Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-09-02
CONVICT LABOR.
SPIRIT OF THE LAW VIOLATED BY
THE STATE ADMiNiST RATION.

PEELED TO Compete with Convict Labor
at So Cents a Day.
The journeymen coopers of Chicago
have issued pamphlet in which they
call the attention of the people to the
hardships that have been imposed upon
them by the action of Governor Fifer
and his appointees in forcing them to
compete with convict labor. The pre-
face of the pamphlet has the following:
The ruinous consequences of permit
ing the thousands of convicts to be
contracted out at few cents a. day, and
brought in direct competition with free
labor, had become so great, and the peo-
pie of Illinois had become so aroused
over this wrong that six years ago at a
general election they amended the con-
,titution of this state so as to stop this
lniquity.
1T then was the sworn duty of the
governor and his appointees to faith
fully obey and carry out this fundamen-
tal law, but instead of so doing they
have for six years SO juggled with it
that the evils complained of are today
greater than ever before. The ring of
penitentiary contractors is making vast
fortunes and thousands upon thousands
of free skilled mechanics are in en-
forced idIeness. Hundreds of shops
have been driven out of business and
their proprietors ruined. When the
governor is appealed to to carry out the
law he merely bubbles. Now, how long
shall this continue?''
The pamphlet goes on to give other
Information that ought to be of great
interest What kind of competition is
that which comes from the penitentiary
at Joliet? The man appointed by the
cooperS to investigate this matter got
access to the books in the prison. 1t
took a threat of mandamus proceedings
to get look at those books. The labor
representatives now hold copies of the
contracts made with Mr.. Winterbotham
for the product of prison labor. He
practically controls all that product
The condition that confronts the coop
ers, as reported by T. Johnson, the man
who examined the record for the labor
people, is set out in the pamphlet as
follows:
The state furnishes the contractor
with a full plant, costing. in my estima-
ton, from $25, 900 to $40, 900, to be used
for the purpose. including all necessary
buildings, with no insurance fer the
contractor and free of taxes of all de-
scription. The superintendent of the
cooperage department of the prison said
that with the improved machinery they
are now using 100 convicts could mako
from l, 100 to 1900 tierces day. These
convicts are contracted at 90 and 60
cents a day.
According to these figures a gang Of
100 convicts, costing $3.50 a day, will
make l 100 to 1 200 tierces a day, which,
as it includes the carriage on same is
exactly cents tierce, while with the
same machinery and honest free labor.
the making and carting of a tierce costs
25 cents. or 500 per cent. more than to
make the same package in the prison,
and even then the manufacturer with
free labor is supposed to be taxed and
furnish his own buildings and plant and
pay insurance on the same. About
l 900, 900 packages are used annually in
Chicago. Over go per cent. of the pack
ages used here have been supplied by
the prison, gradually shutting off all
outside of the prison
and throwing their workmen out of en-
ployment, causing fully 1000 men to
suffer for the sake of saving a few dol
lars to the state to be used in keeping
100 criminals alive"
The above is some information from
the workingmen in relation to the way
they are treated by Fffer. We are
aware that he says, now that he needs
votes, that he loves the workingmen.
1t is well that we hear what they have
% say about that love.
Now, are workingmen in earnest in
heir various movements to better their
condition? If they are they will turn
n and assist to eat Fifer by majority
hat will be notice to all coming govern
,rs that the workingmen in this state
we're in earnest when they secured
amendment to prohibit
he letting of convict labor. These
matters can be adjusted peacefully. |
Eifer, on his record, should be beaten
~ at least 100000 votes. And then the |
of Illinois can be sure that |
hey will not be trif1ed with, that con- |
,titutional amendment prohibiting the |
citing of convict labor will not be set |
lside by the miserable and hypocritical |
,retext of contracting for the product |
If that labor.
The ballot, used intelligently and |
will right this matter. The |
understand the situation. |
hey have the facts from their brother |
aborers. Will they now be true to |
and do their duty?-Decatur |
review.
Our Ticket in Cook.