The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-09-03

Northwestern Manufacturers Meet at Chi
cago and Denounce the System-A Ma
tional Association Formed-Prohibitory
Legislation Demanded.
CHICAGO, Aug. 27.-A number of prom
inent manufacturers from all over the
country gathered at eleven O'Clock yester-
day morning in club-room OF the Grand
Pacific Hotel. The assembly was in re-
Spouse to call issued last last July by
Mr.. w. I. Lewis, prominent
wagon and carriage manufactures OF
Racine. Wis. Mr.. Lewis has for a long
time had under consideration the sub
ject of convict labor and it's rayages IN
the FIELD occupied by honest working-men.
The oiects OF the convention were to con-
slider means OF abolishing the present sys-
tenn OF convict labor and devising means
of employing the prisoners confined in the
penitentiarv. The meeting was called to
order at 11:15 O'Clock, with about two
dozen manufacturers present. Mr.. Lewis
was elected chairman and Mr.. Kinney, OF
Winona, MIMI, secretary.
Communications from wardens OF the
penitentiaries in the various States, in an
swer to q circular asking Tor information
as to the employment and condition OF
the convicts, were read. From the
reports it seemed as though the boot
and shoe, wagon-making and stocking
manufacturing interests were mostly
interested in the prison-labor ques-
ton. In Florida the convicts are let out
to the contractors for naval stores. In
Tennessee $4,000 vehicles are manu-
featured at rate of wages averaging
~ re-, N
the prisoners are employed on the
levees, being let out to contractors,
who pay all expenses and relieve the
State of all cost except the apprehension
and conviction of The convicts. The
wardens of the various prisons differed in
their opinions on the subject OF the dam
age done to honest labor by the convict
system, but the weight of opinion seems
to be expressed by one of the wardens
who said: II can conceive OF no branch of
labor which is performed by convicts at
wages OF from fifteen to sixty cents per
day that can not be performed by honest
working men and pay them ten times the
wages"
The chairman said it was impossible for
manufacturers employing free labor to
compete with the contract-convict system.
At present convicts are making goods
equal to those made by honest tradesmen
for sometimes one-tenth the price. This
brought about the degradation of honest
toll, and honest toilers were 10th to learn
a trade that opened no hope to future ad-
vancement.
The committee on organization, Sc
lected at the morning session, reported
after the noon recess, and q constitution
and bylaws were adopted. The organiza-
ton will be known as the National Anti
Convict Contract Association. It's object
shall be the thorough investigation of the
subject OF convict labor, for the pur-
pose OF discovering and securing the
adoption of that method of employing
prison population in the various States in
a manner which shall be least burdensome
and oppressive to free labor and the man
afacturing interests of the country. The
annual membership fee was fixed at ten
dollars for manufacturers and fifty cents
for laborers and mechanics. Labor organ
izations can be admitted, and are entitled
to one delegate on the payment of five
dollars. State organizations will also be
formed with the same object in view.
The election OF officers for the organiza-
ton resulted as follows: President, w. 7.
Lewis, Racine, Wis; secretary and treas
tive Committee Charles H. Deere, Moline;
J. w. Hinton, Winona; George Curtis,
Clinton, Ia; Mr.. Berky, Grand Rapids;
Stephen Bull, Racine ColonelJ. A. Sexton,
Chicago; j. L. Smyser, Louisville. Eight
vice presidents were also chosen.
w. c. Nones submitted a. resolution in
structing the executive committee to in
quire into the constitutionaiity of law to
be passed by Congress prohibiting the sale
of goods the product of convict labor
outside of the State in (which man.
ufactured. and no constitutional OBJ
iections being found, that they be in
structed to procure the passage of such a
law by Congress. This was adopted, and
the secretary was instructed to issue
circular calling upon manufacturers to
join the association. Another resolution
passed. was to the effect that the assoca-
ton favors the establishment of one or
more federal prisons, not upon the con-
tract-labor system, in order to withdraw
from State prisons the federal prisoners
now confined in them who are largely
worked upon the contract system, and to
give the influence of the Federal Govern
ment to better system of prison labor.
A committee Of five was appointed to
formulate a method of employing convict
labor, taking the place of the contract
and lease system, which should be
less oppressive to the labor and Industries
OF this country, the committee to report
before January ], 1887, to enable the
members of the association to present
their plan or plans to the various State
Legislatures.
Finally the association adopted reso-
luton urgently requesting Congress to
prohibit by law the purchasing of any
goods, produced in whole or part by con-
Wet labor, for use in any of the Govern
ment departments. The meeting then adj
iourned sine die.