Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-03-28
MEMPHIS APPEAL
WEDNESDAY, MARCH es, 1883



There is 4 growing popular dislike 10 the
employment of convict labor. Principally
it is disliked, as il ought 10 be, because it is
often used go as TO iDjure honest men. How
will a man who has maintained his family
comfortably BY making shoes, feel when his
profits, if he is an employer, his wages If he
is e workmeD, are reduced below living
point by a competing concern obtaining
penitentisry contract, and making shoes at
mere nominal prices for the lsbor2 Such an
act on the part of State is an atrocity
against its own citizens, and it is the more
atrocious that it is ordinarily the poorer
paid occupations that are subject to such a
shameful invasion of the honest citizens
rights. 1t is not the merchant, the lawyer,
or the banker that suffer, but the shoe
maker, the carpenter, the cigar-maker,
and so on. Men in such occupations
ought not 10 be ruined that merchants ano
physicians and storekeepers may save a do
lar or two each year in their taxes. The
are other reasons against convict labor; bat
if the one we instance were the only ore,
that is sufficient TO demonstrate the impolicy
and the injustice of ipiuring upright trades
men and worthy mechanics by subjeciing
them to the competition of criminals. If we
are asked what must be done with the con-
vict, we answsr that while there is bad
highrOad il the State there is no occasion to
AK that question. We are led 20 make
these remarks from seeing the following in
the columns oil our handsome and spirited
contemporary, the Pine Bluff (Ark.) Com
nleTciGi: "The Commercial stands without the
shadow oil doubt against the importation of
convicts in our section. We are opposed TO it
from every standpoint. We shsll fight it
as long as we live. The principle is wrong
and the policy worse. Awake fellow coun-
trymen Of every color and let Us put our seal
of condemnation upon this abominstionl
The mutteriDg complaints and outspoken
the workshops to the ginhouses, is in opposi.
ton 10 convict labor being thrown in opposi-
tion TO honest toilers. Oh, yes, wont it be
beautiful to zee our mechanics and laboring
men standing idle while the convicis are at
work putting money in the purse of the
already rich man. And then think OF it, cit
liens, to leave your wife and lit
tie ones at home, subjected to be
outraged and killed by convicts
--criminalsp The Commercial declares that
those who favor scheme which is an
outrage upon the community do not under
stand the temper of the people they will have
10 deal with. There is something of the right
ring in this protest, outside Of the convict
labor queston-somethipg that shows there
are men "who know their rights, and know
ing, dare maintain themn There ia, either
from want of quick sense OF justice or from
lisiless apathy that will not take the trou-
BILE to oppose wrong and stand up for right
too much among US OF a disposition 10
bear with what we do not like and do moi
approve. A querulouaness that is always dis.
covering wrongs and complaining Of them
is contemplate; but an easy-going acqui'
escence that puts up with things wrong
or unsuitable is certainly not admirable
Our Pine Bluff friends are not of this char.
scter. They do not intend to be imposed
upon, and they say SO in words that will
compel attention, and their example is worth
following on all suitable occasions.