Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-26
WANT THEM STAMPED
Strong Arguments in Favor OF Marking
Goods Made BY C0nYictS.
INJUSTICE TO HONEST LABOR.
This View Emphasized by Repre-
sentatives of the Trades Council
Hon. j. Taylor Eiiyson and Many
Others Favor the DiII.


yesterday afternoon to consider the bill
introduced by Mr.. Bryant at the instance
Oh the Legislative Committee OF the
Central Trades and Labor Council, re-
curing that all conyict-made goods be
stamped plainly as such.
Mr. Bryant first spoke to the bill, and
explained that such measure was In
effect in many other States. He set
forth that by virtue OF the fact that con-
vlcts were worked in competition with
honest labor, many honest men were
thrown out of employment and rendered
unable to support their families. He
called attention to the presence before
the committee, of the Legislative Com
mittee of the Central Trades and Labor
| Council, and introduced the chairman
thereof, Mr. Ar b. MCGolloch.
| GIVES THEM THE ADVANTAGE.
| Mr.. McColloch spoke first of the abil-
| ity of the contractors who employ con-
| vict labor to. undersell merchants and
| manufacturers who employ only expert
! honest labor. He thought all goods ought
| to be sold on their merits, and argued
that whether the convict stamp was on
| goods or not, If they were equally as
good as other goods OF the same class.
they would sell equally as well He
showed that laws similar 20 the one pro-
| posed had been pus into effect in In
diana and Pennsylvania, and said the
laws in those States had not injured
the prisons.
Mr.. McCuloch submitted q statis-
tical statement of the work done
In the Union by convicts. lie then ar
gued that the system now In vogue
| In Virginia is extremely injurious both
| to labor and capital. He read reSoiu-
| tions from several labor unions OF the
State, endorsing the action of the Cen
trail Trades and Labor Council, and
protesting against the use OF conyicts In
manufacturing goods for the use OF the
general public. He also read strong
letter from Thomas J. bowling. Labor
Commissioner OF New York, who charac-
terized the employment Of convict labor
as a curse upon honest mechanics, and
letters from a number OF gentlemen
throughout Virginia.
Continuing. Mr. McColloch said that
should this bill be passed Virginia would
see the dawn OF a new ora, and should
il inhict a loss on the penitentiary
would cause new Industries to spring
up all over the State, the taxes from
which would moro than compensate the
commonwealth IOr the loss.
MIR. ELLYsON's VIEWS.
Mr. McCuIoch, in concluding, intro
duced Hon. j. Taylor Ellyson. who spoke
at some length in regard 10 the bill. lie
said In the outset that while it was
necessary TO employ the convicts In
some manner. they should not be brought
in contact with honest labor. lie thought
the General Assembly should strike at
resolution to the effect that at the ex-
piration OF the present contracts 10
more prison-Inade goods should be manu-
factured in Virginia. He admitted that
the argument that the State derived a
profit from the contracts was strong
one but II did not he thought, justify
the end. He hoped that the sense of
the Legislature would be to abolish con-
vlct labor.
MR.. CABELLS ADDRESS.
Mr. J. Aston Cabell was the next
person to address the committee. He
said at the first glance almost any ono
would conclude that the bill ought
not to pass, but careful consideration
of the measure. he thought, would change
this conclusion. He thought the state
ment that the State would lose large reVe-
nues was somewhat illusory. While
vlcts on contracts was profitable to the
State. there was something to be placed
on the debtor side of the ledger. He
alluded 10 the mpOssibility, as he termed
it, for small Industries to be fostered.
while they were being competed with
by convict labor at 10 and % cents |
day. The object of the penitentiary, Mr.
Cabell said, was not to increase the |
revenues of the State. but 10 deter |
-tf,,fta aat q Il r
eued that honest men who had started |
life with the highest impulses and with |
bright prospects might come In contact /
with convict labor be thrown out OF em-
pIoyment, become vagrants, and finally |
felons. He thought this the view that |
lawmakers should take of the matter
Mr Joseph c. Dickerson was intro
duced by Mr.. Bryant and spoke at some |
length. He said he had been conducting |
a harness business I'm this city for thirty
years, and spoke of the changes which |
have taken place in that time. First !
said he. the mechanic came In contact
with machinery; then he came in contact
with the felon, and now the evil Is
driving him out Of business Men are
going over the whole country putting
down their convict-made goods beside
those made by honest mechanics. with
not one word as 10 where they came
from. "Gentlemen OF the Legislature of
Virginia" ne said, "will insist in put
ting her convicts in competition with
our skilled mechanics. and we therefore
ask that you stamp the goods"
A NARROW QUESTION.
Mr.. II. NJ. Smith, Jr.. the next
speaker, made strong speech in behalf
OF the measure. He thought the ques-
tion Can the State AFFORD to abolish
contracts?" was a very narrow one He
explained that in nine States-some OF
them the most wealthy and prosperous
OF the UnoE-the question OF convict
labor had been referred to commissions,
who reported that IL was a most perni-
cious practice. Mr.. Smith showed fur
ther that ten OF the States had abolished
convict labor altogether. Virginia, he
said If 1t did not this session OF the
Legislature. would ultimately find out
that sentiment was so strong against con-
Wet labor that it would have TO be abol-
ished.
Senator Tredway strongly advocated
the bill, but thought II didn't so far
enough. He introduced Mr.. Stubbs to-
baconnist of Martinsville. who drew at
tention to the moral side OF the question,
and not TO the financial side. He said
the people who used manufactured goods
10 know what they were buy
ing The State had no right to put'on
the people convictmade goods. which
were often represented to be honest
made goods.
Captain Covington, president OF the
Danvflle Tobacco Trade. was the next
gentleman to address the committee. He
thought that all convict labor should
be abolished, so far as 1t came I'm COM