, 1880-03-22

AN IMP0L1T10 CHANGE.
Eugene Smith discusses the question OF
convict labor In Tic current number Of the
Princeton Rcpicm. It Is question coi,statIt-
iy recurring nnd often agitatcd. The work
ingn.an considers itn personal wrong, tending
to deprcss wages and diminish the demand
for FREQ labor. The citizen estimates 1t from
n double standpoint. as II measure Of re-
form le believes III tenclnE tho convict a
tradc and mixing him work ut II. As mat-
ter affecting tho revenue, 1se believes IN 1t as
tending to render tho penitentlArlcs self
supporting. Jalls md rgfnrMat0ry tnstitl-
t1ons arc not primarily intended TO be
branches of the State financial system; that
Is secondary consideration. II they can bo
rendered sc'f-supporting md equally effect
unl rs punitive Institutions, and not Affect
tho honest lnbor Of the honest n,nn who
keeps out Of them, then prison }abor lnay he
considered nobjecttonmblc. Mr.. Smith takes
Il middle ground between those who would
do away with convict labor-so far as tho
results Of it come Into tho market In compc-
tition with FREQ labor-and with tic class
who helIove In 50 managing tho penal instf-
tuklDllo AI!1st kuE3 .utCulRV II bUuACQ bA
profit. Ills conclusions briefly stated aro
that tho contract system should he gradually
abolished. Tic State should acquire owner
slip Of tic machinery md equipment of Its
prison workshops. The prison should l,e
conducted under tho solo administration Of
the Stntc and regtlfntet on tho principles
summarized in a recent report to tho LcRis-
1nturo Of Pennsylvania: "Tcaching enct
prisoner full trntle, asol1Ing tho use Of
machinery, dispusing Of tho product Of COLI
yict labor In tic open market, where tho best
article commands the highest price, and COLI
inlng, rs fur as possible, the Industries
taught to tlloso articles TINT aro used IN n,sb-
lie, and penal, niul charitable Institutions
supported by taxRtlon." That Is, prison
labor should bo maintained, but the contract
system abolished.
Some OF tho facts quoted In support of tho
proposition thnt the contract system repro
serts net loss TO the Statc, whtcl, mtlst bo
made good by taxation, are interest
ing. In one pcnltcnt1ary in New
contractor amounted to CO per cent
Of the capital invested In another, tho con-
tractor employed s35, 600 capital and tho net
profits wero Sc, ,s57. There arc not less than
5000 convlcts Mt hard labor III tho United
States, and their effect upon tho market must
bo appreciable. They work unrenlfttingly
and continuously. Auburn Prison nlono
manufactures onc-tifth Of oil tho Iron axlcs in
} use In the United States. 1t Is estimated
TINT from Sing Sling Prison comes one-quarter
Of all the felt huts, both for mems antl
women's wear, n1nde III the State Of Now
York. Again, convict labor Is unduly con-
centratcd upon certain lines Of production.
Out Of 1900 conyIcts ut Sing Sling, GOO syer0
engaged iii tho manufacture Of stoves; at Tho
Kings County pcntcntiary nil the conyicls
make shoes. Again, convict 1ab0r Is too
cheap. TIT 1871 tho c0utract price per afem
for the labor Of each convict was: MaBsa-
chusotts, 81 cents; Maryland, rs conts; Rhode
Island. 80 cents; New Jersoy, 80 cents; Sing
Sing, IS to 10 cents; Albany, 10 to GO cents.
from 81 UP.
Labor must prevail In penal Institutions.
blr. Smith believes In the Crotton SYSTEM
which makes It n prlze and reward, and Is
used In England and Den mark. We do mol
exactly 500 how my OF Alr, Smiths recon-.
mendations remedy the complaint OF the
working,aan, except by cquallzlng the ratt
OF wages within and without the prison
walls. But then, 1t the contract system II
abolished. no wages at all would be paid
TL6 State would become 4 mere nlanutactur
ing corporation, having tho advantage ol
using labor costing, after dcductlng cost o.
machinery and material, no moro than a
present, and under Its absolute dcspotlc con
troll. Tho Stato would usa its reformntor,
Institutions to mako money. rho on!y bene
At derived from tho change would DO roa
stblo reduction Of State taxation conscluen
| upon Increased revenue. but men arc weak
md we doubt II tha surplus revenue woul.
bo very important factor In reducing Stat
expenses for many years after tho chang
took place. Tho problem Is difficult one t,
solve. Mr., Smiths fuInedy docs not seen
much better than the disease. The contrac
system may need modification and change
but the States can hardly afford to enter int
competition with prlYate manufacturers. No
would such system greatly please tn
manufacturer.