Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-09-09
Evils Of Convics Labor.

The people OF the country are III
wrong temper to favor any kind OF la
Dor, or the produce Of labor, Other thHn
in the legitimate manner, hence U'.d -
lection TO convict labor. The attention
of the Government has repeatedly been |
called TO the practical preference given
to certain government contracts 10 |
employers of convict labor and the con-
seuuent injury arising therefrom 10
vorkinRmen. Labor orsaniz iuons all
over the country have shown them
selves to be in active opposition to sucn
n system, and there Is reason to believe
that the next Congress may be induced
TO pass q law that Will protect WORK
ing people from unjus and unfair COM
petition, and prevent those hostile 70
tbair ,nteres from interfering with
their rights.
But il Is in State Legislatures from
which the most efficient aid should Do
expected, II the States would not en-
courage convict labor, Congress would
no doubt soon cease to have any athus-
ton with such business. While the
abolition OF the hiring out OF convict
labor in sever al Of the States has i1f
moved the condition Of affairs, SOL
further legislation Is shown by fecen
Developments to be imperattyesy needed
for the protection OF free. labor. Will
every Jail, penitepsiary, House OF Ref
upe and reform atory Institution In tn
country employing their inmates Ii
manufactures suitable to such places
the competition OF free labor become
great indeed, and We wonder nos TINS
the laboring world ct once antagoniz'
Itself to such . system. In man
places the manufacture OF broom
chairs, clothing, shoes and even hgl
machinery Is carried on to such an 81
tent as to very seriously cripple hone
individual enterprise. 1t seems we
enough to say that convicts and persol
confiued for the public good should
kept at hard labor, rs punishment
their crimes, but 1t must be reoollect
that this very species OF business pu
ishes to greater degree large msss
labering people, who ueed no reform
tion, and who would be glad to ha
lust such labor, with which to supp
themselves.
should this class OF honest peo
be called upon to relinquish their bu
ness for the sake Of keeping NUM-
of convicts and others who are con hn
az IL they were con victs, employed
their work ? The more convict la'
we have the more free labor Ia
pressed, and whatever depres see I
labor is an injury to the country.
principle involved il the same In
cases, and II the evil be not promp
checked 1t may extend indefinite
Large numbers Of men who have pas
the best years Of their lives In acquil
knowledg e Of their trsdewill be thr'
out OF employment by convict CONF
ton. and compelled to enter upo
new career under immense disadN
taees and to crowd into the already
full rauks Of those engaged In c
occupations. 1t strikes us that
oueht to be Just before we are genel
while Ii is well to aid the q
and unfortunate and enable them
better in the future, the question
it wise or fair to deprive our work
men OF the means Of making an he
and respectable living and OF pro
caring for those dependent upon II
The solution OF the apparent diff
of reconciling the claims OF charity
those of justice can be- reached wi
extraordinary efforts.
flour legislators would only b'
upon unlb buUJoCt h'''o "a 'AS
ton which they devote ID caucuse
conventions, an efficac'ons TT
could be found for the evils CON
ed of. The labor organizations II
various States should demand OF
respective Legislatures the pass'
laws which will preserve them
the competition of convict labor,
contract or otherwise. The
to which this competition gives T
patent to all, and the inju res
are clearly evident. The pow
change and improve the condit
affairs rests with the workingmen
selves, who can require OF cane
for their suffrages pledge to 70
the enactment OF such legislation
project and preserve them fro
evils present and prospective OF
ing convict labor TO compete wit
labor.