New-York tribune., 1890-04-30
TRYING TO ISJURE EX-SENATOR PLATx
BAsELEss REPORTS SENT NORTH ABOUT HIS IN;
r-rprsrty CONVICT I.RoR IN TENNESSEE

BAsELEss REPORTS SENT NORTH ABOUT HIS IN;
TEREST IN CONVICT LABOR IN TENNESSEE
Nashville, April 90 fspeciaD.-The dispatches that
have sent from here recently to "The NewYork
Herald in reference to employment Of convict abore
by tho Tennessee Coal and Iron Company were written
for q purely political purpose, that is. to njure o.
annoy Thomas C.. Platt, president OF the company.
This is the only reasonable and satisfactory ex.
PLANTATION of them. The author, rather those who
inspired him. could have had other object In view.
since they knew perfectly well that the absurd state
mcnts which appear In the articles would have
absolutely no weight here with sensible people, either
Republicans or Democrats, and In no way affect the
interests Of the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company.
How unsubstantal the charges made may best
be by brief statement OF the facts in the
1t is true that the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company
leases the convcts Of the state and has done for
dozen years or more, with the approval Of both
political parties. There is issue whatever In the
matter and never since the system Of letting
out prisoners started In 157i by Governor Brown.
All classes Of citizens save a few doctornaires.
from tmo to time have agreed that Il
was the best plan that Could b
apopted, and effort OF any importance
has even been made to substitute something else in
place Of the one in vogue The Legislature fixes
the minimum price at which the prison labor Of the
state leased For years this has been $780, 900.
Cherry, Morrow & Co., the wellknown manufacturers
Of this city, the first lessecs and they paid this
sum for five six years. Then the Tennessee Coal
Company obtained the contract at the same figure.
The company and Cherry, Morrow Co. had
understanding by which the latter should suitcase the
convlcts in the Nashville Pcnitcntiary, who not
permitted by law to be worked outside Of the city
limits. The firm has done this from year to year,
employing the prisoners in various departments Of
manufacture. 1t will be from this that the CON-
pany has really nothing TO do with the convtcts at
work in this city, AS to the alleged iltrcatment Of
convicts 1t is only necessary that the legislative
committee whose duty 1t is to examine this subject
reported to the legislature recently adjourned that tie
treatment Of convicts by the company most
humane and satisfactory in every respect
II I, not true, as alleged that Mr.. Platt and General
Alger control The American This paper belongs
to W. VI. Duncan and Spared Ill., who acquired pos.
of the property years before they ever any
interest in the railroad company.
Mr.. Platt discussed the subject last night in this
way These stories Inspired by my predecessors
in the management OF the Tennessee Coal and Iron
Company. John H. Innan a. ". shook and Nathaniel
Baxter and require little attention The policy Of
employing convict labor inauguraed by my prede-
cessors consequently whatever they against IT is
reflection upon themselves. Ny own view on the
subject expressed III my annual report TO the
pay Is that the leasing of conyicts by the company
never had the effect Of reducing its employment Of
free labor, but quite the contrary. With average
OF 200 convcts In the cOmpany's mines IL eni-
ploys separately and without their coming in contact
with each other about $500 free laborers who arc
paid the current wages allowed by other companies for
similar work The past year has been Il some
luctuation ID the value OF products, and wages
OF employees have been anicaly adjusted by sliding
scales based the selling price Of the iron at the
furnaces.
Hr Of he
division, reports that the convict department is in
first rate condition. The well treated in
good health and cheerful and contented Their tasks
easily performed neatly all Of them extra
money every day, some Of item as much as $50 .
month, which is paid "a them In money by each
month. The prisons large, we'll ventilated
and Lighted, and arranged with strict regard to proper
sanitary precautions. They Dc their work well and
regularly
The alleged quarrel between Mr. Plat and General
Ager was mentioned. "I have never thought ii
worth my while- said the ex-senator, to reply to tie
attacks Of your energetic contemporary. ] only
say in this that the story is bundle Of lies
Governor Alger resigned as a director of the company
on January :, and there has been no meeting sire
that time when the vacancy could possibly be filed
His letter was in these terms:
~ have heretofore and without solicitation on my
part been elected director in the above company and
not having had opportunity . with the board
since my election beg TO tender my resignation as
@ @ Pss accept & %s %g s @s s.Rs e.
when he elected a month before, and no
holds still all the stock lie ever owned lie Is able
and satisfied to keep II a. he has great faith In the
value Of the property.
There meeting Of the board today Mr..
Plat added but II had nothing 20 do with the rcsg
Of Governor Aleer. The annual report
and the meeting adjourned until tomorrow, without
having done anything more than consider in general
way the affairs Of the company"
The annual report shows profit OF s77994j In tho
fiscal year and. after the payment 9f interest, dlvi-
dendS the preferred stock and Of floating debt an
unapproprsted balance OF S327.573. which Is equal
to 3 2-3 per cent on the common stock. The whole
amount was expended in improving the property.