The Portland daily press., 1889-02-06
Prison Labor and the Carriage
Makers.

The State Prison committee held hear
ing this afternoon ON Senator Rand's bill to
repeal the law passed two years ago to di-
vide up.the work in the State Prison so as to
relieve the carriage and harness manufac-
turers of the state from the competition. A
delegation of manufacturers from various
parts of the State were present: Mr. Fred
Thompson of Portland, FL. B. Jordan of
Portland, William McAleney of Portland,
Hiram Clark of Augusta, w. H. Davis of
Ellsworth. j. f. Hall of Rockland.
Mr.Hill told of the opposition of the prison
as felt by the carriage makers of Rockland.
He said the prison managers used barter
system by which they exchanged carriage
work for prison supplies. This 'dicker"
system had demoralized the carriage busi-
ness OF Rockland and was driving the free
crrriage makers of Rockland out.
Mr.. William McAleney of Portland spoke
OF the serious effect prison labor has upon
the harness business in Portland. He
thought the convict, should be kept at some
unskilled labor like brickmaking or on the
roads. He said that seven.eighths of the
bricks in Maine were made by Nova Scotians.
1t would do no harm If the convicts were
brought into competition with these foreign
ers. Mr.. McAleney said he felt pride in
being harness maker and he did not like to
see conyicts working at the trade.
Mr. Fred Thompson OF Portland managed
the hearing for the manufacturers, opening
ii with quite long argument against the re-
peal of the law. He said he came to demand
of the committee that his business be not in
terfered with by the State, or at least that
In It's decline the Maine carriage business
should not be obliged to maintain the whole
convict population Of the State Prison. Mr..
Thompson showed that the National govern
ment, that Canada and New York State all
discouraged the use Of convict goods; He
showed from the statistics of Carroll d..
Wright, that the influence of convict labor is
fairly paralyzing on some trades; and then
cited authority to show the necessity of di-
viding up the work of convicts. Mr.. Thomp-
son thought also that the work of the prison
should be largely Of a reformatory nature,
and he cited authorities to show that refor-
nation could not take place where the con-
victs are worked for profit. Mr. Thompson
said latest reports showed that there were in
of whom, until lately, there were "a
convicts employed. Mr.. Thompson thought
il best for the prisoners that the work they
do should be principally hand work. Mr..
Thompson fortified his position by quota
tion from labor reports of several States, all
tending to show that the present law should
be retained.
Senator Rand spoke in favor of his bill.
giving the result of his experience at the
State Prison committee of the Governors
council. senator Hunt, chairman OF tne
committee, is also an ex-councillor, and his
opinions are decidedly in favor of more free
dom for the warden and inspectors in man.
aging the prison. The law dividing the
labor up worked loss to the prison, and
Mr.. Rand thought it should be repealed.
The various carriage men assailed Mr..
kand's position, and there was lively and
informal debate in which the whole question
was brought into play. This only showed
the wide divergence between the ideas of the
prison authorities and the carriage makers.
| The carriage men say they cannot stand the
competition OF the prison and Mr.. Rand and
the prison people say the prison won't pay
unless the convicts can be put at the work
that they have most facilities for.
The Lobster Law.
Senator Hunt presented the petition of w
| G. Matthews. ct ais, of Lincolnville. asking
for a repeal of the.law for ,close time on lob,
sters. Senator Nash presented the petition OF
F. S. Stevens and others on the same matter
| Senator Burgess presented the petition Of
| G. F. Elvells and Others, of R. S. Babbidee
| and 80 others; r. T. Carver and e2 others or
same. Senator Austin presented the remon,
| STRANGE of William N. Child and others O,
Damarscotta against any change in lobster
| laws
In the House Mr.. Written, of Portland