The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-09-20
CONVICT LABOR
ooald Be Employed on the Work
of the Government
BY GRACE OF GROVER CLEVELAND
Ter of a Bill Prohibiting the EN-.
pIoymsnt OF Convict Labor on Pub
lilo Works, Which Passed the Forty.
ninth Congress aud Was Pocket
Vetoed by President Cleveland.

Lho FOIGy -nIubu NTOuRI0Su VIC LOhOHAhk
bill was sent to President Cleveland by
Congress. It had passed beth houses
OF Congress without opposition, in
conformity with the unanimous recon-
Lnendation Of the committee in both
houses having it in charge. This bill
failed by what is known as q pocket
vote-that is, by having failed to Sc
euro the Presidents approval. The
bill was house resolution 5,04l, XLIXth
Congress, first session, and was as fol-
IAN act to present the employment
Of convict labor upon the public build
ings and other public works, and con-
vict labor in the preparation or manu-
tacture Of materials for public build
ingS or other public works, and 70 regu-
late the manner OF letting contracts
therefor.
abe Il enacted by the senate and
house Of Representatives OF the United
states OF American Congress assembled,
that in all advertisements for the cree
ton or construction OF public buildings
orother public works, or for materials
to bo used in their erection, construe-
ton or completion, and for all supplies
Of every description to be furnished TO
or for the use OF any OF the departments,
and in all contracts made under or in
pursuance OF such advertisements, there
shall be inserted 4 condition that no
convict or prison labor whatsoever, or
the product thereof, shall be employed
or used upon any public building or
other public work, or in the prepare
ton or manufacture Of any articles, ma
terialS or supplies contracted 10 DO fur
nished therefor; and there shall also be
inserted in Said contract the further
condition that no person who ID Q boni-
hde resident within the limits OF the
United States, aud who has not declared
his intention to become citizen there.
Of in the manner provided by Law, shall
be employed in the erection, construc-
ton or completion OF any public build
ing or other public work.
'tSection 2. That any Eillful breach Of
any Of said conditions by any contractor
shall authorize and work forfeiture OF
the contrset, and shall constitute COM
plet0 defense in bar against any claim
or action against the United States for
the recovery OF any sum or sums under
said contract; and it shall be the duty
etthe officer letting any such contract,
upon being advised that any contractor
has knowingly violated the terms Of
such contract, to declare the same for
Nieited."
y As bearing on his probable reasona
for refusing his assent 10 this bill, the
following passage from President Cleve-
lands message to Congress in Decem-
Der, 1886, is Of interest. Discussing the
adviSdbility Of building separate prisons
for United States prisoners, no says:
with prisons under It's own control,
The government could deal with the
somewhat yexed question of convict
labor, 90 far as its convicts were con-
earned, according to aplan Of its own
adoption and with due regard TO the
rights and interests Of our laboring cit
liens, instead Of sometimes aiding in
the operation OF . system which causes
among them irritation and discomfort.
Upon consideration OF this subject
II might bo thought wise to erect moro
than one Of these Institutions, located
in such places as would best subserve
the purposes Of conveniences and econ
emy in transportation. The considers
BILE cost of maintaining these convicts,
al at present, in state institutions would
b saved by the adoption OF the plan
proposed, and by employing them In
the manufacture Of such articles a. we're
needed for use by the government.
quite large pecuniary benefit would
be realized in partial return for our out
The senate committee on education
and labor, in recommending the palsGge
Of the bill, reported as follows:
1.-THE purpose OF this bill is to provide
that tho expenditure OF the moneys,
taken by taxation from the American
people, upon the public works Of the
United States, whether for wages or
materials which are created by labor,
and therefore substantially as whole
are really paid out Of the national treas.
ufy for labor, ehall be paid to honest
and respectable American citiEens, or
10 those who, having resided in our
country ak months, shall have declared
their intention to become our fellow
citizens.
1.-THE practice prevails largely along
the line OF Canada and elsewhere to pay
ont the appropriations for rivers and
harbors, public buildings and for other
public purposes, 10 cheap labor from
abroad, which Immediately returns
whence IL came, and to convict labor, or
for materials produced by such labor,
to the exclusion OF our own people and
to those who avail themselves Of the un-
clean profits derived from the halt.paid
toll Of the criminal classes"
In connection with this subject Of re-
form Of prison methods. 1t is q striking
coincidence to md Hon. Charles F.
Peck, commissioner oil labor Of the state
Of New York, approvingly quoted by
Democratic committee Of the Demo-
cratic house OF the Forty.eighth Con.
kress. Mr.. Peck was then newly APP
pointed to the Office Of commissioner Of
labor by Governor Grover Cleveland, Of
New York, and there was no one who
suggested then that he was disloyal to
the governor when he made these crit
ieisms. The committee on labor of the
house Of the Forty-eighth Congress, re-
poFtinR on bill 70 prohibit the hiring
or contracting Of convict labor to pri-
yate individuals, says:
tHon. Charles F. Peck, commissioner
OF the bureau Of labor statistics Of the
state OF New York, in his report of jan
uary 10, 1884. says:
''NotwithItanding the fact that this
order was made by the attorney gene
Fal Of the United states'-
aThO order sending TO the several
paaGl Institutions Of the state its con.
viet4--
!. Tadsr lay Of eongEe's, I Va, IN.