainly bad state of things for the prisons. Last
year, he believed. out OF 1lG men discharged from
tine Connecticu PRISONS eighty-sx gave evidence OF
reform. When they went into prison they had no
good habits and knew nothing but thicvery ana all
kinds of crime. lie in favor of the contract
system only 80 far ~ 1t failed to oppress the pris
oners.
Mr.. Deming--Is not ono employment as good as
anotherl
Professor wayiand-Certainly, provided IL is good
for his health.
Mr.. Litchtnan-Do you think that o convict should
be taught u trade, in which he can be employed
when he leaves the prison?
Professor Wayland-I cannot how that could
be done. IL It were possible 1t might be- well to do
so, but think IL is rather impracticable.
In answer to o question as to how many persons
return to prison after serving term. the Professor