St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-05
FROM SHOP AND MILL.
The Convict labor QuesfiOn--PrO-
posed Legislation i'm Minnesota
nnd It's Condition Else here--
: inne9pOIis abO- Matters.

posed Legislation i'm Minnesota
and Its Condition EIsew here--
Minneapolis Labor Matters.
Members of the organized labor bodies in
this city, as well as in the state at large,
are looking forward with good deal OF in
terest to the session of the legislature,
when. they have every reason to believe,
measures will be adopted which will be for
their interest. One of the most important
questions to come up for consideration is
that relating to convict contract labor. A
prominent Knight of Labor was asked yes
terday what system of convict labor would
be recommended in the legislature in place
of the present ore. He replied that those
interested in abolishing the present contract
system were not so particular what plan
was adopted so long as it wonld give the
profit on convicts' work to the state and not
to private individuals, as at present. He
said the state should manage the
business in such manner as
to reap some benefit from it. The
organized labor bodies were not, he said,
opposed to the manufacture of any kind of
goods by convicts so long as these goods
were not put upon the market at less than
prices obtained by the product of honest
labor. He suggested the plan in vogue at
the Elmira refOrmatOry which is the piece
price plan" so-called, the goods being sold
at so much per piece to the highest bidder.
but the purchaser having no control over
the work of the convictS the only condi-
ton imposed being that the goods be equal
to the specifications. Under this plan the
contractors are only interested in getting
the proper quality of goods, and care not
what the actual cost of making is, or what
convictS make them. The gentleman
stated. however, that as far as he knew no
bill had been agreed upon for introduction
into the legislature, only the general idea
OF relief from the present system being in
tended, as well as Improvement in reforma-
tory methods.
In view of the movement on foot in this
state, in which labor organizations will I'M
doubleday be seconded by the Farmers al
lance, it is of interest to know about the
status of convict labor in other states. Cali
fornia, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and
New jersey have abolished the contract
system in their penal institutions. The
system prevails in eighteen states. The
lease system prevails in only one Northern
state Nebraska-but it prevails in ten
Southern state. Twenty-seven states have
greater or less number of prisoners at
work on the public-accOunt system. Eight
states have some portion of their prisoners
at work on the piece-price plan, and two of
them their entire prison force. The avail
able prison statistics cover los penal insti-
tutions in fOrty-four states and territories,
where 81, 331 inmates are confined. OF this
number So, 729 are at work. Of these.
IA. 939 are at work under the contract sys-
TEN. 1921 are leased ont, 1850 are en-
plOyed on the piece-price plan, 1868 are
employed on public account and $3.50 are
employed in prison duties. There are 8S3
prisoners out of 1880, making boots and
shoes in the Illinois prisons and in six
Western states. viz: Indiana, Ohio. Mich
igan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri, 1854
are employed in shoe factories outside of
prisons and 1, 431 in prisons.