West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-09-03
CONVICT LABOR.
Northwestern Manufacturers Meet at Chi
cago ana Dcnounce the System-A Ma
tional Association Formed-Prohibitory
Legislation Demanded.

cago ana Dcnounce the System-A Ma
tionai Association Formed-Prohibitory
Legislation Demanded.
CmCAGo, Aug. PA number OF prom
incnt manufacturers from all over tho
country gathered at eleven o'clock vcstcr-
day morning in club.room { oi tie Grand
spOnse 60 a call issued last last July by
air W. f. Lewis, prominent
wagon and carriage manufacturer of
Racine. Wis Mr.. Lewis has for a long
time had under consideration tho sub
Jet Oi convict labor and it's raVngos in
the field occupied by honest working men.
The olects of the convention were TO con.
slider means of abOlishing the present sys-
tenn of convict labor and devising means
ot emplo ing the prisoners confined ia tho
pcnitentiary The meeting was called to
order AZ lll5 O'Clock, with about two
dozen manufacturers present. Mr. Lewis
VAS elected chairman and MIR. Kinney of
Ninona, Mimi. secretary.
Communications from wardons of the
peniteutiaries IN the various states in an
s~er to "a circular asking for Information
as To the employment aud condition Of
the convict, we're read From the
reports IL seemed rs though tho boot
and shoe, wagon-making and stocking
manufacturing interests were mostly
interested In the prison labor qucs.
tion. In Florida the Convicts arc let out
To the contractors for naval stores. In
Tennessee 10000 vehicles are manu-.
iactured at a rate of wages avera ging
thirty.tve cents per day. In Louisiana
the prisoners are EMPLOYED on the
leNecs being let out TO contractors
who pay all expenses and relieve the
state OF all cost except the apprehension
and conviction of the couvicts. 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
10 bo expressed by one OF the wardens
who said. IL 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 il 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 tradesmcn
Tor sometimes tenth the price. This
brought about the degradn5io of honest
toll and honest tOilcrs were 10th TO learn
a trade that opened no hope to future ad.
vancement.
The committee on organization, se-
lerted at the morning session, reported
alter the noon recess and a constitution
and'by laws were adopted. The organiza-
ton will he known as the National Anti.
Convict Contract Association Its object
ehall be the thorough investigation OF the
subject of convict labor, for the pur.
pose OF discovering and securing the
adoption oi that method OF EMPLOYING
prison population IN the various States i'm
manner which shall he least burdensome
and oppressive TO Tree labor and the man.
siacturing interests OF the country The
annual membership fee was fixed at ten
dollars Tor manufacturers and fifty cents
Tor laborers aud mechanics. Labor organ
lzations 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 IA follows: Presto ent. w. r.
Lewis, Racine, Wis; secretary and treas.
urer George ;. Redheld, Chi cago: EXccu.
tive Committee Charles II. Deere Moline;
j. w. Hinton. Wiuona George Curtis.
Clinton, la; Mr.. Berky, Grand Rapids;
stephen Bull. Racine ColonclJ. A. sexton.
Chicago j. l.. Smyser, Louisville. Eight
Vice-prcsldents were also chosen.
w. G. Nonrs submitted "A resolution in
quirc into the constitutionality OF a law to
be passed by Congress prohibiting the sale
OF goods the product of convict labor
outside al the State i'm which man
utactured. and no constitutional OBJ.
lectinns being found that thev be in.
sIructcd TO procure the passage OF such a
law 10y Congress This was adopted and
the secretary was instructed to issue "A
CIRCULAR calling upon manufacturers to
Join the association. Another resolution
passed was to the effect that the associa.
ton favors the establishment Of one or
more federal prisons, not upon the con
tractabor system. in order to withdraw
from state prisons the federal prisoners
now confined in them who are largely
worked upon the contract system, aud to
give the influence OF the Federal Govern
ment to "a better system of prison labor
committee OF five was appointed TO
formulate method of employing convict
labor, taking the place Of the contract
aud lease system, which should be
less oppressive TO the labor and industries
oil this country, the committee 10 report
before January ] 1887. to enable the
members oil the association 70 present
their plan or plans TO the various State
Legisla turcs
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.
nncni departments. The meeting then adj
lourned sine die.