The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-24
IN THE HOUSE.
The Convict Labor System-A Number of
Important Bills introduced.
TItnsIAAN I'm D q - 10 4 IL

TUESDAY, Jan. z0-lO A NJ
me Speaker announced prayer by The Rev.
H. Z. Maybee, of the First Baptist Church, OF In
dianapolis.
CONVICT LABOR.
Mr.. Smith, of Tippecanoe, offered the following
resolution:
whereas, 1t is the duty of the State to pro-
tect and build up the interests of all her citizene,
and SO conduct her ~refOrmatory and penal insti-
tntions as to do the least possible damage TO free
labor; and,
"Whereas, There is great complaint on account
OF the unjust and ruinous competition arising
from the contract system in vogue IN our State
prisons, by which not only free competition in
the ewards of contracts for prison labor is de-
strOyed, but worse than this and far more ruin
aus, the labor of prisoners fed, clothed and
housed by the State is put ON the market at an
average OF ffty-three and one-half (53l3 cents
per day OF nine and one-thlrd (9l3) hours aver
age for the year, thus throwing the manu-
featured products of this slave-paid labor. asse-
clated with the hest machinery and skilled man
agement, on the market TO rninously conn pete
with the manufactures produced by free labor.
self-clothed, settled and self-hohsed laborers,
who are taxpayers, faithful tn all the obligations
of eitizenhip, guilty of no misdemeanor. unless 1t
he in that they are the heads and members of
families whose fortune it is to eat bread hon
estiv earned in the sweat of their brow; and,
"Whereas, This is an opportune time to com.
mence an investigation which must lead TO
prison labor reform: thei efore,
"ResOlved, That We instruct our committee on
prisons to carefully Investigate this matter In its
variOus phases and ralmificatiOns and report to
this House at an early day the result of such in
vestigation in order that this House may
promptly and lntelligently apply the remedy to
this crying evil"
Mr.. Smith, of Tippecanoe, said he offered this
preamble and resolution in the interest of free
labor against the slave labor Of our prison sys-
tenn, and demanded the complete divorce of the
State from a system that strikes down the labor
er whose only crime is that, ohedient to the fiat
of fortune, he 'eats his honestly earned bread
In the sweat of his face In the face of all the
lessons OF the past we are nerpetuating this sys-
TEN. 1t ia not enough that under ono form, with
in the past ten years certain Industries of a sister
Srata vera Fuinpn and thar now nnHpp tha
other, from every quarter the cry from oppressed
labor comes up TO the council halls of the nation
and almost every State. At no distant day there
will be laid before the House a scheme that will
be both radical and corrective.
MI. Wilson, OF Marion, offered an amendment
TO instruct the committee on prisons to prepare
a hill, and report the same 10 the House, TO pro
vide for the relief of free labor from competing
with convict labor, and to provide for some way
to make convict labor self-supporting.
Mr.. Jewett said: l mad thought before I same
here that some steps should be taken In this di
%rection, and If there is nothing in the resOlu-
ton which reflect upon the present prison d-
%rectOrs, | shall heartily support this resolution.
II seems to me that there Is something wrong in
allowing prison labor to be brought into coinpe-
titiOn with free labor.
l have my opinion, which is that convict labor
could aud ought to be used in maintaining the
highways OF indiana. II seems to me possible for
the prison committee TO devise some means of
using this convict labor on The puzzle highways,
and, as said before, II, after the resolution is read
again, 1t is as fair and honest as it seems to mo,
1t is one that ought to receive the hearty sup.
port of every member on this floor.
Mr.. Shockney said our present convict labor
Is self-suppOrtIng and has been for some time.
We have a great number of men in our peniten-
tiaries, and they must bee employed in some
way. | think that rs legislators we should first
look to the interests of the State, not to the in
terest OF individuals.
MIR. shiveley was in favor of any bill that
would protect free labor from the odium cast
upon 1t by coming in composition with convict
labor.
Mr.. Gibson did nut favor the resolution, and
stated that while the peraons who employ this
convict labor made mOre money ON their prOdnes