Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-14

iu NVhuitioH. DACk OIL MS county. tof
instance, are number OF counties that
have no railroads, and the roads which
lead from these counties TO the nearest
railroads are wretched affairs. Now,
If county wishes to uss convicts to
improve their communication with rail-
roads, he desired that they should have
that privilege.
A member: Are those roads to
charge tolls?
Mr.. Fulkerson That depends they
may or may not.
Mr.. Echols observed that ii seemed
to him that the amendment was so lati-
tudinous that it would allow in the
most direct way the employment OF
convict labor in competition with, and
to the exclusion Of honest labor.
NO "PARLoR BoARDERs."
Mr.. Buchanan: If you 60 to that,
you can't work convict anywhere that
he will not interfere with the honest
lsborer. Now, in this case if, for ex-
ample, Russell county has no railroad,
and has no money to pay honest labor
to open up her highways to the rail-
roads, why shouldn't she have the use
of these convicts in the only way posi-
bic to benefit her? In our section we
are willing to take them and work
them, and who has got any right to
object?
Mir. Buchanan went on to declare
that these conyicts must be made to
work in some way. The State could
not maintain them as "parlor board
ers." He thought the object aimed at
was to take the conyicts away from
competition with the skilled labor Of
the cities. We must do something.
All labor is honest and honorable
whether skilled or unskilled, and |
would have the convict worked where
be will do the least damage, but he
must uork somewhere To support
him in idleness our people will never
agree.
Mr.. Echols | was referring to such
turnpike companies as the Valley and
the Paikersburg companies. did not
have in mind the section Of the State to
which the gentlemen refers and my OBJ
lection does not lie in that quarter.
HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED"
Mr.. Saunders, Of Franklin, said that
inside and outside Of this House he had
heard advanced many impracticsble
ideas on the subject of convict labor.
There is now a great clamor against
convict labor. Gentlemen old as he is
could not fail to observe what change
of sentiment there had been on this
question. He could well remember
when the penitentiary was regarded as
a valuable institution when the peo-
pie were encouraged to feel pride in
it, because they were told that the con-
yicts would 60 there and learn a trade,
and when they were discharged would
come out and return to their homes
with something to depend upon,
and would become useful citi-
zens. 1t was looked upon in
those days as reformatory. Now
all is changed. The gentlemen from
the cities say ''do not let the conyicts
come into competition with skilled
labor" and yet if there is any labor in
the world that needs protection it is the
unskilled labor. The penitentiary is a
burden, and the simple question is,
How shall we get rid ofthis burden?'
A few years ago we were called upon
by the Republicans to admire their
craftsmanship in making the peniten-
tiarv self.sustaining institution ;
they claimed that they had done 1t.
Now they come here singing another
tune.
For one. Mr.. Sanders was not to be
moved by this clamor. If he were to
20 back to his constituentS-to those
plain, hard.working, countrymen-and
tell them that he had voted to stop the
conyicts from working they would be
tempted to say, On the Knights OF
Labor We must take care of ourselves
and they must take of themselves"
[Great laughter 1t is not a local
question at all it is a great State
question, and we must so employ the
convict as to do the most public good.
If they can do most good on the
railroads why put them there, but he
had sometimes thought that better
plan would be to employ them in the
penitentiary and give what they carr
above expenses to the aid Of the COM
munities that most need it.
81 utterly repudiate," said Mr.
Saunders, "the idea that we have got
to work the convicts where they won't
come into conflict with some form o
honest labor. 1t can't be done, anC
the two political parties in this State
could have better employed their time
than in putting this plank in their plat
FORM"
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Saunders
speech-at 2:4j-the House adjourned
to meet at III O'Clock tomorrow.
The Convict. Labor BiII I'm the Senate
In the Senate yesterday Mr.. Ellysol
moved that the Committee on Public In
stitutions be discharged from the further
consideration Of his bill to prevent thu
competition Of convict with skilled
labor, and that it be made the specia
order for next Thursday at | o'clock
Mr.. Rhea opposed the motion, ant
said the bill was under consideration
by a special sub committee which
would report in day or two.
Mr.. Heaton said that he hoped TIT
motion would not prevail. lie though
that the bill would get along faster ii
the committee than it would if pre-
sented at this time in the Senate.
Mr.. Ellyson in support Of his mo
ton said that on the second day Of th'
session he had introduced resolution
requesting the committee to prepare
bill on this subject. lie had waited
six weeks and nothing was done. Or
the 10Th Of January he had introduced
bill to prevent this injurious and un
fair competition Of convict with FREE
labor. That bill was referred to thu
Committee on Public Institutions
where it has been three weeks, and ye
| tho comtoittee * mt ready to report