The San Francisco call., 1895-11-14
GOODS MADE BY CONV|CTS
California the Best Market in
America for This Eastern
Product.
NO DISTINGUISHING MARKS.
Prison Director Fitzgerald Favors a
Law Restricting or Regulating
the Traffic.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL /

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL
908 Broadway, Nov. 13
cit is notorious fact,' said Prison Di-
rector Fitzgerald this afternoon, "that
there are large lots of goods made in East
ern prisons sold by California merchants,
and this Objectionable and ruinous system
cannot be too soon or too severely con-
demned and stopped.
1.-The matter was first called to our at
tention by Warden Hale after his return
from the convention of Prison Wardens at
Denver. He told rs that in conversation
with other prison wardens he was in
formed that California was the best market
in the country for Eastern convict made
goods. Some of the Eastern prisoners
manufacture furniture, chairs, stoves, har-
ness, hardware, door knobs and locks,
clothing, brushes, agricultural implements,
hats and caps. There are thirty-six classes
of goods manufactured by Eastern con-
victs, and it is disgraceful that they should
find their biggest and most profitable mar
ket in California
81 believe that much of the harness and
agricultural implements and many wag-
ons sold in California are made by East
ern convicts. These goods are not sup
piled TO the merchants direct from the
Eastern prisons, but are handled by agents
and through them sent out here, where
they are sold. We have proved that this
state of affairs exists and we are now
gathering details, SO that we can soon tell
definitely just what articles are prison
made and who are selling them.
"Of course, this system, that prevails to
a great extent, must work to the detri-
ment of local producers. The money paid
for these goods Injuries the State in two
HanriypS frnn 10 hnr Of 111pu-
ment, and it sends this money out of the
State.
"It is easy to see how difficult it is for us
to obtain more detailed information, for it
is patent that those most interested are not
at all willing to give us the information
we seek. The Eastern prisons do not
want TO lose their California trade, and the
merchants who handle the goods do not
wish to lose their big profit, although it is
an ilegitimate source of income. Of
course we must do something to make the
prison self-supporting, and that is the
reason why the labor at the prison is re-
Strlcted to the making of jute articles.
But if there is to be large amount of
prison-made goods sold in this State, why
then letus make them ourselves and keep
the profit where we shall reap some
benefit from it.
IA peculiar thing about Eastern-made
convict goods is this. When sold in the
state Wnere they are made they are re-
quired to be marked with the ename of the
prison, but when made for the California
market no name is put on them. This en-
ables them to come here, as they are doing
now, with nothing to distinguish them
from the products of free labor. OF course,
such practice is reprehensible and posi-
lively wrong. | am III favor of having
State law passed requiring that prison
made goods imported into this State shall
be marked with the name of the prison
where they are made. l do not know if
such a law would be constitutional, but if
SO | would like to see one passed.
"1he Manufacturers Association of San
Francisco wrote to US and protested against
the making of goods at San Quentin that
in any way interfered with free labor. In
our reply we called the attention of mem
bers to the fact that these Eastern made
convict goods are being imported here in
very large quantities and advised them to
do all in their power to stop it.
at is burning shame that California
should be helping directly to maintain
Eastern prisons by purchasing largely of
their products. Our investigations are
now going on, and at present we have not
any details to present. We are finding out
what prisons are importing goods here,
what kinds of goods they import and how
and by whom they are placed on the local
markets. When we have these facts in a
manner that cannot be disputed we shall
make them all public and the report will
be most interesting to prison officials, to
merchants, manufacturers and consumers"