Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-11-02


But in the southern states, where they
have had enormous nsloriries and held
them constantly By their own peculiar
methods, they have shown their entire
disregard Of ths interests OF free labor
and 10 the laboring element generally.
csssies Labor Leased Ia the safe Dssa-
oera1ie's st4fes.
Take the safe Democratic states Of
the country at large as an example.
There are perhaps a dozen which have
been considered absolutely safe - tho
Democracy under all circumstances,
located OF course Ia the south.
Ia ten Of these twelve states they have
put convict labor into duecE competition
with tho workingInen Of the state. In
only two OF the safe Democratic states
has the party omitted to show It's hos
tihty 20 labor by falling 10 pus eonyiets
Ia striped clothing into open competl-
ton with the workingmen. Scattered
all over these safe Democratic" states
are camps Of convicts, worked upon
plantations or IN the mines III cOmpetl-
ton with the laboring men of those
states. and If the laboring people dare
protest. that favoFite argument of the
southern Democracy. the rife. Is turned
against them.
Brutal Treatment of Prisoners
The tales of horror which come from
these convict camps are shocking, not
only III the matter of their cruelty 10 the
cOnvicts themselves, but To the working
people AT large whose interests are over
ridden by party which thus shows IT'S
absolute contempt for their interest and
appeals. Prisoners are beaten, starved,
Threatened with death in order 10 force
them % perform heavy tasks and thus
increase the competition which their la
Dor produces against the free labor with
which they are brought into competl-
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 hoggings 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 niles and eating guns,
while Democratic governors and leglsla-
tors refuse them relief.
Compare This with Republican Methods.
This could not happen IN any but a
sOlidly Democratic community AT least
il 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
e e -tr.xrla or ~hs.
tainly Republican states which permits
convict labor 10 be brought III any way
into competition with the laboring ele-
ment. Convicts are worked in prisons,
and care is taken 10 select for them EN-
ployment in the occupations which will
bring them rs little as possible into COM
petition with free labor or skilled work
men. and prevent their personal contact
with any.
Convict camps and convict COMPETE
ton with the laborer are things I'M
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
lority. And the more absolute the ma
jority the more absolute in this regard
IF 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 tho
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
manufactured 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 members of the house Mr. Cleve-
land while governor Of New York vetoed
the bill sbolishing convict labor in pris-
ons. and while president vetoed the anti
convict labor bill in 1886 and again in
1888, and in ms message to congress in
/ 1888 recommended the employment of
government prisoners in the manufac-
ture of such articles as are needed for
use by the government. thus proposing
to put them in competition with the
workingInen of the country.
o. +. AUSTIN.