The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-09-01

lu6 DblOCIhJlC party PiOPooNS W. PNs
the criminal without puni'hing society
at the same time. The Democratic party
proposes, if intrusted with control OF the
next Legislature, to drive the contrac'
tors ont, aud have the prison authorities
take charge Of the shops, and the pro-
duct of convict labor will not be placed
upon the market, in competition with
the products Of honest labor. This sys'
tenn Is Workin successfully in the De.
troit Work House, and in tho Cleveland
Work House, and at the Oaio Reform
school, and 1t can and will be inaugur'
ated successfully in the OHIO Peniten'
tiary.
Let us understand ourselves. Ia the
Republican party opposed to this refor'
mation2
Is the Republican party, which We are
told so often, abolished slavery, 10 the
boasted party Of progress, humanity, in
telliRenGe, &c., in favor Of retaining in
the bosom of Ohio this ,horrid cancer in
the shape Of q system Of the worst form
of human slavery and degradation 7
Nay, more; 10 the Republican party OF
Ohio in favor OF maintaining this awful.
crime on society simply to save few
red COppers and q nickel 7 No RePu6ll'
can speaker in Ohio can be found who
will dare defend this system upon the
stump. l"' ,'V. ''.". ''1A 7I
II not dollar were made from convict.
'abor 1t would still be the sacred duty Of
the State to abolish the present system,
which degTades the criminal and under
mines the honest industries of the State.
Republicans. by juggling the tariff ques'
ton last fall, bRmboozed the laboHing
classes Of the State, and charmed with
their own success, they gave prominence
to that question in their present State
platform, hoping to entrap the Demo
rats, and again alarm the mechanics in
to voting their ticket. The Ohio Lsgis'
lature has nothing to do with the tariff
question. 1t has everything to do with
the convict contract system, The Demo.
Gratis have presented practical issue to
| the mechanics of OHIO, one that can be
remedied by the State, The Republicans
ave presented q false one. The people
are as swift as politicians to discover
frauds and to repudiate them. .t,
There is another very strong reason
for Mr.. Grosvenor'a anxiety about the
convict labor business. He Was speaker
If the House of Representatives, and for
reasons best known to himself, did all
ne could to smother an investigation.
Hon. John FehrenbatCh, who now holds
an important Government position, In
spector of Steamboats,, was a member of
hat Legislature from Clevele nd. He Is
he best informed man in Ohio upon
rhe convict contract system and its bear
Ling upon trade and society. He said re-.
Gently in Cincinnati: The party that
honestly advocates the reformation Of
his crime can carry OHIO" On January
l8. 1875, House Journal, p. 63), Mr.. Feb
renbatch offered the following resolution
for adoption: M
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 49, '..
Whei eas, the contact labor system, as
carried on in our penal institutions is to
II intents and purposes remnant of sla.
very, whereby the unfortunate convict is
sold to the highest bidder; and whereas,
he profits Of convict labor, under the
contract system, as a general rule, go in.
the pockets of prison contractors in
tead of going into the Treasury of the
State, county or city wherein such penal
institution is located; therefore, be it
! Resolved, That the Standing Commit
ee on Penitentiary be, and is hereby in.
truCted to report to this House as soon
as possible as to the feasibility of abol
shing the contract system and the adop-
ion Of a system similar to that under
which the Detroit Mich House Of Cor
eCtion is conducted, where the profits
convict labor accrue to the benefit Of
he people who are taxed for the support
of such institutions, -....
This resolution was sent to the Co n.
nittee on Penitentiary, and there slept
,he sleep that knows no awakening,
Determined not to give up the good
dght, Mr.. F. on January IL, 1877, offered
he following resolution;
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 124.
Resolved, That Special Committee of
Eve be appointed to investigate the con.
tract convict labor system as carried on
in our penal institutions, and report to
this House before it's final adjournment
upon the following subjects; ..,
l. The effect of convict contract labor
upon the manufacturing interests Of the
State. Et
2 The effect Of contract convict labor
upon the interest Of free labor.
8. The effect Of convict contract labor
upon the reformation Of the Convicts
A. What advantage, if any, prison con.
tractors have over other manufacturers
in the matters of profits and Cheapness
of Tabor.
S. The feasibility Of abolishiug this
contract, and the substitution Of q sys-
tenn whereby the profits OF convict labor
shall 20 into the Treasury of the State,
county or city having control Of any
penal institutions.
The resolution was called up on the
90 Of January, and was adopted by a
vote of seventy one to six. Every Dem
ocrat but two voted for the resolution
Four Republicans voted no, and thirty
declined to vote at all. Mr.. Speaker
GroRyenor lodged. A Select Committee
consisting Of Messrs. Fehrenbateh, John,
son, Edwards, Stryker and Meuser, were
appointed 4 proceeded at once to CleYe.
land to begin the investigation. They
had hardly left the city, however, before
a movement was set sfoot, with the con-
niyanCe Of General G. H, Grosvenor, to
rescind the resolution. 1t failed The re-.
suit was thorough investigation, and
the ableFeport which is in this pamph.
let, There the matter dropped. II was
claimed that the Legislature did not
have time to at upon this grave ques.
ton. The last I sgislature was Republic
can, and Mr.. FehrenbatCh was anxious
that his party should have the credit
and glory Of reforming this vicious sys.
tenn He prepared d bill based upon his
study Of the question and the facts de-
veloped by the investigation. Mr.. Stfy!
ker Of CINCINNATI introduced the bill, Of
I-LIob kha RollnJB5y,t, "a a nov,ry