The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-09-15

Convict Contract Labor.
Two weeks ago Ne copied liberal
extract from the Report made to the
House of Representatives Of the Ohio
in 1877, ,sh owing the effects
of the contract system upon the man
interests of the country,
and now for the purpose Of showing
the effect that the present system of
selling convict labsr bas upon honest
labor, we quote further from that re-
port, in support OF the doctrine claim
ed by the Democratic party in its
platform. The Committee say:
"Upen the second proposition con-
tanned in the resolution, under which
your committee was appointed, but
little need be said. The interests OF
the manufacturer aud the labofer are
so closely allied, that whatever tends
to injure the one must necessarily op-
crate injuriously to the other. Ii our
manufacturers suffer from any cause,
the men they employ, as q natural
consequence, must suffer in corre:-
ponding degree. The truth of this
proposition has been vividly demon
strated in our examination OF the
subject, both at Cincinnati and Clcve-
land. The testimony shows conclu-
sively that the contract system carried
on in ou- penal Institutions is directly
responsible for large percentage OF
the reductions which have taken place
in the wages of thousands OF our me-
chanics during the past four years.
Nearly every manufacturer wtS tesl-
fed before your committee attributed
q large percentage OF the reductions
in wages to tho system which enabled
manufacturers who have prison con-
tracts. and who employ large forces OF
coDyicts at cheap rates, to go into the
market and undersell them. There is
little or no room for doubt as to the
evil effect of this system upon the in
tarests of free labor. 1t not only tends
to pauperize honest labor, but 1T is,
in great measure, responsible for the
oyer-crowded condition OF SO many
of our penal institutions. This may
be q surprise to those who have never
given this important question any
study, still the indisputable fact stares
US plainly in the face. Crime incress.
es in proportion as class or people
are pauperized. Therefore, the time
of any law-making body can be en-
ployed in no more profitable manner
than that Of protecting the industrial
classes against any system which tends
to force them into q state OF pauper-
ism. This fact received at the hands
of Congress, In the passage Of law
known as The Protective Tariff Law,
unqualified recognition. This enact
ment by Congress, 1t is we'll known,
was for the purpose of protecting our
Industrial classes against the unfair
competition Of cheap pauper laber
abroad. Now, then, If 1t was the duty
Of our National Legislature to adopt
measures against the pauperizstion of
the producing masses Of our country
through foreign influences, 1t seems 10
US that it is clearly the duty of the
State to shield and protect it. lab0ring
people against the unfair competition
and pauperizing tendency OF cheap
convict labor, particularly since the
State itself is directly responsible for
this state of affairs. Tho mechanics
of our State for the past thirty five
years have proclaimed bitterly against
the employ nent of the contract system
by the State. For thirty five years
they have knocked at the doors of the
Legislature, and in supplicating
manner begged our lawmakers to
give this all-important question some
little attention, but until now without
success. Whether Indifference toward
the interests Of our lsboring people,
or sympathy for the prison contract
ors, is the cause Of this delayed action,
we are unable to state. Certain it is,
however, that the contract system has
been permitted to gnaw at the vitals
of our mechanical interests, until the
cry now goes forth from one end Of
the State to the other for ITS abolition,
and the adoption OF q system whereby
the profits of cenvlct labor shall &C.
crue to the State instead Of the prison
contractor"
Let the people remember that upon
this important matter the parties are
at issue. The Republican party, that
hypocritically pretends to be the spe
cial friend aud champion Of the inter-
ests of labor, favors the present sys.
tenn of selling convict labor, and there
by destroying the business of active
capital aud honest labor, while the
Democratic party, the true friend Of
active capital and honest labor, oppose
it in all its forms, and demand . fall
aud complete rhange in the present
debaslng system. Let the people read
and reflect upon this important SUBJ
ject.