Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-29
THE CONTRACT SYSTEM OF PRISON
LABOR


We have received a report from the
Superintendent of New York Prisons to
the State Legislature, on the subject of the
contract system of prison labor, which
contains much valuable information. 1t
embraces an examination of the methods
pursued the largestprisons of the country,
together with those of Europe. 1t consti-
tutes defense of the contract system of a
complete and exhaustive character. The
objection to the contract system has been
raised by labor "reformers," and those
who follow them. Its central assump-
ton is that convict labor enters into
destructive competition with free labor.
By some process of reasoning quite incom-
prehensible by the average mind, the oppo-
nents of the contract system are COM
pletely reconciled to what is called the
"pubic account" system. The difference
between the two is chiefly imaginary
Under the contract system the State lets
out the labor of the convicts to manufac-
turers who provide the plant and material
Under the public account system the State
itself becomes manufacturer, buys plant
and material, and secures the resultant
profit for itself. In both cases the products
of convict labor are necessarily put upon
the market in competition with the products
IS 1oh II, 20 CO.. fha ,r&a
ests of free labor are concerned there is no
choice between the two systems. But
it must be realized that there is
absolutely no plan by which the
competition complained of can be avoided,
and it must also be realized that the COM
petition complained Of is for the most part
imaginary. 1t has been shown by statistics
that prison labor constitutes an inappre-
ciable percentage of the whole labor of the
country, and that therefore it cannot be
the bugbear workingmen persist in think
ing it. Nor must it be forgotten that the
expense of supporting the convicts would
have to be borne in the shape of taxes if
they did not work, and that this enforced
idleness would Lot only cost the free Ia
borers quite as much as their competition
could possibly do, but would by still fur
Their demoralizing the convicts increase the
criminal tendency throughout the country.
Passing next to the question of the relative
merits of the two systems, the contract
and the public account system, we find it
system might be the more desirable if the
management of the prisons was entirely
divorced from politics, it is far less safe
aud profitable than the contract system
under the existing conditions. For the
State cannot find man who is at once
good penologist and thorough business
manager who is capable of superintend-
ing all the commercial details of per-
haps half a dozen different manufactures,
and at the same time of attend
ing to the general conduct of the
prison. Such combination is not impos-
sible, but if it exists it is making great
fortune somewhere, and cannot be had for
the service of the State at low wages. The
public account system has been tried sew
eral times in this country, and has always
failed. The contract system has done bet
ter, though it is by no means all that could
be desired. The most Objectionable feature
is the fact that under it the convicts rarely
learn full trade. They are taught some
single operation, and if they become expert
at that they are kept to it. 1t is in our
opinion doubtful whether this can be called
! teaching them trade at ALL The contract
system, however, guarantees the State what
is probably the highest rate that can be OBJ
tanned for prison labor. 1t keeps the con-
victs employed /; and it puts the financial
responsibility upon the contractors. No
doubt the latter make a profit by these en-
gagements, or they would not make them,
but it is also clear that they encounter
great risks In short the contract system
appears to be the best that can be devised
at present, and the objections to it appear
to be irrational and ignorant. The convicts
must be employed, and it is better to en-
ploy them upon some industry which will
find a ready market than to try and dis
cover trade so little followed that it in
| yolyes NO comDetition with free labor