Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-18
CONVICT LABOR STATISTICS
Results of an Inquiry Instituted by the
~ Committee on Labor.
Interesting Information Obtained and
Further Inquiry Being Made by the
Commissioner Of Labor.

An effort to compile statistics regarding
convict labor In the United States has been
Instituted by the House committee on labor
as a preliminary to drawing a bill to pre-
vent competition between prison-ma1e
goods and the products of free labor. No
accurate Information upon this subject, 30
far as the United States Is concerned, il
to be found later than a report of the COM
missioner of labor, made in 1886. Great
changes have taken place in the past eight
years. so that the figures Of 1856 cannot be
relied upon as applying to the present stu
alton. BY convict labor goods can be man
ufactured SO much cheaper than under other
circumstances that, 1t is said they drive
the goods Of tree labor out of the field and
throw workinSmen out of employment when
thrown on the market in competition. A
notable instance of this has been furnished
by the Matchmaking trade A representa-
tive OF the Brooklyn Mat Makers Union,
VINO recently addressed the committee on
the subject pointed out that The door mats
used in the Capitol were made in Q Penn
sylvania oenttentiary.
Investigating the Subject.
Inc committee has requested the COM
missioner of labor to investigate the sub
)ect Letters have been addressed also to
the officials of the states and territories
ior information. Some Of the points to be
inquired into are the numbers Of con-
Victs employed. the class of work In which
'ney are engaged, the channels through
which their goods are placed on the mar
ket and the prices at which sold
The results of cheap labor were used as
an argument to refute the scheme of Mr.
SWIFT OF the Fitzgerald Industrial army for
sovernment factories for the unemployed.
swift is one or the most able socialists and
VIII talk again today, believing that he
can convince the legislators.
results of Machinery on Labor,
Ahother interesting line of inquiry set on
loot by Chairman Mccain Of the commit
Tee through the labor commissioner con-
Germs the results Of machinery upon labor
ana production. Mr.. Mccain believes that
this country is suffering from overproduc-
ton, largely caused by the Introduction Of
labor-saving machinery, which displaces
g workmer while 1t increases the output
me typesettirg machines. which do the
work each of three men, he considers a
COCO example of this tendency When they
are introduced in a printing office two
,nirds or the men are displaced; they drift
INTO other printing Offices find Il difficult
10 secure work: are willing to work cheaply
Tor the sake Of a living, and reduce the
general rates of wages Another example
OF the same character he finds in the his
making.
The Remedy.
The remedy for this he finds in shorter
hours of labor. arguing that a system Of
shorter hours will give employment to more
hands and at the same time increase con-
sumption In proportion. perhaps. to the
production.
When the hours of work are shortened"
says Mr. McGann, 1.-THE laborer goes home
with long evening on his hands. He must
nave another suit Of clothes to put on. an
other pair OF boots. another hat must have
books and papers to read. or he must 20 for
a walk. take his wife. and buy a cigar for
himself and candy for his wife, thus in
creasing the consumption OF products"
The commissioner OF labor is collecting
statistics upon the effect of machinery on
prices, labor and production in different
lines, which the committee ON labor hopes
to be able to utilize in recommending legIs-
lation.