New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-19
ATTACKS ON THE STATE PRISON SYSTEM.
IpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE.l

Al
THE BUTTS BILL roHHIDDISo FURTHER CONTRACTS
PASSES THE AssEMBLY-THE VOTE IN DETAIL
lYpoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUSEl
ALBANY, April 18.-Thirty-iive years ago
there was cutlery by demagogues that the convcs In
the state prisons were by their labor competing with
ahonest laborers outside Of the prisons. remedy
for the m il Was said would be found in the state Itself
becoming the and manufacturing articles Tor
the benefit OF the state This plan was tried, but IT
worked disastrOnsly and finally eliminated IL tie states
expepdng $500 900 yearly In maintaining The prisons
Now the Democratic party proposes to repeat the e1-
n.riment The prisons have become self-susiatning
thronrb the adoption of the system Last
the expenses OF the state prisons were Ss00Ooo The
Democratic party would take the risk OF shifting THIS
sum upop the taxpayers OF the state.
Mr. Butts's bn which passed by the Assembly to-
day forbds tine making Of further contracts Tor the
labor of the convicts the present contracts expire
For the contract system he substitutes the old state EN-
novmept system The state is TO employ the conyicts
in manufacturing articles which afterward TO be sold
at market rates for the benefit OF the State But the
bill IA ostensiby drawn 10 lessen the competition OF the
con ycts with workingmen. In order 10 accomplish this
purpose the officers OF the prisons are "a II were gagged
and bound They are required TO consult with outside
manufacturers the prices Of manufactured articles
and I'm no case are allowed to sell articles manufactured
in the prisons higher rate than they are sold outside
of the prisons Manufacturers are even given the fsh
ro nterfere with the business arrangements or Tie
rsop officials by entering the prisons aud learning tue
cost OF prison made articles. Every mpedinent 70
making the prisons sefsustaning Is thrust into tie b
There naturally long debate ~ Tue Assemny
led the Republican opposition 10 the D lie
induced the uDsspclous Democrats to load down the 9l
with AN amendment providing that he hct hhOud hlso
.nny 10 pententiaries" 10 expected that The adOp
ron of this amendment Will bring 10 Albany IN nuller
~ excitement and the Democratic officials VINO
central the penentiarcs OF Kings OnOndaga and Eiio
countes Mr. Clspp also endeavOred TO include reor-
atoriss in the list here he headed OF by Eras
rms Brooks. who carried motion expressly eXeinPthg
roorTnaores ana asyums for juvenile denquents from
rho provisions OF the hill Debate then followed on tho
cnarnan oil the State Prison Committee, warned his
democratic associates that they were making DANGER
aus expe.iinen and declared boldly that tie h was not
actually In tie interest OF the wOrkngpen OF hc state
me had to defend sthe Interests OF the tHE
n.vers OF State or the seventy four Asseinbyncn
rbo voted for the till only four were Republicans:
Messrs. d. Lindsay Mulhoand and Taylor, OF brooklyn,
| and Errst, OF Buffalo The fctty-iour AssemblYmcn
who voted against the bill consisted OF SIX Democrats
ana tbrty eight Republicans The vote was as follows
| Democrats In roman, Republicans In iiaioli $50 -
Brooke, Bnlwer, Burns Butler Butts, Cady, Campbeu,
Cary CLARKE, Geary Ccroott, Crae. cker DeleTnty,
DE WITT Dlninick, Donshue Earl. Ernst Ferris. Hag
| rerty Helly. Henry, J. i. Higgins. j. ". Higgins,
! Hotchkiss Jaczson, Johnson, Kelley, Lighion, d.
/ Taudsau q. H. Lindsay, McCauen McMRuus y. A.
| MaLcr i. Mascr Miller. utihOlidRd. Mulauey. j. Mur-
phy a. c. Murphy, Murray, J. G. Nelson Nichol Oakley
O'C0nnor Ode, Poucher. Quinn Rice, Roche, koe,c1,
Rogers schwarz Scarf, Sheridan Smith, Swell, Snyder.
| spinola, Sweet Taylor, W. H. Thompson. Townsend,
! Iuttie wcicb. Wilcox, Williams, Wlnne-14.
Briggs J. w. BroOks. Cidpp, Clement Cleeeldnd cor
sas Craae Derrick Ely. Ersin farTor Eodes Goddrd,
HaH Hamilton, Haa,i5,. HdsG, Harley Helm, Hoag.
IIodoes House. Hone, Hoicdnd Hunt, Reyes, locke,
| H. B kcison Korthdp, ONeH. Page, Pr,oe Roosepet,
Saadersoa. Seheoemaker W. NJ. Thomson, IrempeF Van
| Allen, Reed-i4