The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-10-15
LEASING CONVIC1'S.
DEMOCRATS INDIFFERENT TO THE
RIGHTS OF WORKlNGMEN.

DEMOCRATS INDIFFERENT TO THE
RIGHTS OF WORklNGMEN.
Conditions in States Where They Have
| Absolute Control Shows Absolute In.
difference to Rights Of Labor-The Con.
vict Leaae System in the South.
Especial Correspondence.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 10.-The working.
men of the country are finding in the re.
cent labor trouble in the south beauti-
full opportunity to judge of the real ami.
mus of tho two political parties toward
labor and laboring people. That the
Democratic party has been the foe of free
labor is q recognized feature Of the earlier
history Of this country, and that it is still
Indifferent to the interests of the labor
ing element must be apparent to any
body who stops to study the situation as
brought sharply into notice by the pres
ent condition Of affairs in tho south.
Word comes frem Tennessee that in spite
Of the promises Of the governor tho con-
ditions Ia regard to the use Of convict
labor in competition with free labor have
not 1T all improved
Absolute Control Shows Real Sent,m emit.
1t is only in the states or localities in
which party has absolute and undis-
puted control for long period that its
real attitude toward any element Of So
ciety is clearly shown. Where the ma
jsrity is slender it is often necessary for
party leaders to hide their real senti-
ments in order to continue their control.
But in the southern states, where they
have had enormous majorities and held
methods, they have shown their entire
disregard of the interests of free labor
and to the labering element generally.
Convict Labor Leased In the "Safe Dem
oorasio" States.
Take the safe" Democratic states of
tho country at large as an example.
There are perhaps dozen which have
been considered absolutely safe to the
Democracy under all circumstances,
located of course In the south.
In ten of these twelve states they have
put convict labor into direct competition
with the workingmen of the state. In
only two Of the safe Democratic states
has the party emitted to show its hos
tility to labor by failing to put convicts
in striped clothing into open competi-
ton with the workingmen. Scattered
all over these 'safe Democratic" states
arc camps of convicts, worked upon
plantations OF in the mines in coinpeti-
ton with the laboring men of those
states, and if the laboring people dare
protest, that favorite argument of the
southern Democracy, tho rife, is turned
against them.
Brutal Treatment Of Prisoner.
The tales Of horror which come from
these convict camps are shocking, not
only in the matter Of their cruelty to the
convicts themselves. but to the working
people at large whose interests are over
ridden by party which thus shows its
absolute contempt for their interest an0
appeals. Prisoners are beaten, starved,
threatened with death in order to force
them to perform heavy tasks and thus
increase the competition which their la
Dor produces against. the free labor with
which they are brought into competi-
ton. These questions have been brought
to the attention of the authorities time
after time, but with no avail. Labor
leased for forty cents per day, and driven
to its utmost tension with floggings and
threats Of death, is calmly put into COM
petition with the working people at
large, and they are held in subsection
by the use of rifles and Calling guns,
while Democratic governors and legisla
tors refuse them relief.
This could not happen in any but a
solidiy Democratic community. At least
it does not happen in any other. There
are twice as many safe Republican"
states at the north as there are "safe
Democratic" states at the south. Yet
there is scarcely single one of the GER
tainly Republican states which permits
convict labor to be brought in any way
into competition with the laboring ele-
ment. Cenvicts are worked in prisons,
and care is taken to select for them en-
ployment in the occupations which will
bring them as little as possible into COM
petition with free labor or skilled work
men, and prevent their personal contact
with any.
Convict camps and convict competi-
ton with the laborer are things IN
known in Republican states. and only
prevail in states where the Democracy
shows its true colors by the enjoyment
of an enormous and absolutely safe ma
jority. And the more absolute the ma
lority the more absolute in this regard
of the rights of the laboring man. In
ten-twelfths of the solidly Democratic
states leased convict labor is put into
competition with the workingmen of the
communities. Ten-twelfths Of the states
of the Union which lease their convict
labor are solidly Democratic states. for
there are but two states outside Of the
solidly Democratic south that have even
a modified form Of convict lease system.
Seen in National Affairs.
Not only has the Democratic party
shown its indifference to the rights Of
labor under slavery and under the con-
Wet lease system. but also by the words
and votes of its officials at Washington.
When the Mills bill was before congress
a Republican amendment proposing to
exclude from the United States goods
by convict labor was de-
feated by Democratic votes. A similar
section in the Mckinley bill was almost
solidly opposed in the vote by the Demo
cratic mem bers of the house Mr. Cleve-