Evening journal., 1896-12-03
raUesD.Y. DEcEuerR 3. isoe
PRODUCT OF CONVICT LABOR.


Delaware two years ago, one of the OBJ
jections urged against the State Work
house bill was that the product OF con
Wet labor would enter into competi-
tion with that Of honest labor, and
this objection led to the House amend
ing the bill by inserting a clause pro-
yiding that the product Of the state
workhouse should not be sold at less
than current market prices In this
shape the bill passed the House and
went into the Senate. where it met its
death at the hands of certain Kent and
Sussex county members.
AS the agitation for a state work
house and general prison reform has
been resumed by the friends of the
bill of two years ago, and as some of
the labor organizations have already
voiced themselves regarding the sale
Of the products Of convict labor within
our state the speech Of General Isaac
J. Wistar, of the Board of Inspectors
of the Eastern Penitentiary, before the
committee appointed by the Pennsyl-
vania Legislature of 1895. to
ascertain In what manner con-
vict labor could be utilized without in
terfering with legitimate industries, is
Of particular interest to as as a people
on the eve of making a radical depart
ure from our present penal system and
with that very question confronting us.
This speech was delivered yesterday
at the Eastern Penitentiary, the com
mittee having visited that great penal
institution for the purpose of obtain
ing the views of its management upon
the question above referred to. Here
are some of the remarks made by the
general, whose long experience renders
him fitted to speak well upon such an
important subject:
The subject of prison reform Of con-
victs, especially that of long term or
penitentiary prisoners has for years
attracted public attention, not only In
our own, but in all free countries, and
the solicitude prevailing here on the
subject is therefore not I'm the least pc
culiar On one hand il is alleged that
useful employment is one of the best
reforming agencies for the prisoner;
that it's tendency is to promote the
health of his mind as we'll as his body:
that his labor helps to relieve the tax
payers from the burden of necessary
but expensive institutions, and is nc
more competitive with free labor thar
If the prisoner supported himself by
his own free labor outside the prison
Moreover, that idleness is of itself, tol
many persons, the cruelest punish
causes of mental and physical disease
and was never contemplated by th'
penal laws, which, on the contrary
mostly prescribe hard labor for tn
convict.
On the other hand, IL is thought b.
many of our industrial fellow citizen
that prison labor is a new and distinc
form of state competition with thei
individual welfare, not 50 much be
cause when a person is confined a
labor in Jail any new labor
added TO the mass of labo
i'm the community, as be
cause they fear reckless competition
in prices by the power of the common
wealth, tending to depreciate the MAJ
ket value Of honorable labor and il
products.
am not disposed to deny that ther
is a certain weight in this last argU
ment. which demands the most care
ful consideration, because If there
anything worse than the cruelty of a
lowing a malefactor to rot in sou
destroying idleness, while forcibly hel
to il by the state, it would be any oil
stacle interDosed by authority of la
to the welfare and independence {
honest labor, guilty Of no wrong.
Hence / am by no means willing
underrate or neglect any of the obie'
tions urged by honest labor, whic
labor is and ought 20 be the chief oil
ject of solicitude and care In every fr'
commonwealth, and againstwhose rel
interests no uncertain schemes or el
periments should be tolerated. The
is certainly much to be said on bot
sides OF this vexed question, and aft
considerable personal examination
convict labor in domestic and foreig
prisons / have myself been led to ado
certain medium views, chiefly based {
the broad distinction between haI
and machine labor. which, hope. m;
commend themselves to your commi
tee, and through il to the authoriti
and people of our state
l am not only willing to ADMIT q
force of some of the objections urgi
against prison labor for profit, but
far as concerns congregate labor wi
machinery. am prepared TO advan
some additional objections that are
least equally important from the poi
of view of the intelligent penologi
There is nothing to be urged in fav
of such congregate labor, except
doubtful and diminishing profit
present divided between the coun
contributing the prisoner and the fal
lily of the convict But there are ma
strong arguments against it, whis
when well understood. must appeal
all classes. as well as to those p
marily interested in defending the
terests OF honest labor.
Congregate labor with power driy
machinery practically converts prise
into factories and the commpnweal
with its unlimited capital and indin
ence for profit, into a competing mar
facturer II tends TO ohliteratte the q
tinction that in common policy and j