St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-07

IND0RSE The BILL
Mass Meeting Of Workingmen
at Market Hall Last
80 Night
DISCUSSES CONVICT LABOR.
Strong speeeh IS Made by
Edward Petersos and
James MorroW.
r-a- 81 e2--<ss
SCHURMElER's MEASURE.
DISCUSSES CONVICT LABOR.
scHuRHElER's MEASURE.
Resolutions IndopSing 1t Are
Adopted and Contract Sys-
tenn Condemned.

A mass meeting of the laboring
people of the Twin Cities was held
at Market hall last night to protest
against the continuance Of convict
contract labor, and also to indorse
the Schurmeier bill now before the
legislature. The audience numbered
about 500, the majority consisting of
members of the Shoemakers' unions
in both cities. President A. S. Sey-
mour, Of the st. Paul union, who oc-
cupied the chair, introduced Edward
Peterson as the first speaker of the
evening. Mr.. Peterson talked over
an hour and talked we'll. He first
explained the provisions of the
Schurmeier bill, and then gave the
reasons why it should pass. In
brief, the bill abolishes the contract
system in the state penal institution,
and further provides that the num-
Der Of persons employed in a single
industry shall not exceed 20 per cent
of the whole number of inmates in
the institution.
Mr.. Peterson dwelt upon the manu-
facture of shoes in the states prison
at Saltwater. The fact that $50 con-
VictS are employed there in that in
dustry for the benefit of ST. Paul
concern which pays the state so
cents a day per man, displaceS an
equal number of shoemakers in ST.
Paul. If this contract is allowed to
continue it would reduce prices to
such a low figure that competition
would be impossible, and, in conse-
quence, more shoemakers would be
laid off. At least 500 would, accord
ing to Mr.. Peterson's estimate, be
deprived of work This would be the
direct result of allowing the system
to continue. But the indirect result
would be still more serious, as the
total loss in wages to the shoemak-
ers of st. Paul alone would amount
to nearly $250.0O0 year.
1--WE realize" continued Mr.. Peter
son, that the. convicts must be en-
ployed, but upon the state account
system, not upon the private con-
tract plan. The Schumacher bill
abolishes this plan, and says that no
one shall step in between the state
and it's convict labor Under it's pro-
visions the products would be sold
to the highest bidder"
Mi. Peterson briefly stated the evils
attendant upon the contract system,
and in doing so revealed the fact
that he had given the subject of
DriSon Ia hor oo,acid GRO 1Iai .c+,za,, au1
thought. The principal arguments
he advanced against the system
were that the object of prisons is the
reform of conyiets, whereas the OBJ
ject of the private contractor is to
make money out Of the labor Of the
conyictS without regard to their re-
form, and also to keep them longer
in prison, whereas it is the intention
Of the law and to the best interests
! of society that the terms of the best
! behaved prisoners be shortened. Mr..
Peterson further contended that the
profits of the labor OF the convict be-
| long to the state, the laws Of which
he has transgressed, whereas the
| contract system gives, those profits
to parties not representing the state
or interested or responsible except
for the monetary considerations,
which are a constant menace to the
discipline of the prison and reforma-
1 ton of the convict.
Mr. Peterson pointed out the fact
that twelve states have already
abolished the contract system. 1As
| for the ShoemakerS,' he continued
| they Go not ask for any special
measure that will give them profit.
They want nothing but justice; moth
ing but laws that will benefit all
classes of labor. We want to see the
| convicts employed, but so employed
that their labor will not come into
competition with outside labor And
II 1t comes to question of people
becoming insane for want of labor
L maintain that the free, law-abid-
ing citizen of this country should
not be driven to such fate to pre-
serve the sanity of our convicts
! Applause) Neither should a sys-
tenn be permitted to exist which sc
employs convicts as to deprive hon
est men of the opportunity to earn
their living and so perhaps drive
them to crime and to states prison.
| (Applause.)
Mr.. Peterson closed with a strone
| appeal for the assistance of the Ia.
boring classes in urging the passage
of the Schurmeier bill, which he
! said would be called up in the house
in a few days. Any man, he added
willing to be crowded to the wal
| without uttering a protest was no
worthy to be called an American
| citizen. (Applause.) He urged hi.
hearers to keep their eyes on tht
legislators and mark every mother:
son Of them who voted against tn,
Schurmeier bill
President Seymour then introduced
James Morrow; who also made a rat
Ting good speech, in the course O.
which he dwelt with effective sar
casm upon the philanthropic motives
Of the private contractors. Afte,
addresses by Col. Keatley and others
the following resolutions were unani
mously adopted:
Whereas, The convict contract la
Dor system in state penal institution
| has been abolished entirely in many O
the leading states of the nation, and.
Whereas, a bill is now pending i
the legislature of this state providing
for the abolition of the pernicious con
tract system in the Saltwater peniten
tiary, introduced by Hon. e. J. Schur
meier, of st. Paul, therefore, be /;
Resolved, by the labor people of 81
Paul, in mass meeting assembled, Tha
we heartily indorse the same, and cham
pion its enactment into law
Resolved, further, That we petitio,
| the legislature to pass the Schurmeie
bill, and that a copy of these resolu
| tons be forwarded to the speaker O
the house of representatives and t
the lieutenant governor.
Resolved. further, That we exten,
| our sincere thanks for courtesies show