Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-05

try members on the h0or 10 vote IN
favor of their constituents aud in oppo-
siuon to this bill.
Mr.. Loyenstein warmly advocated
the measure. II was proper one. and
il adopted would rebound TO the good
Of the State and her people.
Mr.. Stubs was in favor Of improv-
ing the county roads, but doubted the
propriety Of this measure, and ques-
toned its constitutionslity.
Mr.. Petit favored the bill and did
not doubt its constitutionality. lie
thought no one thing would bring more
capital into the State than good roads.
Mr. Ellyson said he was anxious that
the Legislature should take some action
that would prevent the competition Of
convict with free labor. He thought
the highest consideration Of sound pub
lie policy should constrain the General
Assembly to pass some law to prevent
the hiring of convicts for manufa ,turing
purposes. Virginia was becoming more
and more manufacturing State. During
the last census decade the capital en-
ployed in manufacturing purposes in
Virginia had increased more than eight
and half million dollars and the nun.
Der Of men employed had increased
more than thirteen thousand. 1t was our
duty to foster and encourage our manu-
featuring industries. The State should
not permit the hire Of these conyicts TO
be brought into competition with our
manufacturers, who had hundreds OF
thousands Of dollars of capital employed
in their business, nor in competition
with the workingmen Of the Common
wealth, whom it was our dRty to pro-
tect rather than destroy by such I'M
fair competition. lie quoted statistics
to show the ruinous effects Of such
competition in other States, and declared
the effect of convict labor was not mere
ly to subject the free workmen to en-
forced idleness to the extent which the
prison competition supplies the demand
for their products, but the tendency is
also to lessen the wages of the working
man and absorb all the factory indus
tries Of the country.
Mr.. Staples was in favor Of the bill
and hoped the amendment would be
agreed to.
Mr., Williams also favored the bill.
lie thought it would do his people good,
and wanted them to be allowed to try
it. 1t would enable them to build rail-
roads, which would greatly benefit
them, and which otherwise would never
be built.
The amendment was defeated.
Mr.. Keezell moved to amend by pro-
viding that no contract shall be made
for shorter time than one year. lie
thought if county wanted the services
of these men for the summer they
should be made to support them during
the winter, when they cannot be made
to do nythiDg in the penitentiary. The
amendment was defeated.
Mr.. Keezell offered similar amend
ment concerning the employment Of
these conyicts on railroads. This
amendment was discussed and voted
down.
Mr.. Wickham moved to amend by
striking out of the bill all that au-
thorized county boards Of supervisors
to employ these conyicts.
Mr.. Lovenstein spoke again in behalf
of the bill, and Mr.. IIeaton opposed it at
some length.
Mr.. Wickham's amendment was de-
feated, and the bill as it came from the
House was passed by the following
vote:
AYEs.--Messrs. Berry. Blackstone, Col
trane Digs. Duane Edmunds. Ellyson,
HUT, Jones. koiner. LOvensteln, McCor-
Trout. Warwick Williams, and Ningheld-
u.
NOES. Messrs. Bibb. Bliss. Heaton,
Hodges, Keezell, Norton, and Wickham-7.
The bill allows counties to have con-
vcts to work on their roads free Of
charge, but the counties to bear all the
expenses Of guarding, transporting, and
the prisoners. The State
clothing.
Railroads in which counties are sub
scrbers may have convicts at forty
cents day, cost Of maintenance, to be
paid the State in lawful money; bal
ance to be paid in county bonds.
All existing contracts that may be
- lawfully cancelled " are to be can
celled.
Until some of these contracts are |
cancelled there will only be about
eighty able-bodied men to be distributed |
under the provisions Of this law, but it
is contended that there are two con-
tracts which may be legally annulled |
now, and if so there will be 300 addi- |
tional men to be given to the counties
and railroads. The Superintendent of |
the Penitentiary and the Governor are |
to make the new contracts under the |
terms Of this bill.
TIE SCRIP BILL.
Mr.. Rhea called up the Fulkerson |
scrip bill. The question was on sus-
tanning the report of the Finance Com
mittee, which was that it is inexpedient
10 legislate on this subject at the pre-
sent time.
The report was sustained by the vote
Of o to 4-Messrs. Bib, Hurt, Rhea,
md Williams voting No" This
kills the bill.
THE PUBLIC DEBT.
Mr.. Rhea called up the following,
offered by himself
Rcsoired (the House ~ Delegates concur
ing. That the Governor be requested To
make public PROCLAMATION TO the holders OF
he obligations Of this state that IL Is the
viii of the people OF this Commonwealth To
epudiate the entire debt OF the state not
unded under the Riddleberger Dill ON or
)efore the LIST Of July, 1855.
The resolution was defeated by the
ollowiDg vote
AYE.-Mr. Rhea-I.
NoEs.-Messrs. Berry. Bib. Blackstone,
Miss. COtrane, Diggs Duane, Euyson
iaineS, ieatOn. Hodges Jones. KeeZell.
<Oiner, LOyenstein, Mccormick Norton.
'ettit, Read staples, Stubs. Trout. War
wick, Wickham, Williams, and Mingled
Recess.
Afternoon Session.
Lieutenant GoFernor Massey resumed
he chair at 4 p. NJ.
HOUSE RIIIS PASSED