Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-17
PRISON CONGRESS.
MOST OF THE STATES IN THE UNION
REPRESENTED
Convict Labor Diseu,ssd-Its Effect North
and South Productive Prison
Labor Indispensable"
nr telegraph 70 the pispateh.l

BosrOS, july 1G.-At to.day's session OF
the National Prison Association FREDERICK
III. Wise. secretary, read list OF all the
persons registered, numbering 100 IN all.
This u the largest attendance ever known al
n prison congress. The states represented
were: Alabama, Colorado. Connecticut,
Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Name, Kansas,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Min
nesota, New Hampshire. New YORK, New
Jersey, Ohio. Peunsylyanig, Rhode Island,
South Caroliua, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin,
and the Provinces.
A change of programme was made in order
TO discuss Mr.. VNeiPs prisOn-labor bill.
word having been received that II would
come I'd in Congress on wednesday. a
paper on the labor question was presented
by Charles r.. FELTON,, OF Chicago. lie
said II legislation hostile 10 prison
labor continues all the prisoners IN the
country will soon be idle. The power Of
labor sgitators, he said, Is great. lhey
elect members Of the city and stale
governments in their interests. bold secret
meetings, and are we'll organized. Pubic
officials try TO curry favor With these power
ful organizations, and even labor bureaus
are open 70 the charge OF iswning to them.
But labor must ultimately be the chief factor
IN the reformation Of prisons.
Ex-Governor Bullock. Of Georgil, sald
The O'Ncil bin would compel The abandon
mcnt OF the whole system Of leasing convicts
10 vogue Ia the South. lie predicted that
tue southcrB members Of Congress would
vote against the bin when they saw 1t would
compel the support OF Prisoners IN idlcness.
c. i. BrOckawsy, Of the New York state
ReiOTmaiOTy, said that In n0cOuutry was con-
Wet labor more ihtn a small part OF one per
L.. IL Iv.f ia ~ d o.
9TH OF / per cent represents the importance
81 competition IN prison products. Dir.
RrOckaway proposed a resolution providing
that a conference Doc held this fall, Represent
Ing oil the States. il possible, TO consider the
prison labor question and 10 aid By legislation
the organization Of the prison labor Of the
country on sound principles.
Professor WsyiaDd, Of Connecticut, Oh
tered the following resolution:
Resolved, That in the judgment OF this
association productive prison labor Is 40 in
di.pcnsable factor in the work Of prison r.
ioIm, and that any scheme which has ten
dency to permit or promote the idieness Of
prisoners Will infict irreparable injury upon
the prisoner. wOrkiugmsn, and state.
Dr.. Baird. OF Virginia, supported the
resolution. saying The ONeil bin contained
two mOnstrOus propoSitlOns-that cOnylcts
be compelled 10 live in ideness, 70 become
physical and moral wrecks, aud the poor
people Of the country who pay most Of
the taxes Shall support all couyc1s IN
idleuess.
The Brockaway resolution was adopted
unanimously, as was also Professor Way
lands.
At the evening session an address was read
by y. II. Brookcr. Of South ClrOlins, char
man Of the Board Of Directors Of the state
pcnitentiary aud the representative OF that
State. "There Is no longer any feeling" be
said. "between the North and South. The
fence has been removed. south Carolina Is
within thirty hours ride but its society l.
not known here. Peuienliiries were un-
known IN the State until after the emanclpa-
ton era, and progress i'm the pcnitcntiarv
management has mostly been made since what
Is knOwn ~ the revolution Of 1876. The lease
system has passed bv in south Carolina. Ap-
plausel Nineteen twenlisths OF the prison
population j. black. The mortality among
them has been reduced from y 10 \ per
cent. There Is no rei0rmstOry for boys. but
they are imprisoned with the older convicts.
There lsno appropriation from the State, and
the pcnitentiaTy is seIi.supporing. lie knew
Of nothing more remarkable than NE advance
the colored people were making in educa-
ton" [Applmse.l said he: "They are
doing better than the whites"