The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-07-18
mo ou,alIen ID Coaylel Labor.

This question bids fair to enter to some
extent into the Ohio campaign. The
Democrats have declared against convict
labor in = sort OF q way-evidently an In
sincere way-withou. proposing any re-
NEEDY, II they were in power in Ohio to-
morrow they would not abolish convict
labor in the PenitentiAry, unless there was
some opportunity to employ ii on public
works. This 10 shown by the fact that
they made no change in the system when
they we're In power. II 1t was one Of the
principles Of the Democratic party to do
away with convict labor, why is said labor
maintained in West Virginia and In other
States where the Democratic party is In
power. We have had the question extern
siyeIy dlscutsed in this State in all It'd
phases, and as yet no practical remedy has
been found for existing difficulties, It ID
easy to say what ought to be done, but the
thing Is 10 make 1t work out In practice,
The Cincinnati Gatsts Of Saturday last pre-
sents the DIFFICULTIES connected with the
question, as follows
The Trades Assembly in pronouncine
against convict labor ought 10 DO able 10
suggest q remedy that would not involve
the idleress Of the inmates Of penal insti'
tutions. The State has two objects In view
In employing persons sent to the peniten'
tiary, One 10 to keep the conviCts at work.
The other Ia to afford them an opportunl.
" TO learn q useful trade al which they
may work for q living when set at liberty,
The idea OF profit does NOT, we presume,
govern 10 any great extent; nor Ia IL the
purpose In maintaining workshops In the
penitentiary OF Columbus to compete with
the honest labor Of the State. But what
IL 10 be done? The convict must either
work or BIO maintained In idleness. II
they work, the product oil their labor
must be sold. II held In idleness, their
condition must be worse when discharged
than when inCarCeTated. Suppose the
members OF the Trades Assembly were
responsible Tor the management Of the
penitsntiRry az the Legislature Is, what
would they do? We would be glad to
have the opinion Of mechanics upon this
point.
Furthermore, It would be we'll TO let the
public know what the product Of convict
labor amounts to. How many honest men
would II require, for example, to produce
all the wares that are manufactured Ia the
Ohio pepitentiaryH
No Legislature has yet been found to
assume the responsibility Of closing the
%penitentiary workshops. This Is certainly
not because OF q desire 10 compete with
honest labor or dspTess wages. There
must be another anda higher reason ioT
II. What Ia that reason3 These are
points the Trades Assembly should dis.
Cuss II they expect 10 influence public
sentiment. Demagogues Can insert mean.
inRless phrases on the subject 10 their
platforms, but such declarations are In
tended to catch votes. Ifwhen candidates
for the Legislature shall be nominated In
this. county, the Trades Assembly will in.
~terTogate every one Of them, irrespective
Of party, they would oppose any measure
placing convict labor In competition with
honest labor, but that would be the
end OF the matter Ia the future as II has
been In the past. What Ia to BIO done
with the conVicts2 That Is the problem
TO be solved. and II cannot be solved by
resolutions or pledges.