The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-04-02
coNv1crs AND THEIR LABOR.

Vie new OOarQ OF directors OIL Ln0
Penitentiary under the law re-
Gently enacted by the Legislature, e
quiring that institution to be made
self-sustaining, made a contract with
the Wetmore Shoe and Leather Co.,
of this city, hiring to that company
35 to 800 convicts at so cents each per
day for a term Of ten years to be
worked in their Shoe Factory. This
company is strong financially and was
recently organized, absorbing the
Wetmore Company, which has been
operating a Shoe Factory in this city
giving employment to about 40 white
men and girls. A majority Of these,
we learn, r to be discharged and
the machinery has been transferred to
the penitentiary, where the new com
pany proposes to prosecute the bust
ness on a large scale.
Mr.. Josephus Daniels, editor of the
State Chronicle desiring to publish the
views of several officials and citizens
On this subject called on The Pro
GREssIvE FARMER and was replied to
as follows and which we clip from his
columns:
"Col. L. L. Polk, editor of The
PROGRESSIVE FARMER, says: -'"'
A system for making the Peniten-
tiary se~lf-sustaining is a difficult prob
lem and has greatly troubled many Of
the States. And no one phase of it
has caused more dissatisfaction than
the attempt &c solve it by employing
the conviets in the capacity of mechan-
les in various manufacturing enter
-pFises. Here, it comes in direct com
petition with wage-labor-the most
sensitive and the most jealous Of all
the forms of labor" 1t seems to me
that the true policy Of the State should
be to encourage and foster diversified
industries among our people, and hence
It should carefully guard against any
policy which would tend to discour-
age or to impair individual effort and
enterprise. Every citizen should feel
that its government is it's friend and
protector in any honest and legitimate
effort to make an honest living.
Our State cannot afford to antago-
nize this just principles 1t should not
. place its resources and power in COM
petition with private or individual
effort and particularly would it be I'M
fortunate if it should do so in such
way that it would be Justly charge
able with monopolistic design. Such
a course would have a most depressing
and injurious effect on the energies
and enterpriseAof our people.
In this case how will the action of
the Directors be regarded by theShoe
Manufactures of Arehdale, Thomas:
vile, Fayetteville and other establish
ments, and by the thousands of shoe
makers all over henState Z Suppose
the Wetmore Company shall employ
800 of the convicts, as l learn they
have the right to do under their con
tract with the Directors? This, of
course precludes the employment Of
just that number of good citizens.
What is to become of the men now
engaged in that line of industry?
They know nothing else. 1t is their
only means of living. All of them
are poor. Many of them are among
III best and most law-abiding people.
Many of them are too old to learn an
other trade. Shall the State say to
them: q" 1t is your misfortune and not
my fault that you have no other
means of support, but l have a class
of criminals on my hands which CAPT
talists can utilize by learning them
your trade and selling the products of
their labor"
1 am thoroughly convinced that it
is wrong and unjust. 1t is a danger
step. / do not believe that the
State should make the Penitentiary a
training school, in which, to learn its
most vicious and dangerous and most