St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-18
The WORLD OF WORK
Why the Molders Of Still
water Inaugurated the
Recent Strike.
A Labor Homily on the Effect
Of Convict Labor on Jul
VenileS.
Past and Future Events
Among the Artisan Class
Of st. Paul.
Industrial Gossip Gathered
From Many Minneapolis
Sources.

The letter In regard to convict labor
which appears in this department to-
day, is printed at the request of the
holders unions throughout the state.
The trouble which that trade has had at
Saltwater for the past season may serve
as sort of object lesson to those who
are not converSant with the objections
to prison contract labor and the attitude
of organized labor toward the system.
their grievances before the trade and
labor assemblies of Minneapolis and st.
Paul. They received the hearty in
dorsement of both bodies, which repre-
sent total of 10000 organized work
ingmen. Financial as we'll as moral aid
has been pledged should the molders
find it necessary 10 appeal for funds.
Such action is significant of the deep in
terest which all classes Of laborers take
in the convict labor problem.
1t will be remembered that four years
ago organized labor succeeded in secur-
ing the adjustment of the convict con-
tract system. No attempt was ever
made to replace it by any other system,
and the warden Of the prison nearly
year afterwards declared that he did
not know that the contract system had
been abolished. Under pretenSe Of a
lack of funds the prison management
delayed trying any other system, al
though about that time the farmers be-
gan to take an interest in the question
and agitate the manufacture of binding
Irvine. at the last session of the legis-
lature the contract system was partially
replaced.
For the last two years the Farmers
Alliance has displayed more interest In
prison labor, not SO much because they
are Interested in the controversy be-
tween convict and free labor, but rather
that they want to get away from the
Irvine trust and have binding Irvine
manufactured at Saltwater. But though
their motives differ somewhat, the ALL
ance and State Fedora ion are agreed
that considerable reform is needed in
prison methods.
rOp
APP eeos of this discussion Chairman
McGhes. OF the legislative lyceum, an
nOunc that the next meeting will be
held T esday evening, and the subject
for debate will be methods of Utilizing
members of the house and senate have
organized the lyceum, yet the meetings
will be open to all who desire to attend,
and special invitation is extended to
members of the State Federation of La
Dor and other industrial organizations.
The labor department is in receipt Of
a communication In regard to the pro-
posed free text book law. 1t is too long
for publication, but the argument adj
vanced is of some interest. The writer
is prominent Alliance man, and gives
notice that free texts books will not be
popular with the farmer unless issued
under certain conditions. 1t is claimed
that the school book trust is anxious to
have the state issue text books rather
than have individuals or boards buy
them. The trust regards it as stroke
of business. if the idea of the various
organizations is to elude the book trust,
then the issue of free text books should
be made under conditions that will Sc
cure economy to buyers and give the
trust no opportunity to flourish. The
suggestion is made that the law provid-
ing free text books should give each
county control of its own purchases. and
there should be uniformity only in each
county. This feature of the matter
will be considered by the State Fedora
ton legislative committee.