The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-24
CONVICT CONTRACT LABOR.

Magee's Bill Discussed in the Senate Dur
ing the Whole Afternoon.
Yesterdays session of the Senate, in the
afternoon, especially. was marked by the
presence of q considerable number of Ia
dies, and, consequently, corresponding
amount of oratorv-tbe kind of oratory
that stupefes. abstracts and nauseates.
This may be q little harsh. but as the hours
drag on and one after another discharges
himself upon insignificant subjects, with
apparently no other object than that of
making speech. such u manner or style of
speech in speaking of this oratory as has
here been employed cannot be far from
right. The Hobbies were exec edinGly noisy
and the Senators especially so. AS soon,
however as the ladies disappeared the
Senators resumed their usual quiet, and
could hardly be aroused from their condi-
tion even by Senator CranOrs sonorous de-
mand for the previous question.
Senator Magee's convict labor bill came
mp q special order at 80 yesterday after
noon and was read second time. The
Senator from Cass county made a short
the best he could invent and as the me-
cessities for 1t were imperative, he sub
mitted it. The bill is as follows:
Section /. 1t is made the duty of the directors
to accept no bid or award any contract for the
employment of persons confined in either of
said penitentiaries without said bid is 80 cents
or more per diem to each and every convict pro-
posed to be employed.
Sec. 2. No award OF contract shall be made By
the directors without first causing to be pub
lished proposals to let such convcts at labor in
at least one daily paper in Chicago, Louisville
and Cincinnati, and two daily papers at Indian
apolis. four weeks prior to the letting of such
contract, and the directors shall reserve to
themselves the right to reject any bid. In case
but one bid is made for any convict employment,
and the same does not propose TO pay the sum of
80 cents per diem for each and every convict
proposed TO be employed, such bid shall be re-
jected. and the proposal to relet such convict
labor shall be readvertised.
Senator Crsnor moved to strike ont all
the words after the first four lines of the
first section, which made the bill strictly
prohibit contract labor being done by pris-
oners. This, the Senator from Delaware
claimed, was simply TO expose the true
status of the Senate in regard to the con.
Wet system of labor. He believed that
promises had been made by every Senator
on the floor to his constituents that some
legislation would be attempted against the
convict system; that Senator Magee's bill
was was q good shing in its way, but was
too slow In its work and not sufficiently
decisive. This bill occupied the Senate
until o'clock In the evening Almost ev-
cry Democrat and Republican in tho Sem
ate had chance to try his voice on it.
CcudtOT CtDcE senator
Cranor's Commandment and wanted to know
what to do with the prisoners if they
couldn't work them, to which Senator
Cranor replied that there was cheap labor
sufficient for the convcts. 1t was against
competition with convict skilled labor
that the free laborer of the State cried out.
The venerable Senator Mclean was of the
opinion that there could be no better place
for the employment of convicts than at
road-mending or agricultural pursuits.
Senator McCutcheon was In great straits
to come out square" for something as he
puts IL. ana made this bill the object of his
resolve. The Vanderburg statesman was
not in favor of any competition that would
detract from the free labor of the State.
Senator McGregOr made speech on the
bill, and was In favor of Senator Crauor's
amendments il he thought it had been
offered in good faith. Senator Wishard
was in favor of Senator Crnnor's amend
ment and thought it was q good way to fix
the status of the Senate's sentiment in re-
gard to the convict system of labor. Then
the Senator from Marion went on to con-
slider in detail some of the outrageous de-
velopments of the convict labor system as
it now prevails and the prof Is m ade by the
contractors thereof. Senator Wishsrd
spoke against the method employed at pres
ent by the management in contracting ten
and fifteen years ahead for work; in fact,
the method of labor had been wrong for
years under both Democratic ana Repub-
lican administrations.
among labor in this city was in favor Of
contract sy stem. and employed a system of