New-York tribune., 1884-01-25
Washington. D. c., Jan. IA, 1884.
THE CONVICT LABOR VOTE.
sHANIFUL POPULAR INDIFFERENCE AT TIE LATE
ELECTION.

I'M
ELECTION.
TO me Fdftor Of The tribune.
SIR: VIII Won allow me a few words of COM
uept upon a single passage Of THE TRIBUNEs recent
excellent editorial on the subject Of the convict labor
vote7 It says that the proposition attracted
little attention. either in the cities or the country The
labor Reform Quacks alone interested themselves in it,
and it was probably due to their efforts that the Demo
Gratis ran only tickets for abolition the large vote in
the cities seems 10 show that they did"
Let Us look at this for moment The intelligent citi
zens Of the state Of NewYork know that the Labor Re
formers with the whole Of the Trades Unions behind
them, have maintained systemctic and vigorous war
fare against the prison industries OF tue state ever since
the change OF in 1876 began 20 show that the
prisons could he supported by the labor Of their inmates
This proposition was advance all along the line OF attack
vet il attracted little attention. They knew that their
PRISONS have been or Public Account" for many
years With draft upon the taxpayers FOR their support
yearly tin reached $725 600, ormore IN 1876
and that under the system the yearly deficiency
has been reduced 10 $4,000 In 1882 Yet they suffer
proposition TO abolish the contract system 70 be voted
upou and II attracts little attention" They know that
II the prisons fan support themselves they viii have 10
nay tile deficiency ont OF their own pockets; that only
under contract have these prisons ever begun TO approach
paying their expenses yet proposition 10 abolish con
tracts attracts very Htte attention. 4ut4 hIoW, OF
might know they would that the attack upon contracts
h only preliminary for the Danishmment OF all mecnaL-
cI abor from the prisons which is simply equiv aeut
reegatng the cOnyCts % deness or absolute unprO
ducveness yet none Of these things attracts tier at
teutOn."
They might know II they would take the trouble to
THINK that the complaint against convict competition
with free labor, which Ia the groundwork OF al this cry
eRanst cOntractsthe competition OF less than 2JOOO
men. women and children Who employ eddt meChau-
ical labor in all the prisons pententiTes aud refOm4
tOrleb oi al the States, less than
free labOrer each upon the ge with more than
700 OOO Tree persons engaged IN similar industress the
most stupendOus hunbug Of the Yet he fact that
that bulnDug received the Endorsement Of voters in
NewfOfk cly alone a. tbs late election scarcely at
tracts their attention.
rBH TnBUNE saws: "Thc labor Reform quacRs alone
Interested themselves IN IL, aud II probably due To
their ey-s that the Democrats out only tickets for
abolition This Is true But why should not the capt
tasts ant 1sness OF the state, who pay It's taxes,
and upOn NhOm the support OF it's prisons must fall
they fan TO support themselves have also been interested
snd tickets and voted them and seen that other
people voted them, too. . against" the proposition
friend OF mine who IL engaged IN one OF the largest
wholesale houses in New FORK told me- There ere l3O
votes cast on proposition in my districts ia IO ana
against IL The SIX from our house, and Hs there
were no tickets 10 had against the measure We took
the other tickets and scratched out 'iOr ana
wrote against In its place" Tho neads oil that
house are among the bTst business men OF
New-York They control, more or less entirely, 800
e a single Of the employees OF the concern
teeIns L. have interested himself 10 the question such
snd dneTenty while their rghts invaded or threat
eneI WILL ali probability lose them and deserve 10 II
the Legislature OF the State should say This question
k1k submitted the people and majority OF those
who attended 10 IL have voted In It's iayOr therefore
we sha accept their verdict and act accordingly beeV
hs tat the right of the people neglect their rights or
20 ME- oyern themselves 10 not TO Dc challenged VINO
could blame themi - a. q @hiEi'A-
Kingston N. j., Jan. 4, 1854.