The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-09-01
FALSE PRETENSES.
BY THESE THE DEMOCRA
CY SEEK VOTES.
ITS RECORD ION OUR BRUTAL
AND VICIOUS CONVICT
CONTRACT SYSTEM

hCSOtteO, Hat lLC ABUSES OIL LIE
present contract system in our State
Prison, by which the products of Grim
inal labor are brought into competi-
ton with the products Of honest la
bor, to the great injury of the latter,
is vicious and unwise, and should be
corrected. - Democratic Platform,
adopted July 13, 1881"
For some weeks it has been evident
that one of the leading issues in this
campaign on the part of the Democ-
racy would be the reformation of our
brutal and vicious convict contract
system, which has done so much to
injure the honest industries of the
State.-CincinnaH Enquirer, July
23."
To secure mans vote by false pre-
lenses is as mean as it is to secure his
property by the same means. To do
the latter is an offense punishable by
imprisonment in the Penitentiary.
The former ought to be so punished
Yet this is just what the Democracy
of Ohio is trying to do. 1t pretends
that it is not in favor of the system of
contracts for prison labor as it exists
at the Ohio Penitentiary to-day. The
Statutes of Ohio show that this pre-
tense is false. The present law upon
this subject was made by Democrat
ic Legislature. The authors of this
law were elected in the fall Of 1877,
took their offices upon the first Mon
day of January, 1873, and held them
until January, 1880. The man who
introduced the bill was that we'll
known Democrat, DIR. James A. Nor
ton, Of Seneca county, and it was
voted for by every Democratic men,
Der Of the General Assembly, and was
voted gainst by every Republican
member The bill became law upon
the 9th of February, 1878, and the
following is the section relating to
this subject:
SECTION Is. To provide for hard
labor by each convict, according to his
sentence, the board is authorized and
required to let and hire the labor of
the convicts upon such branches of
business, and for the manufacture of
such articles as in its judgment will
best accomplish that end and subserve
the interests Of the State, which let
ting and hiring shall be as follows:
Il. The letting shall be advertised
by the Warden in two Of the newspa-
pers published in Columbus and in one
each of the cities of Cleveland and
Cincinnati once week for at least
four weeks, and by such further no.
tice as the board may direct. The ad,
vertisement shall specify the number
of men to be let, the length of time
which shall not exceed five years, and
the last day on which bids will be re.
ceived.
80. The board, in its discretion. may
designate what articles or class Of ar
ticles shall be manufactured.
''3. Each bidder may separately
state in his bid what he will give fol
the labor bid for, with or without th'
exclusive right to manufacture the ar
ticles specified.
=. Each bid shall specify each elias
Of articles proposed to be manufac
tured, and the number of square fee
of shop room which will be required
IS. Each bid shall be unconditional
"6 The price per day for each con
vict shall be specified; and If differ
ent price per day be stated or differen
periods, each period and its price mus
be so stated that one may be accepted
and the others rejected; but no BIZ
shall be received, nor shall any con
tract be made for longer time thai
one year for less than seventy cent
per day for the labor Of each convict
nor shall the labor of convicts, except
ing cunvicts during the first year o
their sentence, cripples, females, mi
nors and those disabled by disease o
old age, or those entirely unskilled, b
temporarily hired at less than tina
rate.
81. If the person bidding desires t
manufacture different classes of art
aIeS, the labor to be employed on eac
e class must be bid for separately.
r. r. "S. Each bid must be accompanie
N by a bond, with sureties to the sati
Il faction Of the board, that the bidd'
5 will comply with the terms Of his bi
!; if it be accepted, which shall be scale
Il up, and addressed to the Warden.
y SO. The bids shall be opened by tt
/ boaid at its next meeting, wheth