The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-09-04

:. - ,-..-- g.
cage ana Denonnce the sysssm,n Ns-
tionni AssocIa1'on ""'"''"rS
Les's'ation Dcmanoe"'
CHICAGO, Aug. 27.-A number of prom
inent manufacturers from all over the
,,,r+,y c,atbercd at eleven o'clock yester.
l., .,,,t, A ~ t,,o t,r,,d
u"s mo','"s =" ,,u ~,
racine Ho'e'. Inc "ss'h'o,s ""' :"
sponsc to n call issued last last July by
Mr.. w. t. Lewis, prominent
wagon and carriage manufacturer oil
Racine. Wis. Mr.. Lewis has Tor n long
time had under consideration the sub
ject OF convict labor and Its ravagcs IN
the field occupied by honest working.men.
The ojects OF the convention were to con-
slider means Of abolishing the present sys-
tenn OF convict labor and devising. means
o; employing the prisoners confined IN the
penitentiarv. The meeting was called to
order at 11:15 o'clock, with about two
dozen manufacturers present. MIR. Lewis
was elected chairman and Mr. Kinney, oil
Winona, Mimi. secretary. ~.
Communications from wardens oil the
penitcntiaries in the various States, In an
swer to IL circular asking for information
as to the employment and condition OF
the convicta, were read. From the
reports 1t seemed as though the boot
and shoe, wagon-making and stocklng
nanufa curing interests were mostly
interested in the prison-labor ques.
tion. In Florida the convicts are let out
to the contractors Tor naval stores. In
Tennessee $4,000 vehicles are manu-
factured at rate OF wages averaging
thirty-five cents per day. In Louisiana
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
wardcns OF the various prisons differed in
their opinions on the subject ot the dam
age done to honest labor by the convict
system, but the weight of OPINION seems
to be expressed by one oil the wardens,
who said II can conceive oil 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 oil honest
toll, and honest toilcrs were 10th TO learn
trade that opened no hope TO future au-
vanccment.
Tho committee on organization, Sc
lected at the morning session. reported
after the noon recess. and constitution
and bylaws were adopted. The orran1za-
tion will be known as the National Anti
Convict Contract Association. Its object
shall he the thorough investigation OF the
subject OF convict labor, for the pur'
pose OF discovering and securing the
adoption OF that method oil employing
prison population in the various States in
| Al manner which shall be least burdensome
and oppressive to free labor and the man
afacturing interests oil 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 oil five
| dollars. State organizations will also be
| formed with the same object in view.
The election oil officers for the organiza-
ton resulted as follows: President, w. L.
Lewis, Racine, Wis. secretary and treas
urer George 5. Redfied, Chi icngo; ENecu
tive Committee, Charles III. Deere, Moline;
j. w. Hinton, Winona; George Curtis,
| Clinton, H.; Mr.. Berky, Grand Rapids;
| Stephen Bull, Racine; ColonelJ. A. sexton
| Chicago; j. l.. Smyser, Louisville. Eight
vice-presidents were also chosen.
w. G. Nones submitted resolution in
strncting the executive committee to in
| quire into the constitutiona!ity OF law to
he passed by Congress prohibiting the sale
OF goods the product of convict labol
outside OF the State in which man
| ufactured. and. 40 constitutional OBJ