Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-02
Prison Labor Again.


EDS. RECORD UNION: In an article of
yesterday, wherein we criticised some state
ments made by an editorial in your journal,
we think we succeeded in showing by COM
petent evidence that in California the out
put of the prisons, so far as it consists of
granite, rough or dressed, or of sash, doors
and blinds, does have material effect upon
freemen engaged in those industries But,
you say, further, that whatever the labor
of convicts contribute to their support, that
much lessons taxation and nearly all taxa
ton is visited upon the consumers of pro-
ducts, among whom. of course, are the
workingmen who object to convict labor"
1t don't make any difference under our
present social or fiscal system, in what
manner the tax is levied it must ultimately
come from the consumer. and the man of
MILAN dollars eats or wears very little
more than his humble neighbor who works
by the day. The greater part by far of the
consumption of products known as staple
is by the working people. Where do they
gain when the earnings of the prisons is
less than two per cent. of the cost of their
maintenance? Should an institution like
Folsom prison throw out of work three
hundred freemen and inevitably lower
the wages of the remainder. could you ex-
plain to the men out of Job or to him who
works for debased wages, where the saving
came in as far as he was concerned? Is it
not fact that large number of the prisons
in the United States, and notably those in
California, haze been managed in the in
terests of private parties, who have eaten
all the meat. while the State has sucked
the bones?
We have seen many quotations now and
again from Brockway, Wines and other
men who are interested in prison manage
ment, but can they tell you that the factory
that employs 1000 or 5000 men in the
manufacture of shoes, for instance, does
not debase the value of the shoemak er's
labor in that particular locality? What
do these pedants and philosophers, who
have all their lives " soft BERTH" whose
success depends upon the notoriety they
can acquire as penologists, what do they
know or care that their pet scheme brings
a lower grade of living to the industrious
freeman? Do they go to consult him.
have they ever in their lives stood at
bench for years hard labor? Not at all,
but they are the statisticians to which we
are always referred Is the experience of
the quarrymen and practical Stone-cutters
OF no value in determining such ques-
ton as this? We suggest that it is the
very best evidence attainable to the right
decision of the matter. There is another
grave wrong involved in the employment
of Folsom convicts in the quarrying and
dressing of stone, viz: There is continu-
Gus training-school whose pupils are being
recruited every year from the worst of the
people, who will graduate at the expiration
OF their college course to roam over the
State and take work at any price from the
mechanic who has always been honest
Is that just? Shall we shut our eyes to the
fact that honesty and industry have some
rights? And what will be the inevitable
consequence in the course of say ten
years? Will it not be that there will be
some reproach fastened permanently upon
the trade, and will not every man who is a
stonecutter be regarded by the public as a
possible ex.convict? There are men in
every community, and they constitute the
| majority who live virtuous lives, keep un-
spotted regulations, enjoy the esteem and
respect of all their neighbors, rear families
who are a credit to themselves and to the
State, who never learned trade Why
this solicitude for the thief, the highway
| man, the burglar, the forger, the seducer,
| the sneaks of the earth, who are all crimi-
| nails, because they despise work and the
men who work? The jute mill in each
| prison furnishes the remedy in California,
| for if all the prisoners were put to work
| and kept continuously at this industry,
they could not manufacture five per cent.
of the regular annual demand This pro-
duction would be as it has been, check to
the rapacity of dealers in jute goods, and
| would in every way be an undoubted bene-
BIT to the farmers of the State, and there
fore to the people generally.
We desire to thank you again for the use
| of your space, and appreciate your fairness
in giving as this privilege. Very truly
yours, WILLIAM L. QUAILEY,
PETER ROBERTS,
Stonecutters Committee