Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1891-09-14

Bellevue Herald, 18th
II is charged that the State prison
labor Is let out to one E. $. Chase, It
City cents per man per day. Dan
Harrington, of Bellevue. State Score.
tary of the K. OF L., who was wide
awake in the labor cause. indit-d the
following letter 70 the Attorney Gen.
eral in regard to the matter:
BELLEvus. IDAHO, Aug. 23i
GEN. GEO. Fl. RosERrs, Attorney
General, Boise City, ldaho.-DEAR
SIR:-l here With enclose newspsp~r
to which l beg respectfully
to call your attention, believing the
matter therein referred to b. contrary
to law. aud you, 10 your double caps.
city. the proper person to deal with
l would 30 much pleased to have
your assurance that the subject will
have your attention, that ] may b.
ahle to present Il to those on whose
behalf | write, that unnecessary irri.
txtion may be aliayed.
Respectfully vours,
DAN. HARRINGTON.
Sec. State Assembly K. off,, Of Ida.
Tho clipping rrferrsd to i" the l~t.
TOT Of NJ. Harrington reads - follows:
r. s. Chase, of this city, who 10
working tho penisentisry stone quarry
at Boise ON contract, employs fifteen
c"nvicts for whom he pays tho State
fifty cents PEI man per day. This
beats even Chinese cheap labor I'll to
smash, aud our TOW nsmAn should get
rich It that rate Of wages. Especi.
ally ~ such "soft snap'' cannot last
very long-nos il the labor unions get
to know Of ;s.-Hailey Times.
In response to tho letter of Mr..
Harrington tho doughty Attorney
General prints an open letter in the
newspapers. column long, written
in his usual rhapsodical style. without
once qu'*'"g any law in the matter
or attempting to answer the charge
that priso" labor has been farmed out
at fifty cents per day. He appears to
be very thin skinned and highly in
dig"ant that . citizen representing q
vast army of free labor in Idaho should
have the temeritv to investigate this
change through him. Why 10 sho, Id
Ct On his hi. b horse and rant around
IN unseem'"R style because Of an in
"ocent application for information
from one of his constituents, is more
than We can say. He is one Of the
State Prison Buard, aud should not
jump out Ut his skin when an inquiry
,nto prison matters is instituted. The
Board consists of the Governor, Sec
rotary Of State aud Attorney General,
y no are respectively and respectful,
N. 8. Wiley, A. J. Pinkham aud G.
H. Roberts. II q contract has been
made which is inimicsl to the cause OF
free labor, and outside of the pale OF
law. they are responsible to the PEG.
pie for such action.
W. contend that the practise Of
farming out prison labor Vt one.6fth
the rate for free labor. is an outrage
and injustic- to any branch of lshos
upon which it encroaches, and is with.
out the sanction of lawful authority.
When people obey the laws AMI pay
their taxes, It is done for tho proteo.
tion Of law in their persons, property
ADD business pursuits. 1t is in the
nature of . contract. When prison
labor is brought into open competition
with free labor, . lawful business pur>
suit is attacked by the STATE, aud the
is broken. 1t will not do tor
the General to attempt M evasion Of
the question by bowling out, in his
usual tervid style that MIR. Harring,on's
letter -mbod,es the "vo,ce of dema>
Rogue." II demaRoRy exists, it will
be found, in our humble opinion, in
that ~vss,ve aud high, flown letter Of
the Generals aud not in q modest
note from q private citizen, asking in-
struction and protection from one who
was placed in the highest legal station
by the people to protect them, one
and oil, in their constitutional rights.
OF course, prisoners should he kept
ut hard labor. TIE law e"joins it.
Let the quarry be worked BY the state,
and whatever Of profit there is in thu
labor of the convicts would i"ure TO
the state. Let walls be built, new
buildings be erected, and the neces.
sary work be done. aud then if extra
supplies of prepared rock is left on
hand, let it he sold at the same market
prize to builders as that furnished by
free labor. Any other course pur.
sued would work an injustice, all the
speciou~ bowling Of the Attorney Gen
eral to the contrary notwithstanding
+. S.-Since the above article WAS
placed in type. it is learned that sew
efal PRICE fights have heen she,ted