The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-07-22
CONTRACT CONVICT LABOR.
Commissioners are Wrestlingin
Behalf of Free Labor

Commissioners are Wrestlingfn
Behalf of Free Labor.
The commissioners of the Hin OILS state
penitentiary held their usual monthly
meeting at that institution on July 18th
and 18th. Among other business trans
acted, was the issuing of an advertisement
inviting proposals for convict labor, to be
opened August 81. The new departure
noticed in the advertisement to the effect
that hereafter no more than seventy-five
convicts will be leased to any one branch
of business attracted the attention OF a
Joliet Press reporter and he accordingly
interviewed the commissioners in their
office at the prison, with the following
result:
RI see you have advertised to let
more convict labor. Do you think you
will get any bidss'
Comrs. cannot tell. The law
compels us to advertise whenever we have
surplus of labor?"
R-"What is your object in stating
that you will not let the labor of more
than seveuty>tive men or less than twenty
five on any one contractr"
Comrs.-"There appears to be com.
plant among laboring people that large
contracts hurt free labor and that small
contracts do not. We cannot afford to
let less than twenty-five men. Small
contract will give all men chance to
bid if they wish"
R-"Do you think the proposed con-
stitutional amendment will be adopted?"
Comrs. I'VE have no opinion to ex-
press about that"
R.-"What effect would its adoption
have upon both free and convict labor?''
Comrs I've think its adoption would
have the effect to compel the state to
work large numbers of convicts at one
kind of labor. The state. instead of the
contractor as now, will have to furnish
the plant, and the working capital, and
manufacture goods enough to pay the
expenses of maintaining the prison ex-
penses which are now met by the earnings
of the convicts. The commissioners and
warden will then be compelled not only
to employ the prisoners on such manu-
features as will promise the best profit,
but also to throw goods on the market
whenever it becomes necessary to meet
the liabilities of the prison, without re-
gard to the profit or loss of so doing"
R-''Why would you become compell-
ed to take such cOurse?"
Comrs. Because legislatures always
have and always will require prisons to
support themselves as nearly as possible
from the labor of their convicts"
R-."Will the prisoners be likely to do
as much work for the state as they now
do for the contractors2"
SComrs We think so. The warden
now has complete control of the prisoners
as to what shall constitute a reasonable
days work
R.-"Then YOU think there would be as
many goods made then as now
Comrs think So"
R-"Can you make the prison self
sustaining under the proposed arrange
ment?"
Comrs.-''We think it will be possible. y
R.-"The prison is self sustaining now,
| understand"
Comrs Yes, it has been for three or
four years. and we have surplus on
hand now"
R.-"Do you think it better for the
convCts to be leased as now than to labor
for the state2"
Comrs.-''We think so, for the reason
that while on contract they have steady
work, which is conducive to both health
and good desCip line'
R-"You don't take any United States
prisoners now?'
Comrs.-"No We notified the de
partment of justice some six months asC
that we would not take any more.
R.--"Why did you do so?'
Comrs We thought it wrong to take
them when we have all we can do to take
care of, and find work for prisoners be
longing TO our own state.