, 1891-08-19

ers, but will 1t be Gone? venture tue
prediction. and | am not disposed to look
upon the gloomy side of the picture.
that the contracts will not be nulliied.
but that the Legislature will attempt to
allay the sentiment in that direction by
dwelling upon the burden the damages
accompanying abrogation would lay
upon the taxpayers. By that time the
miners will be sufficiently hoodwinked
to submit to n disposition of the matter
that will promise them an honest show
in the sweet by and by.
In the meantime the state of New
York is wrestling with the convict labor
question. The shirt and collar industry
is, so far as free labor is concerned, going
to the dogs. The mayor of Troy, which
town is largely a shirt and collar town,
has headed n delegation TO Governor Hill
asking that some relief be given the free
manufacturers from the competition
with the convict labor of Clinton prison.
Governor Hill is in full sympathy with
the business men of Troy, and his record
shows that he is 'forninst" contract con-
vict labor; but, like all the trimmers, he
Is all at sea when it comes TO disposing
of the question. He doesn't see how the
state will be able to employ its prisoners
at self supporting labor and at the same
time avoid conflicting with some bust
ness interest. And statecraft throws
up its hands and Internationally sur
renders before this incomprehensible and
embattled foe.
There is this difference, however, be-
Nwv-aan Fha f1fVtfnn rp1uRp ahfpffnu bars
and the convict miners of Tennessee.
The shirtnakers are not let out to n
contractor, but are state employed, I'M
der a superintendent In some of the
New York prisons the convicts are work
ing for contractors, but in Clinton they
are supposedly working for the state. 1t
is said that a brother of n state sena-
tor is in the deal with the officials.
and that the former cleared up some
thing like S11 900 last year in convict
made shirts and collars. Some of the
Troy business men say the brother racket
is too thin; that the state senator him
self is the man. Can you wonder that
the question of. convict labor is "A diff
cult one for the New York legislator
/ wonder if it ever struck the econo-
mists aud statesmen who are so stumped
by the convict labor question that, while
they are so anxious to- find employment
for a few thousands of convicts, there
are more than n million of poor men
who are not in the pens and are yet ont
of work? This thought suggests several
others. For instance: Do these wise
lawmakers know that when they oppose
legislation to shorter the days labor that
they increase the number of idle hands,
and that idleness breeds crime, that in
turn fills p~enitentiaries? Do they know
that the army of unemployed which
is outside of prison walls is forty
times as great "A burden upon the public
the taNpayers-as would be every con-
vict in the land If unemployed? Dothey
know-but what's the use of s~tringing
out these queries2 They either know
nothing or do not care n continental.
When you go before the world with the
suggestion that the simplest way to dis
pose of criminals is to 30 alter conditions
rs to minimize crime, you are called a
crank, and so you feel like letting things
go to smash; but the misery of the limo
cent stirs you up and you keep on kicking.
los r.