New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-10
UNFOLDING CONVICT LABOR.
MR.. CLEVELAND KILLED THE BILL AIMED
AGAINST TT
A MEASURE TO PROTECT AMERICAN WORKING
MEN MADE LAW BY A REPUBLICAN CONGRESS
AND APPROVED BY Mr.. HARRISON

AND APPROVED BY Mr.. HARRISON.
vBY TELEGRAPH TO TKIBUNE1
Washington. Sept. 9.-Ip recent conversation
with Tribune correspondents. Representative Raines,
ID v-Ysrk remarked that there considerable
opposition 10 Mr. Cleveland among worhngncN la
NNw-York irrespective OF party. ana be sigg6eH
that this might be due Ia part TO the fact that Mr.
Cleveland while President, killed by pocket veto
n measure M which the workingneIl especially those
~ Now York and other States ON the Canadian border
,a,. daen and peculiar interest The bin to which
NJ Bain-s referred to prevent the employ
mont Of convict labor and alien labor upon public
buildings and other public works. and convict labor
+, the preparatioa manufacture OF materials fer
nublc buildings or other public works. The measure
Was designed to supplement the Alien Contract Labor
act OF February 26. 1886. which had been tund
INADEQUATE IN several respects
II was brought before the Democratic House of
representatives Of the XIIXth Congress by 'Sani-
NOUS report from the Committee en- Labor anu II
was passed without division and by Vole VINO
was virtually unanimous. The chief criticism Oh
the bill came fIOm Major Mckinley, WI" though'
tbat It did not 90 far enough In the course OF the
d.,ate Mr.. Tarsney of Michigan a Democratic MEM
h.r OF the Committee wlich framed the measure saa
II comes as q report from the Committee or lAhSl,
and believed by that eommittss 70 We Te ,s v
tends in no direction Of TIE Protection Of Amer
labor All along our n1 r In, 10 tSs racc
On tho West we mud mat aliens from another soI arS
come across boundary hhe az pve cent iad
inter into free competition with American iahol
earn our money and take it back home WIN then I'm
We ind the same condition OF things eHsSps "a ce s
pet,ns with American labos. We ind the same Con-
alton things t. exist N the aa, sU %s Ask wi'n IN this
bill is that the Congress Of ts United s ,"S thai w
that decent respectable o amer ans srcanse
With u.s. shall not be place. IN eompes r no nrae
with convict lssor ana sScor r 'ls or that n1 does not
Come here to make this its home, hut SIMPLY . ~ ~
maraud upon Us and earn our "Vhes anN ~ "
hack from country.
The bill was csI...sd up in the Republican senate
ON February 2s, 1887, by Mr.. Blair, Of NewHamp-
shire Chairman Of the Committee op bdueauoh ania
Labor from which committee 1t hao been reportce'
and It's passage unanimously recommended, ana IL
uas promptly passed without amendment or opJcc-
ten. The report Of the senate Committee nneny
rsctes the purpose Of the measure and the REASONS
for its enactment in these words:
The purpose Of this blu Is TO provide tat tr s@e
expenditures ot the moneys taken ey Xa0n Of the
ntea sass Ssgs Upon s which
Whole are really paid Of the Na1opa Treasury iUT
labor shall be PAID TO honest and a. n coptrv
six months. shall have declared their intention to be-
come our fellow- citizens. ,., o,ou t,o lin. O,
cansda ana elsewhere to pay out for
rivers and har6os public buildings and for other public
To- cheap Hor nom and I" convict labor or
for materials produced by such labor 10 fe i,
NJ Our
OF the unclean profits derived frem the nan Pa 'on VI
the criminal classes. 80, l., o,,rnarc. With
q strong public opinion which fer long uihe mas w
Insnded this legislation 80.
Tho bill was sent to President Cleveland on MARIN
1857 three days before the expiration Of the AlA'h
Cmrress and that was the last OF H. lie oiu ho'
chose TO kill 1t by direct vets-perhaPs because us
time was fully occupied I'm the writing oil pension |
MESA ges-and SO he quietly pocheted It, whch sh
swered the same purpose aud gave Congress no opo,
tunitv to exercise its constitutional right 10 Overture
the otections of the Executive If 1t chose 10 90 90
II remained for Congress Republican IL posh
hranche, 10 pass and a Republican fleslueht ~ ny
s,avs a measure which cured the defects which ex
perence had developed In the act OF februry' ~
md also 10 prohibit by means OF provision ~ .ns
Tarin act OF 1890 the importation INTO me Cin,cI
states of any and all products OF foreign convict
nrovision which the Democratic majority N, uIe
Io5se OF Representatives two years hSiore Isd III
ncafedly refused 70 incorporate in the NILS ~.
Ipder tie operation and street eniocetei. VI %
ohar act Of March g. 1881, not Only nave ths ~
onS shns.s complained OF by Mr. Tnrsney In ms 80,
sn ,he XIIXth Congress and set ferth IN ne ~,
80 tho senate Committee in favor or me OIL VIII VIZ
yrssident cleveland killed with his poo het Nc.o IN
stonned but the scope Of the Original lcglsla,ion IN.
Sor yvidcned and the law made more enecVe III h"I,
,bsr i,nnortant respects that American anor n AZ
enfovs degree OF protection greater man e' N
tatore and mich creator than was denied OF De M,
crxnc President when he pOcketed inc Laeor p"'
nj the XLIXth Congress