New-York tribune., 1884-02-27
PRISON LABOR CONTRACTS.
DEFECTIVE Bill PASSED IN HASTE.

THE GOVERNOR OBJECTS TO THE MEASURE BE-
CAUSE 1T Is AMBIGUOUS.
lFROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
ALBANY, Feb 2G.-The Legislature handles the
prison labor problem clumsily. The bill forbiddlng
the making of further contracts was hastily pre-
pared and as hastily passed. No member OF the
Legislature recalled the fact that the year preced-
ing the adoption of the contract system the prisons
compelled the expenditure by the State for their
support of $7O4,370 So. The Prison Labor Com
mission itself after only five days consideration of
the subject, recommended that no more contracts
should be made. The recommendation was un-
necessary, as the Senate had already passed bill
with that provision in it, AS soon as the Assembly
had heard the Commissioners statement it also
passed the bill.
THE BILL UNINTELLIGIBLE.
Now 1t is discovered that the bill passed with
such speed is defective. Governor Cleveland says
that it is not intelligible He cannot tell whether
or not its authors intend that there shall be no con-
tract labor in the pententaries of the State as well
as the State Prisons. If 1t had been known that
pententiaries were included in the provisions of the
bill there would have been more opposition to 1T
as in many of the counties of the State these nsttu-
tions have been. made self-suppOrting by the con-
tract system, and the members representing them
here would have labOred to have them excepted.
The bill has been signed both by Lieutenant
Governor Hill and Speaker Sheard, but has not yet
been delivered to Governor Cleveland, although the
latter has been shown copy Of it, 1t was upon
thus seeing the bill that the Governor said he would
not sign it, Speaker Sheard holds that both houses
will have TO pass resolutions recalling the bill from
the Governor and then amend it, The Senate seems
TO think that the bill Is still in the custody of the
Legislature as this morning it took the measure
up by unanimous vote and made several amend
ments Penitentiaries were clearly included within
the provisions of the bill.
AN AMENDMENT ADOPTED.
An amendment offered by Senator Titus, Demo-
crat was also adopted, giving superintendent
Baker, of the State Prisons more liberty in making
preparations for keeping the convicts at work when
the present contracts come to an end. The amend
ment provides that nothing in this act shall be con-
strued so as to prevent the employment OF convict
labor in any way not inconsistent with the pro-
visions thereof Most persons think that the
amendment in no way diminlshes the force OF the
act but Labor Reform members OF the Legislature
say that they suspect that contracts in another
form may be revived under it. The bill as amended
was again passed by the Senate andwas taken to
the Assembly. where Speaker Sheard refused to
receive 1t, holding that the Senate had no legal
right TO deal with it, it III the hands OF the
Governor and could only come into the possession
of the Legislature again by the passing of joint
resolution requesting Its return. AS amended the
prohibitOry section of the bill reads rs follows:
The superintendent of State Prisons shall not nor shall
other authority whatsoever, renew or extend any
existing pending contract make any new con tract
for the employment OF conyct in any or the prisons,
penitentiaries or reformatOries within this State.