Rock Island daily Argus., 1892-10-27
SELLING CONVICTS.
RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE STATE
FEDERATION OF LABOR.

the Penitentiaries by Governor Fifer
and the State Administrators.
The State Federation of Labor, which
met at Ottawa this year, passed resolu-
tions of a significant character. It was
harmonious session, for while the Re-
publicans were not without their repre-
sentatives in it, they could not deny the
truth of the report that Gov. Fifer and
his appointees have been violating the
constitutional provision prohibiting the
employment of convict labor. The con-
sequence was that the Republican dele
gates shouted as loudly in the affirmative
on the motion to adopt the following a.
the Democrats:
Your committee beg leave to report
the following as an expression of fact in
the matter of the management of the
prisons OF this state and the employment
of convict labor therein, and recommend
its adoption.
That the general assembly of Illinois
did in the year 1885 adopt a joint reso-
luton submitting to the citizens of this
state the following amendment to the
constitution:
Resolved, That hereafter it shall be
unlawful in the state of Illinois to let by
contract to any person or persons or
corporations the labor of any convict
confined within the state institutions"
That at the next general election,
Nov. 3, 1885, this proposed amendment
was submitted to the suffrages of the
citizens and adopted by a majority of
over 19, 600 votes.
the adoption of this amendment the
board of prison commissioners did con.
spire with certain other persons to evade
or defeat the will of the people by
renewing unexpired contracts, and that
after its adoption and before the official
declaration of that fact these same Off
ciais did enter into other contracts or
agreements, whereby the execution Of
the peoples will could be deferred for
eight years and the odious system so
decisively condemned at the ballot box
be perpetuated, to the mutual advantage
of the parties of this conspiracy.
That in providing labor for the con-
victs for whom employment was not
provided under these contracts these
officials did further attempt to make
void the law by adopting the so-called
''piece-price plan" of which the prede-
cessor of the present governor of this
commonwealth said:
eff there be any substantial distinc-
ton between the contract and the piece
price plan SO far as the product of either
is to be considered as coming in conflict
with outside skilled labor and as injuri-
GUS and detrimental thereto, l fail to
recognize it.
That this ''piece-price plan" is admin.
istered in manner to harmonic any
that might exist under a strict
application of it as distinctive from the
contract system"
And we further charge that the evil
dences of conspiracy and fraud are so
palpable that we are justified in affirm
ing that the present state administra-
ton, as it relates to the matter under
has either shown great in
or infamous venality.
That the negligence of the general
to provide suitable legislation
to facilitate the enforcing of the peoples
will is to be most heartily condemned,
but that such negligence does not excuse
or even palliate the offense of the chief
executive of the state IN condOnlng, and
thus becoming accessory to, the foul
offenses of public functionaries, who,
having vigorously opposed all efforts to
relieve honest free labor from convict
competition, are now so mad in their
greed as to defy the expressed will of
the people and proceed on their unscrup-
ulous course in fragrant contempt of the
constitution, and we deplore the fact
that the chief executive should have
become an apologist for their scoun-
drelism.
In view of the facts as here set forth
we demand the removal of the present
corrupt prison board and its prosecution
for unlawful acts.
We also demand an immediate effort
upon the part of the governor to secure
the abrogation of contracts unlawfully
made, and that the prisons be SO admin
istered as to relieve as far as possible
the burden of competition now resting
upon few industries. which are thus
made to support, at their own loss and
detriment, what should be common
public charge.
We urge upon the workingmen of
Illinois that they secure the election to
the next general assembly of men who
will pledge themselves to enact laws
calculated to secure the well being of
all and based upon the truth ''that the
common people have rights which public
officials are bound to respect"
That he who would have his rights
held sacred must respect his own power
to secure them by using to the uttermost
the privileges of citizenship.
We, the federated trade and labor or
ganizations of Illinois, in presenting this
of administrative incapacity
and official corruption, assert our con-
timed yyatchfulness over the welfare of