The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-17
yu4r TIE GorERNoRs' SAL.
several of Them Give Their Views on the
Convict Question.

In reply to a circular letter OF inquiry
regarding the labor system in vogue
I'm the penitentaries Of the diheIen'
states. the class of goods turned OUT
NV the conVicts, the law as TO nafhliis
t6a rcnvict products, etc, Mr.. Alexander
b. McCulloch, chairman OF the i auo
Council Committee has received li a
nation from several Governor ~
following extracts are taken rom 9rt
Elementary notes accompanying '"o
turned query circular. .,,os.
Governor Holcomb, OF Nebraska NillsS o
ssrTha last LEGISLATURE abolished the coz
tract system for the conNlcts OF wv
state prison. When the state assumed
control of the convict labor, however IL
rocoenized tho sub-contracts OF the form
or prison contractor. and Is carrying
ont the contract with the suD-cohtia.
TORS The sentiment in tins STATE II
against the contract system IN any III i an,
or degree, and the next LEGISLATURE WI " III
probably take such steps as are htce7-
sarv 10 do away with al lapor con
tracts The statute provides tnat me
convicts shall not be employed III ~
manufacture Of cigars, brick, or III NY
cutting of stone. except such stone anu
hrirk-work be for use in building or
repairing the State prison. Nor can con-
yicts be employed on public Dulldlhes eA-
cent the work on the penitentlary. no..
Governor Stone. of Mississippi. cor
victs all engaged In aSrlcul'u.e i'ls
supervision of State authority no bVo.9
are manufactured for sale only for con-
Governor Altgeld's private secretary
writes: Goods manufactured are Oh
state account, and not on contract .>.o
Governor Carr. of North Caroilld' -
Goods are manufactured or producel 10y
convicts, except for consumption o. cVH
1,icts on farms This State works Us
convicts on the farms rented Ior lHdl
purpose l...,...,,,,,. ,ives
,be follov,iug expression. 80 far as the
financial result Of the employment OF
convict labor Is concerned, IL may ue
properly considered acceptable but su.n
employment, In so far as II came ll IN,
competition with honest wOrklnen out
side prison walls IS, 10 my mihu' 10 pe
regretted and deplored. ,.-...,
Hon. Thomas J. Dowling Commisslon N.
or of Labor Of New York, IN a lehslus
communication, IN which ne olscusse :,
the question, declares That poor men
are often driven to crime because, as
convicts. they can get wor" ana syh
pathy that are denied them as honest
men. t....
the question of employing the con-
yicts of New York State has been one
OF the most important questions mat ule
manufacturers and wOrkmen nave mao
10 deal with. II became so important
that they were cOmpclicu 10 MANI II ="
political question, and the result or the
combination has brought about the
change already stated-that IS. con
stitufional provision prohibiting II. Hut
the prison ring is so strong that the
effort is already started 10 repeal the
said article ia the Constitution.
This so-cailed prison ring Is rot con-
fined to New York alone. but extends
TO every State In the Union. They are
active In their efforts TO see that the
work IN the prisons, not alone OF Ne"
York but OF the entire country, snoul
be continued and increased. what
makes a number Of these harder to hght
is that they work under the guise OF
prison reformers and HUMANITARIAN
This class Of people | have no conii-
dence In whatever, as ] believe they are
frauds on the community. Trey are al
all tines raising the hue and cry that
the prisoners must he employed at some
trade. 50 that when their term exnires
they will have no trouble 10 procure
work hut they seem TO forget that
many Of the occupations carried ON IN
the prisons OF the State have almost
entirely been discontinued on the out
side. and a great many others are placed
IN that position from the competition or
prison made goods of the same kind. and
8 large number OF manufacturers ma
IL almost impossible 10 make living.