The Portland daily press., 1888-05-18
CoNvICTS TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES
The Novel Scheme Contained in
Senator BIair's Latest Bill.
How the Extradition Treaty Was
Amended In the Senate.
Bismarck's Fortunate Participation
In the Morocco Difficulty.

In the Morocco Difficulty.
WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE literature on
the convict labor question has received an
addition in Congress in the shape of bill
introduced by Senator Blair in the Senate by
request 1t proposes new plan to prevent
convict labor from competing with organized
free labor by paying to conyicts OF their fam
lilies, the regular rate of wages for the work
they are required to perform, and 1t is such a
novel scheme, like most of Mr.. Blair's pro-
ductions, that it is worth reading as a curios-
ity. The bill has preamble, which declares
that the private monopoly of convict labor
at the rate of about 16 cents per day is Sc
rious menace to free labor, and that convict
laboi rings in the several States are actually
establishing form of legalized slavery, and
also that Congress has the power, under the
general welfare clause of the Constitution,
to prevent convict labor from competing
with organized free labor. All convicts
within the jurisdiction of the United States
are therefore to be employed at such labor
as they are best adapted to, and to be paid
semi-monthly, the same rate Of compensa-
tion as is paid to organized labor in the local
ity where the convict is confined; provided,
however, that the deductions for the keep OF
such convicts shall not exceed the average
expense for maintenance outside the peni.
tentiary The residue of the earnings of
convicts is to be paid to their families or 9th.
er dependents. or to be held in trust for them
until their discharge. Eight hours Is to con-
stitute days work in the penitentiary and
none except healthy convicts are to be en-
ployed, the degree of their health to be de-
clared by physician of their own selection.
Any violation of these provisions is to be
punished by fine of from $50 to $500, in adj
ditiOn to the costs of prosecution in each
case, and 81, 100000 is to be appropriated to
enable the secretary of the Department Of
Labor to carry the act into effect
Senatorial Possibilities.
On the Sd of next March the terms OF 26
United States senators will expire. The re-
firing senators are equally divided between
the two political parties-13 Republicans and
10 Democrats. OF the so senators who hold
over, 26 are Republicans and "a are Demo-
Gratis. OF the II outgoing Republicans,
whose successors remain to be chosen, Mr..
Wilson of Iowa having been reelected, and
Mr.. Riddleberger's successor elected, there
is, perhaps, but a single seat that can be
called at all doubtful. The Democrats claim
to have chance of securing a senator in
Oregon. They point to the split in the Re
publican party, which occurred at the last
senatorial election, when Mr.. Mitchell was
finally elected by Democratic votes, and to
the fact that the present governor is a DEM
crat, as encouraging evidence for them.
OF the IL retiring Democrats whose seats
only doubtful State. Most of the Democrats
whose terms expire next year are from the
South, where Democratic legislatures are al
most certainty. Should the Democrats
hold the New Jersey senator. that would,
make the Senate tie. 1t now stands 80 Re
publicans to 81 Democrats. AS there are 26
Republicans holding over to "a Democrats,
should the latter retain all their seats yet to
be filled. that would give them IA more, max
for the Republicans would give them the
same number. Then the Vice President to
he chosen next November, would, with his
casting. vote, hold the balance of power
Should the Democrats be able to capture
Oregon and retain New Jersey, that would
just reverse the present status of the Senate,
making it stand 80 Democrats to 81 Republi-
cans. The States yet to elect senator's to
seats now held by the Democrats are Alaba-
ma, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana
West Virginia, North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Tennessee, Texas and New Jersey.
There is small hope for Republicans in any
of them, except the last named, though some
Republicans contend that they have fight
ing chance for the West Virginia legislature.
They would have to work quite a revolution,
ana the legislature has already been chosen,
and it is Overwhelmingly Democratic. 1t is
quite plain that the next Senate will be pret-
ty nearly divided between the two parties.
The New Extradition Treaty.
An English copy of the extradition treaty
has been received here, and comparison
with fha oonu nf fha fraafv ,noda nuhlio ~
authority of the Senate on the 5th CT April
shows the change the Senate made in the
treaty. of which Senator Riddleberger on
Feb. 9th, gave some public notice in dis
cussion in. the Senate; though, of course, he
was prevented by the secrecy of executive
business from stating what the change was.
In the treaty as signed in London, section
A of article reads thus:
Malicious injuries to property, whereby the life
OF any person shall be endangered, If such inu-
ries constitute crime according to the laws of
both the high and contracting parties.
In the treaty as made public by the Senate
the same section is thus changed,
Malicious injuries to persons or property by the
use of explosives, or malicious injuries or OBJ
structions TO railways, whereby the life of any
person Shall be endangered, If such injuries con-
stitute crime according to the laws of both the
high contracting parties, or according TO the laws
of that DO itical division of either country in
which the offence shall have been committed, and
of that political division of either country in
which the offender shall be arrested.
"A gentleman who fayors the treaty said to-
day:
"The thirteenth clause of the second arti-
Gle Of the extradition treaty with Japan. rat
iied by the Senate in June, 1886, provides
for extradition for malicious destruction of
or attempt to destroy railways, trains, ves-
sells, bridges, dwellings, public edifces, or
other buildings, when the act endangers hu-
man life. A substantially similar provision
is in other extradition treaties of the United
States. The treaty also contains an express
inhibition which the treaty of 1912 lacks,
against the surrender of persons charged
with political offences, or whose extradition
is sought with view to punish them for
such offences. Aud to further clinch this
prohibition it is provided that person ex-
tradited shall not be tried on any other
charge than that on which he was surren-
dered.
The Mills Bill.
Mr.. Mills says in regard to his proposition
to take vote directly on the tariff bill at
the close of the general debate that Demo-
cratic caucus will probably be held Saturday
night to decide upon programme in the
event of a refusal by the Republicans to
forego the privilege of amendment. A can
vass on both sides is proceeding in the mean
time. Some members believe that the Mills
bill can be easily beaten in its present shape,
while others hold that they are in duty bound
to kill the bill, and that this can be effectual-
ly done only by riddling it with amendments.
Some of them profess to believe that Mr..
Mills was prompted to make his proposition
through fear that his party would disrupt
and be led off by tempting amendments Of
fered by the Republicans Mr.. Mills himself
says he has no fear on that score. He says
he made the offer to save the bill from the
five minute debate, which might hold it in
definitely.
Settling with Morocco.
Exactly how private communication
from Prince Bismarck induced the eccentric
monarch of Morocco to come to terms in the
Rabat affair is not wholly clear. Germany
has been able to quietly acquire good deal
of influence in Morocco, partly because she
is recognized to lie the confirmed antagonist
OF France, whose lold on Algeria keeps the
Sultan suspicious of French encroachments
unon his own domains. Morocco has also