Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-09-28
COOPERS ANGERED.
They Emphatically Oenounce
Gov. Fifer.
THEIR sCATHING ATTACHMENT.

With Violation of the state Constitutions
The Way state Institutions Have Been
Run.
The International Cooper's Exchange
has declared war on Gov. Filter snd his
associates in the executive department of
the state government. all of whom have
been found guilty of fostering and nurtur>
ing the convict labor system. as though it
was a pet Infant industry" in violation
of the state constitution. The state ad-
ministration has been arraigned by the
Anti Convict Labor association, whose
lawyer was Gov. Oglesoy's secretary.
Further proof is now submitted by the
International Coopers' Exchange, sn
Influential organization. which issues an
address in reply 10 the recent utterances
of the Joliet penitentisry commissioners.
The officers of the exchange characterize
the action of Mr.. Filters commissioners
as "tefogging effort" to refute the
charges already made and substan-
tiated by Judge Altgeld. The cons
missioners ere denounced for their
anxiety to sshift the responsibility onto
onto the legislature when they ought to
know, and doubtless do know, that the
November ?. 1866, having majority of
over 19. coo votes says that hereafter it
shall be unlswfd for the commissioners
of the penitentIaries or of the Tefoima
tories of this state to let by contrsc: TO
any person or persons, corporation or
corporations, the labor of any convict
confined within said institutions.
Falsifying the Facts,
In the face of this constitutional pro-
vision" The address continues. you fall
sify the facts when you tell the people
that 7ou are more than anxious and will
ing TO carry out the constitutional amend
ment in letter and spirit" Then the ad
dress says:
The amendment to the constitution
was voted on New. 2, 1856, and adopted
by over 10 600 votes on Nov. 2, 1886, the
governor issued his proclamation declar-
ing the amendment TO be part of the
of Illinois. Prior TO the
adoption. the commissioners, anticipate
ing the adoption of the amendment 10
the constitution. entered into contracts
with contractors to continue for eight
years. How willing and more than
anxious the commissioners were To
enforce the amendment let the
people Judge. November 10. 1856. IA
days after the people of this state said
that no convict should be let to contrsc-
tors YOU lie; the labor OF 25 convicts for
the period of eight wears.
Republican SkuIldugSery Exposed,
In 1889 you commenced operations
under what is known as piece-pTice con-
tract, which is The pro iuct of the labor
ana skill" of prisoners in The peniten>
tiary. Prior to t1e adoption of the
it was let by contract-''the |
labor of convicts." What beautiful |
piece of skuI-duggery that is. The
product of the labor ana skilP' OF pris- |
oners in tie penitentisry, when the law
says you shall no; let by contract the
labor of conyicts.
AS TO the lea entered by the commits |
sioners in justification OF their action, the
coopers assert that the spirit of the con-
stituIional amendment was not so much |
to make the penal Institutions of this |
state self-sustainiDg as it was to afford |
some relief to honess free labor which |
was driven to the wall by ruinous compe-
tilion with the prison contractor"
The convict must pay his way" tays
the penitt ntisry commissioners. Moth |
ing but your blood money is acceptable.
IN order that the state may not become
bankrupt" And Gov. Fifer and his
commissioners both exclaim In the same
breath. I'VE can point with pride to the
management of the Joliet penitentiary
which has been a source of prof, TO the
state" and to the prison rings.
Say the Commissioners Lie.
The commissioners say committee of
the employing cooIers met them and af-
ter a long discussion of the question Of
fered no other solution than The forming
of a trust with Director Winterbothem. |
This is willful perversion of the facts. |
The coopers of Illinois would not believe |
Winterbotham under oath, and as far as |
entering into an agreement with him is |
concerned, it would not be entertained |
for one moment, as he has baselv violated !
an agreement made June. 1886, which |
agreement was signed by J. II. Winter |
botham & Son and the coopers to this
effect: That in consideration of the
coopers not striking against prison bar
rels at the stock yards they, Winter
botham & Sons, would agree to limit
their output one half. which would mean
that they would make only 500 pack
ages day at joliet and the same
number at Michigan City, Ind, and
that rs his contract expired he would
not renew them. This contract was
drawn ur by Winterbothsm & Sons
and submitted to the coopers. a copy of
which we still possess. They kept this
agreement but q few months, when they
contracted with % more convicts as the
warden's report to the Thirtieth general
Assembly will show They resorted to