The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-09-29

The editor of the Register puts us
the witness stand in regard to the
"convict labor system" Just why,
we don't know, unless it is upon the
principle that 'every fool has the
right to ask questions" There is
but one answer really necessary to
all his interrogatories, and that is,
the Democratic party is in favor of
abolishing the contract system, while
the Republicans oppose it. In his
string of questions, however, he cum
nipgIy undertakes to make the Dem
ocratic Legislature of1S7S response
BILE for the law, when in fact it has
been in constant use for twenty
years. having originated in the Re-
publican Legislature of 1860, the act
authorizing it passing and taking
effect march oath of that year, for
evidence of which see Swan and
Critchfeld, p. 900, or Ohio State
Laws, vol. 81, p. SO. In 1876, Hon,
John Fehrenbatch, of the House,
offered a resolution to abolish this
system, which was sent to the Com
mittee on Penitentiary, and never
heard of again. On January 18th,
1877, the same gentleman introduced
q resolution in the House for a spec
ial Committee of five to investigate
the contract convict labor system,
and on the,23d of the same month
IL was adopted by a vote of II to 6.
Every Democrat but two voted for
it. Four Republicans voted no and
thirty, declined to vote at ALL The
Investigation was thorough and a
report against the present system
made, cut through the connivance OF
Gen. G. II. Grosvenor, the matter
was dropped under the plea that the
Legislature did not have time to act
upon it. In the last Legislature Mr.
Fehrenbatch again prepared a bill
against this vicious and degrading
system, which was introduced by
Mr.. Stryker, of Cincinnati. The bill
was referred to a Committee, and
never heard of after its reference
This is the record of the Republican
party upon a system which there is
little OIL no doubt as to the evil effect
of it upon the interests of free labor.
1t not only tends to pauperize honest
labor, but it is, in a great measure,
responsible for the over crowded con,
dition of so many of our penal insti,
tutions. The meehanicsofou State
for the past thirty-fiye years have
complained bitterly against the en-
ployment of the contract system by
the State. For thirty-five years they
have knocked at the doors of the
Legislature, and in a .supplicating
manner begged our law makers to
give this all, important question some
little attention, but until now with
out success. Whether indifference
toward the interests of our laboring
people, or sympathy for the prison
contractors, is the cause of this de-
layed action, we are unable to state.
Certain it is, however, that the con.
tract system has been permitted to
gnaw at the vitals Of our mechanical
interests, until the cry now goes forth
from n end of the State to the other
for it's abolition, and the adoption OF
q system whereby the profits of con-
vict labor shall accrue TO the State
instead Of the prison contractor, and
as We remarked at the beginning of
this article, itmatters but little which
party is responsible for this present
degrading brutal, and slavish system
of selling convicts to contractors at
so much per head, the Democratic
party of Ohio is against its continu-
ance while the Republican party
favors it, and every mechanic and
laboring man should vote against
the man who is not in favor Of abol-
fishing the system.