Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-29
CONV|CTS ON LEASE,
Both Parties Preparing tC
Show Up Horrors for
Political Effect. +
CAMERON HAS AWAKENED
And Excites Comment by Holding a
Conference With Malone.
NEITHER is COMMUNICATIVE,
Minister Fgans Coming visitto Washington
discussed.
rnccrp prniTIyn TN nur nIprnIY
CAMERON HAS AWAKENED
NEITHER is COMMUNICATIVE.
Minister Fgan's Coming Visit to Washington
discussed.
GOSSIP FLOATING IN THE CAPITAL
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT

preparation of a mass of matter concerning
the convict labor leasing system in the
States of the South that is expected to be OF
great benefit to the party among the labor
ing classes of the country. Much of it has
been collected and arranged by the Con-
gressionsl Committee, with view to its
use in the Congress districts where it will
do the most good, but it was thought upon
further consideration that it would prove a
good card to play in the interests of the
national candidates.
The facts collected show a really horrible
condition of affairs under the convict leas
ing system; that the treatment of the pris
oners is as brutal as ever it was in the
countries of the Old World after the estab.
ishment of the penal colonies; that the
death rate among them is almost if not
quite equal to that of the Russian exiles to
Siberia; that the men are really bought and
sold as though they were chattel slaves, to
say nothing of their taking the places of
thousands of free laborerg who would get
WORK at good wages if it were not for the
convicts who crowd them out and lower the
wage rate for the entire region affected.
The Democrats, however. do not propose
to look indifferently on the use of this
damaging material They also are engaged
in a still hunt after convict labor facts in
Washington and Nebraska, the two North
ern and Republican States in which the sys-
tenn of convict leasing still obtains. They
say that the conditions in these States are
had in IF ba
States, and that in all, or nearly all, of the
Northern States there is system of leasing
inmates of penitentiaries to private con-
tractors who make large profit out of their
labor, who food the country with prison
made goods, thus lowering the price of the
articles and depriving free labor of the op-
portunity to make them.
As member of the Democratic Congress
sional Committee said to-day: 81 don't
think the Republican Committee will get
much benefit from its working the convict
labor mine. In this system the Democratic
and the Republican States are tarred with
the same stick. If the Republican State
Governments don't work the convicts in the
mines, or out of doors, they do indoors
They lease them to contractors, furnish the
machinery, and board and clothe them for
the use of the capitalists who lease them.
Premiums Paid for Convicts.
The National Government under all sorts
of administrations sends those who are con-
vIcted of crimes against the laws, of the
United States to State penitentiaries in the
North, where they are leased to contractors,
and it is even said that a premium is offered
by State penitentiaries to induce the Gov
ernment to patronize this or that institution
in the distribution of its criminals 1t is a
matter that will hurt both parties the more
it is ag itated, and it would be better to leave
it out of the programme altogether.
Senator Cameron has not been the subject
Of great deal of gossip lately, and has not
been supposed to be lying awake of nights
to accomplish any great good for his
party. 1t is a common saying that the
Senator only gets excited in politics once in
six years, when he is a candidate for re-
election. He raised commotion to-day,
however.
In the broad sunlight of publicity, in the
cozy bay-windowed rooms at Chsmberlain's,
where even the passers by in the streets
could see him, he sat in a prolonged and
close conference with the great and only
Malone, of Virginia To say that there
was much guessing as to the meaning of it
all, is putting it very weakly. Neither of
the gentlemen are communicative.
Both Were Uncommunicative.
One might as we'll try to interview an
Egyptian mummy as to get q word out of
either of them in regard to the real purpose
of any act of theirs. When asked biuntly
to-day what they were talking about, there
was the silence of the grave for space of
time, and then Malone said grimly that
they had been trying to find out how much
they would have been ahead on the North
Carolina Creosote Manufacturing scheme if
e1-Sergeant-at-Arms Canaday had blown
his brains out five years ago.
When asked If they were interested in the
button-holing machine which Canaday was
promoting at tie time he took himself off by
the loaded pistol route, the famous gentlemen
smirked and nudged each other, and CAM
eron murmured something about hoping the
button-holing machine would be in success
ful operation by the time when he will
again become candidate for reelection.
From little things that have been dropped
here and there around the city, it is sur
lIised that the great manipulators were
consulting in regard to the possible ways and
means of wheeling Virginia into the Repub-
hcan line. 1t 10 thought that Cameron has
grown jealous of the fame that has been
fairly won by Mr.. c. L. Magee in his play
to break up the solid South, aud that he is
about to take hand and put up large
amount OF money to carry the old dominion.
Looking Two Years Ahead.
A Senator of the United States is to be
elected two years hence to succeed Huntop,
who was appointed to succeed Barbarour.
and Malone thinks the Legislature NAV be
captured and held long enough to pull him
through. Csmeron's interest in the matter
would be to have his friend in the Senate
once more and also to make the election of
Harrison sure beyond doubt Malone is
said to feel q deep concern for the election
of Harrison also
In the general love feasting occupation of
the leaders of both the Republican and the
Democratic parties Cameron ana Malone
are declared to have eaten some of the
crumbs that fell from the tables, and that
both of them are so full of enthusiasm for
Harrison and Reid that neither Quay nor
Platt can hold candle to them These
are some Of the bits of gossip that have |
started on the rounds since the remark |
able conference of to-day.
Some of the skeptical Democrats who
don't want to believe that there is apy
scheme on foot to Republicanize Virginia |
are cruel enough to insist that the confer |
ence was Tor no greater purpose than to ar |
range for poker game this evening, as both |
gentlemen are prominent members of the |
Senatorial Poker Club; but this is a wholly |
gratuitous surmise, based upon a record |
that the Senator and ex-senator have made |
in the past, and of which they are said to be
rather proud on the quiet In whatever
direction the truth may squint, the Repub-
licans of the States who are here in Office