The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-07-18
The Weanest Man.

The YIeanest Man.
| have often read newspaper stories about
1.-THE meaneSt man." and the best one ever
from his horse after the hOster fed him. But
that man fades into insigniticance when
compared with the man who has solved the
convict labor question in New York
Convict labor competition has become
political question. and as politics rule this
nation, it has become national question.
Now, the political question of the nation is
settled by the vote of New York. and the
sWaying of the labor vote. Consequently,
the political party that caters most 10 the
whims of the labor vote rules the nation.
SO. when the labor voters cried out
against convict labor competition, it was
abolished by the legislature and for about
year thousands Of prisoners languisheG in
idieness while the political ringsters were
racking their brains to find soue kind of
employment that would not displease the
labor voters Then, IN steps the candidate
for the honor Of being the meanest man
and says: Gentlemen, nave struck it,
have found class of work il. which no
voters are employed. Ii is work that is
now being done by women. And. as they
have no vote or influence, society will not
heed their cry OF remOnSirance. wv ell. y
say the wise men of the east, that sounds
good, let us hear your plan"
We'll. continues the mean man. Il
find in all our large cities class OF poor
widows who have not the ability to do any
but the cOmmonest kind of work And, as
they generally have small children to care
for. they are prevented from going out as
servants Their only alternative. therefore.
is to take in washing do plain sewing. make
coarse shirts, Overalls. and cheap clothing.
l conclude that no voters will ever be en-
plOyed in this class of labor, as the manu-
facturers have cut the prices down until the
workers can earn only from two to four
dollars per week.
I'VE do not care about there being no
money in it," reply the sages. 80 long as
it is employment. But how are we going
to silence the just indignation of the relig
iOus people. when they reprOach us with
taking the burden of competition from able
bodied men and putting it on the poor
widows with starving children"
That is very easy. You know the relig-
ious people have been asking us to do some
thing for the convict. TO give him a part
of his earnings. say ten per cent"
What. give the convicts part of their
earnings? We cannot do that"
But. you are really giving them moth
ing, or nearly nothing. | will explain it
tn you. The shirts and Overalls are made
for fifty cents dozen by these widows, and
the manufacturers will not give you the
work unless you do it for about one third
of this price. SO, you will have to make
them for about fifteen cents dozen. Now.
if a mother with hungry children crying
tor bread makes at the best only eight
dozen per week. it is safe to say that con-
Wet will not make over four dozen in the
same time. That will be sixty cents week,
or $40 month the convict will earn.
Ten per cent of this is So. 80 per year. AS
you have to give him five or ten dollars upon
his discharge, you can readily see that
while it sounds good to say you are giving
the convict ten per cent of his earnings.
you do not have to give him any more than
he formerly received"
We'll" say his colleagues. I'VE will
adopt your plan"
Now, | did not hear this celloquy. but
from the advertisement that appeared in
the papers lately. think have guessed it
about right. give the advertisement here
with and leave you to Judge for YOURSELF
The labor of the 1850 convicts in the
Sing Sing. Y. Y. prison is to let as fol-
lows: $50 for laundry work. 500 for manu-
featuring clothing. $50 for scanning cloth,
$50 for making shirt and overalls. NJ.