New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-14
PRICE THREE CENTS.
WORK FOR THE CONVICTS.
THE PROBLEM PUZZLES STATE DEPART
MENTS AND COMMISSIONS.

AN OFFICIAL LETTER THAT BROUGHT sMAl&
REsCLTs-wHAT THE 10000 INMATES or
STATE PENAL INSTITUTIONS AND
HOSPITALS MAY DO.
trRcM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRrDuNAy
Albany. Dec 13-The problem OF discovering
employment for the prison population Of the
State, which probably amounts to about lO.OU
persons. Is now occupying the close and anxious
attention OF three State Departments-the
Prison Commission. the Prison Department and
the Commission in Lunacy. and of the author.
tiles in various counties in which penitentaries
are situated For a time at least. the provisions
Of the new Constitution Of 1894 forbidding the
sale Of any product Of the labor OF convicts after
January |. 1891. promises to a good deal
of confusion in prison management.
One OF the effects OF the constitutional pro.
vision. 1t Is estimated will be to increase by
$2OO.O00 yearly the cost OF maintaining the State
prisons. and it is suspected by the authorities Of
the counties in which iails and pen,entiaries
situated that the cost Of maintaining them
will be increased. Undoubtedly the men in the
Constitutional Convention who favored and
passed the amendment 10 the Constitution which
has caused the change would declare that any
increased cost Of maintaining the prisons
forma tories. tails and pcnitentiares of the State
will be more than offset by decrease in the
amount of the competition OF convicts with
honest workngmen outside the prisons
CANNOT ELIMINATE COMPETITION
Competition Will not wholly cease. because by
a provision Of the Constitution itself the Legis-
lature is authorized to pass a law providing that
the convlc,s may work for and that the prod
ucts OF their labor may be- disposed Of to the
State or any political division thereof. or for or
to any public institution owned or managed and
controlled by the state or any political division
thereof" II the convcts. therefore. manufacture
10000 BLANKETS. an amount that s annually
used by the State hospitals for the insane. 1t IL
highly probable that the blanket manufacturers
and their employees viii see some competition In
this employment of the convicts.
The Legislature ~ the present year passed an
act. chapter ~? availng Itself ~ the authority
granted II by the Constitution. which seeks to
put the convcts AT work in the manufacture ~
articles needed 10y State Institutions The new
Law saws that the superintendent OF State
Prisons and thc superintendents of reformatorIes
and pentemtiaries respectively. are authorized
and directed ., cause 20 be manufactured by
the convieis in the prisons reforma,ores and
peniteniiafios such articles as are needed and
used m rein. and also such as are required by
the State or political divisions thereof and In
the buildings. offices and public institutions
owned or manascd and controlled by the state.
including articles and materials 10 be used In
a., or,.,,., - .t ,,,,,. ,u ~ ..,o,..
,,ar,,,c,,re, T., Tho s,o, ,,,,so,s ro,orr,.,o,,e,
and penitontiar.es anl not required for use
therein may he furnished 10 the State or 10 any
political division thereof. or for or to any public
institution owned or managed or controlled by
the state or an, political division thereof"
.,,. .,.. .,,.,. ,,,,,.,,.. ,,o.,,,., ..,..