New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-20
THE STATE AND CONVICT LABOR.

The policy embodied in the new Convict
Labor bill is an experiment, at least in this
State II is already in use in Massachusetts.
The grievance which it attempts to remove is
real, though penologists differ very much as to
the extent of it. Under the new plan, no man.
ufacturing machinery will be used in any of the
State penal institutions but hand labor only
will be employed. Only such articles as can
be used in the various institutions penal and
public, Of the State will be made, and none of
the prison products are to be sold to the pub
lic The prisons will cease to be self-support-
ing, but the loss will appear to be greater than
it really is. The various public institutions
will buy their clothing, shoes, and other neces-
saries from the State instead of in the open
market as at present. In this way there will
be an income, and a saving also, as the State,
paying nothing for its labor but the bare cost
Of supporting the convicts, can probably fur
nish these articles more cheaply than they can
be bought now. But here again comes the
proof that so long as convicts produce any
thing-and they must be kept at work for their
own good, if not for the benefit of taxpayers
1T will be impossible wholly to avoid compe-
tition with workngmen outside of prison walls.
The articles that were once made by free work
ingmen, and sold to the various State institu-
tions. will now be furnished by convict labor
At the same time, every intelligent person will
understand that If the State voluntarily re-
duces its income from the prisons the cost of
their support will be increased, anS here will
be additional taxation.
The most complete and exhaustive investiga-
ton of the whole question of convict labor
ever made in this country was that conducted
by Carroll ID. Wright, United States Commits
sioner Of Labor, and Mr.. Wrrht's conclusion
was that the system now proposed was the best
for all concerned. He contended that with
such plan in use in most or all the States
there could be little or no complaint of the
effect of convict labor upon wages or prices.
The competition with free labor would be re-
duced to a minimum The convicts could be
constantly employed under the direction solely
Of the prison officers. 1t would no longer be
necessary to employ manufacturers of skill and
experience to supervise the work Any man
having the proper personal qualities, but with
out technical skill, could manage prison under
this system. The only disadvantage, in his
view, was the increased expense, and this, he
urged. was Of small importance, as compared
with the fact that there would be much greater
room under this system for eff orts toward the
reformation of prisoners-a point of great inn
portance, seeing that the &c age Of the
convcts of the United States is only twenty
six years. And the increase Of expense on the
average would probably not be so great as to
constitute a serious burden. The total run
ming expenses of institutions for cOnvicts
through the country were, in one year,
S8,445,1O4. and the total income from the
work of cOnvicts S3,512, 969, or AZ per cent
of the running expenses This leaves SO
per cent to be borne by the community. Now
if there were no returns under the hand labor
system and the total expense of running the
prisons should be borne by the community
there would be added but 81, 932, i 80 to the
taxation of the country. This would be an in
crease of only about cents per capita Of the
whole population each year, and the whole
burden of prison taxation would be only about
ii cents per capita each year.
AS we have said, there are great differences
Of opinion regarding the effect of convict labor
upon wages. Taken in the aggregate, the
product Of prison labor seems so small as to be
hardly worth considering. 1t constitutes but
little more than one-half Of one per cent OF
the total mechanical product of the country
There is only one convict engaged in pro-
ductve labor TO 300 Of those engaged in free
mechanical labor Yet in certain industries
the competition must be felt. OF the total
product Of the penal institutions for one year,
amounting to $28,75399 Sl0,1O0,279, or
35 pei cent, was in boots and shoes Clothing
was manufactured during the year to the value
of S2,199,o3i carriages and wagons to the
value Of 81, $1,000, and furniture to the value
OF Sl,260,006. The number of convicts max
ing boots and shoes was l-2 per cent of the
number of free laborers in the same industry
in brooms and brushes the percentage was
24i in harness, 81 in clothing, 22-l0. etc.