The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-16
THE,GINIERAL ASSEMBLY.
A Moveme lt to Abolish the System
of Hiring Out Convict Labor.
An Inundation of Temperance Petitions
Speaker Bynum's Unfairness-Im-
portant Bills Introduced.
THE CONVICT LABOR SYSTEM.

the following resolution:
whereas, The present system of letting ont
the labor of the cOuvicts of our pel1tenJiartes
under contract TO the highest bidder, has es-
tabished in this State and under the authority
of the state class of cheap slave-labor.
"Whereas, The employment Of said convlets
in various important manufactures OF this State
at the nominal contract price paid by the highest
bidder establishes an unfair and injurious COM
petition between the factories and workshops
In which such conviets are employed, and the
factories and workshops in which free and re-
spectacle men are employed.
Whereas, The low and merely nominal prices
paid by the contractors for the labor of said pen
itentiary convicts materially influence and lower
the wages of the free lab0rers and workingmen
employed in similar work shops and factories:
convicted crimiual and felen should be permit
ted to enter into competition with the labor OF
free and respectable citizen, and diminish his
ability to provide for his family and educate his
children is humiiating to this free laborer and an
injustice and wrong to his family;
Whereas 1t is the duty of the State to protect
both the material interests and the dignity OF the
citizens; and,
"Whereas The pretext of making our State
prisons self-sustatnng by letting out the labor
of the convcts, is excuse for inJuring the
private rights and lowering the wages of honest
citizens.
Resolved, That the great wrong engendered
by the present sVstem of letting OUT the labor of
the convicts of our penitentfarles under contract
to the highest bidder should be remedied as soon
"Resolved, That special committee of five
members of the Senate be appointed by the presi-
dent of the Senate to devise means and plans to
have the present system of contract convict
labor abolished, and at the same time to utilize
the labor of the cOnvicts In such work and EN-.
ployment as may contribute TO the maintenance
and pecuniary support Of the penitentiaries but
Will not interfere with or enter into competition
with the labor and compensation of free laborers
and citizens"
Mr.. Johnson made an earnest argument in
favor of the resolution, and concurrence in
his views was manifested by Senators Spann.
oil Va ~,
motion of Mr.. Van Vorhis, an amendment
was adopted including the benevolent and
reformatory institutions in the provisions of
the resolution, and the whole was then
adopted by a unanimous vote President
Hanna announced as the committee pro-
vided for Senators johnson, Foulke, Faulk-
neT, Lindley and Ernest.
SPEAKER BYNUM's METHODS.
Very great dissatisfaction exists on both
sides of the House over Speaker
Bynum's methods, and he is
openly accused of fragrant injustice
and discrimination. Said leading Democrat
of the House to a Journal reporter, yester-
day: "Bynum is not making a good record,
by any means, and although L belong to his
party want to be fair, and do not approve
OF Il6 pdFllSdnSnlD ne displays on every
occasion. The first mistake he made was in
the appointment of his committees. Custom
and courtesy demand that the craftsmanship
of the ways and means committee should be
given to the person receiving the next high
est number of votes for the speakership.
Instead of giving it to Mr.. Moody, who was
thus entitled to 1t, Bynum gave ii to Mr..
Jewett, a very promising young man, but a
new member and totally inexperienced. In
: fact in spointment of the committees
throughout ByRum has shown disposition
70 reward only those who supported him for
the position. He has been very unfair in
his rulings thus far fact / attribute more
to his ignorance of parliamentary law than
anything else" There is considerable COM
plant also among the Republicans because
Mr. Bynum will not afford them the proper
recognition Toward one or two of them he
seems to be particularly spiteful, and it is
almost impossible for them to get the floor.
Such conduct on the part of Mr.. Bynum is
both undignifed and discourteous.
AN INUNDATIoN OF TEMPERANCE PETITIONS.
Any person who may think that the tenn
perance people are not alive and working,
would have been convinced to the contrary
had they been in the Senate and House yes
day In both branches, petitions asking for
the submission OF the pending prohibitory
amendment were presented from eighty
five counties and signed by "a, 755 persons.
Petitions with 1857 signatures went to the
Senate and IA, 79S to the House; 1888 to Re-
publican senators and 1914 to Democr ats;
1921 to Republican representatives and 1877
to Democrats This is but the first install
ment of petitions and hundreds OF others are
TO follow during the session. They were all
referred to the committees on temperance,
necessarily without reading.
THE DEMOCRATIC CONFERENCE.
The Democrats of the House and Senate
held a secret conference last night, and had
the usual tempestuous time 1t was the in
tention to reach some conclusion regarding
the disposition of the various bills look
ing toward the reorganization of
the benevolent institutions, but SO
much feeling was developed that
further consideration of the matter was post
poned until Thursday night. The bill intro
duced by Senator Brown, taking the appoint
ing power from the Governor and giving it
to the Legislature, and the other bill intro
duced by Representative Wilson, leaving the
power with the Governor under certain re-
strictions, were discussed at length. An
intention had been manifested by the would
be-party leaders 10 crush Mr. Wilson, but
Mr.. Wilson respectfully but firmly declined
10 be crushed, and the rather unex-
pected DEVELOPMENT was made that
hiss bill had very strong sup
port. Representative Jewett and Senator
Bell were particularly earnest in its favor,
and thereby hangs a tale The Democratic
leadership in the Senate has, by common
consent, been divided between Senators
Brown and Bell and they have generally
worked together in unity. The former natur-
ally expected that the Senator from Allen
would help him out with his BILL
but Mr.. Bell last night declared himself
unequivocally opposed to it, and said that
he would use every means in his power to
defeat its passage This aroused the an
tagonsm of Mr.. Brown, and the discussion
which ensued was som ewhat acrimonious,
and eventually precipitated an adjournment
until Thursday evening. Mr. Brown was
supported by Senator Voyles and Represent
ativa HnfFren