The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-01-01
CONVICT LABOR.

A Perniclous Policy Detrimental to lzdus.
trial Interests, Which WIN Force Wa1e-
Workers Into Idleness.
One Of the great problems Of the age
is, how criminals can be utilized 80 as
to pay all the expenses incident to In
generation and at the same time create
q revenue for the state. In some Of
the states the problem has been solved,
and crime has been made to pay its
way, and add materially to the reve-
nues of the state.
According to the census report there
were in the penitentiaries of the United
States in 1890. As, 1913 criminals Of all
grades, from the sneak thief to the de-
faulting cashier. In 1880 there were
IS, 5Ss convicts in the penitentiaries Of
the country; an increase, in ten years,
of 9.695.
OF the As. 1888 convicts, 1.791 are fee
males, leaving 43, 442 males. If we de-
duct 10 per cent from the males be-
cause Of incapacity for work, we have
S9,09S robust cut-throats, burglars.
thieves-in q word, criminals of high
and low degree, at work in various en-
pigments, producing wares, in COM
petition with honest, law-abiding work.
ing men, making crime pay, and earn
ing revenue for the state.
To accomplish this end. penitenti-
aries are being transformed into great
industrial institutions The state
equips them with the most improved
machinery, then assigns men to various
contractors, who grow rich off OF
criminal muscle and skill, and from
the same source the state secures
small revenue.
The states, at least some of them,
exercise toward their convicts the
greatest possible consideration. The
penitentiaries are palaces such as poor
men, who obey the law, cannot expect
to inhabit The inmates Of these pa
latial institutions are provided with an
cooked and served at regular hours
They are in many instances supplied
with books; the most slxillful physicians
are employed to look after their health.
and ministers of the gospel are called
to attend to their spiritual wants
Regular hours are observed, cleanli-
ness commanded, and sanitary science
is called upon to- protect the criminals
against disease.
We have on our tables the reports Of
two penitentiaries, having 1919 prison
ers. OF these 1880 are employed in
various manufacturing establishments,
and the wages the contractors, pay for
their labor is, given as follows.
In the manufacture of hollow ware
$50 men were employed. 100 at 60 cents
day, 100 at So cents a. day and So at
40 cents a day.
In the manufac ture Of saddle trees
100 men were. employed at IS cents q
day.
In the manufacture of brush and
wire goods 100 men were employed at
43 cents q day.
In the manufacture of cooperagc 1875
men were employed at 60 cents a day,
and IS at IS cents q day.
In the manufacture of chairs. frames
and furniture $50 men, were employed
at so cents, day. and SO at So cents a.
day.
In the manufacture of boots, and,
shoes $50 men were employed at So
cents day.
In the manufacture of knitted fabrics
200 men were employed; at A. cents
day.
men were employed at As cents,ad day
and rs at 43 cents day. There are
seven different prices, paid, ranging
from 40 cents to 60 cents a day.. as, fol-
lows: 60, So. IS, 4S, As and 40. the aver
age being 40 81 cents day.:
The cost Of maintaining the convicts
is set down at about 80 cents a day;
hence, the profit per. day for each man
is say II cents day for the. state It
will be seen, therefore, that the, profit
to the state would be $50, 700, a. year.
Assuming that the labor performed
by these prisoners at Accents a. day is
worth outside.of prison. walls, 81. Is a
day. it is seen that the contractors OBJ
tain convict labor at 76.cents, a. day less
than honest labor is worth. It follows
therefore, that while those whoemploy
honest workingmen equal to the num-
Der Of the employed convictsb Of the
penitentiaries referred to, viz: 1.23O at
81. asa day each, or 81, 537.5O a day for
the whole number, the prison contract
ors would pay 40 cents q day.. each, or
for, l. 2SO, $6Oa 70 day, a clear gain to.
the contractors of 81, 03A so q day, and
Tor year OF 300 working. days. $40 400
With such margin of profit it is
seen. how prison manufactured wares
can. be placed upon the market in COM
petition with goods manufactured by
honest, men, and while making a profit
Tor the contractors, utterly destroy the
trade, of honest men. and force them in
to idlenesa
Here It is seen that the state and the
contractors make a. clear profit off con-
vict labor in one year, amounting TO
8Sz1. zoo, the state receiving $50, TOO and
the contrac tors $40. 400, the total rep.
rssenting profit resulting from the
reduction Of wages.
In support Of this policy variety OF
reasons are assigned: First that the
state needs the revenue to tighten the
burdens Of taxation; second, that the
health of convicts demand that they
should be employed.
Manifestly the state needs revenue,
bu there can arise no contingency
which warrants the manufacture OF
goods by eonvicts, which forces honest
men into i6feness want hauuarv and