The San Francisco call., 1896-12-20
SAN FRANCISCO. Dec. II. 1896.

buQC.
SAN Francisco, Dec. IT, 1896.
Hon. James H. Budd, Governor Of California,
Sacramento, Cal.-DEAR SIR: l have the honor
TO present some facts TO you on behalf OF the
Manufacturers and Producers Association,
which in view of the coming session of the
State Legislature no doubt will prove OF in
terest to you.
Firstly. would call your atten ton 10 the
cons titutional amendment which will go into
effect January l, 1897, in the State of New
York and titled Constitutional provision
abolishing competitive labor in prisons, peni-
tentiaries and reformatories constitution,
article 111). This provision you will see vir-
tually abolishes convict competition with free
labor, with the exception that IL allows the
use of convict labor by the State and matters
projected by the several counties.
Secondly-Inclosed please find copy. OF
report made by Thomas J. Bowling, Commits
sioner of Prisons for the State of New York,
and one particular clause in his report would
kindly call your attention to, and that is
where it refers to the principles that have
been carried out in the State OF New York and
also other States of the Union, and why the
State Board of Prison Directors of California
should endeavor to now compel the manu-
facturers of the State of California to again
come in competition with convict labor, after
having proven to them the disastrous effects
which convict labor had upon our manu- fac
turers in San Francisco some years back is, 10
say the least, somewhat surprising to the off,
GERS of this association. One thing must be
said, that the manufacture of goods in the
prisons necessitates the purchase of a consld-
penditure of hundreds of thousands OF dollars,
and while we are endeavoring to foster our
interests we hope that the officers of the differ
ent State institutions, more particularly the
Board OF Prison Directors, Will be patriotic
enough to endeavor 10 employ prisoners as
not to compel them to come in competition
with free skilled labor.
The manufacturing interests of Cali ifornfa
amount to $156 000 900 invested capital, and
we feel confident that we voice the sen ntiment
of the manufacturers of California when we
| cfo tn hat 11Orrva TO-
convicts solely in the manufacture of jute
bags and the breaking of stone from quarries,
or else permit them to be employed on high
! ways to better the roads of this Sta e. While
upon this subjectI have the honor to su bmit
| for your consideration q copy of the Sout b.
wick Dill, which is now in the House of Repre-
sentatives and which this association is en-
deavoring to have passed. From the testi-
mony presented during the time that the
| Southwiek bill was in the hands of the COM
mittee it has been proven that 900 convicts in
/ the New York penitentiary were successfully
employed in the betterment OF roads. This
association fully appreciates the kind atten-
| tion that you have given their suggestions
| from time TO time, giving preference to the
manufacture of home products in the State
| institutions, and we ieel that If we can pre-
sent these facts and figures to you, taat you,
| as the highest executive officer of the State,
will give our appeal and the presentation of
facts by us careful consideration.
In concluding, l desire to submit to your at
| tention the testimony of Mr.. Pilsbury, super
intendent OF the penitentiary on BlackwelPs
Island, New York. AS to the importation of
| convict goods in the State of California, we
| have met with many difficulties. IL is not the
interest of importers of conyict-made goods to
spread the, information,- and we have en-
deavored Tor the past year to get data, but We
have not been as successful as we expected.
/ herewith also inclose copy OF section to be
added to the Penal Code of California, and
also new section to Political Code, in refer
enee TO convictmade goods, which have been
submitted to the Code commissioners of Cali
fornia, and no doubt will be incorporated in
their report. Yours very truly,
JULIAN SoNNTAG, President
OF the Enclosures referred to the follow
ing are selected as being specially perti-
nent:
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION ABoLISHING COMPETE
TIVE LABOR IN PRISONS, PENITENTIARIEs AND
REFoRMAToRIEs CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE 111).
Section %. The Legislature shall by law pro-
vide for the employment of prisoners SEN
fenced to the several State prisons, peniten-
tiaries, jails and reformatorles in the State;
and on and after the first day of January, in
the year one thousand eight hundred and
nineJy-seven, no person in any such prison,
penitentiary, Jail or reformaiory snail be re-
quired or allowed 10 work while under sem
tence thereto at any trade or industry or occu-
patton wherein or whereby his work or the
product or profits OF his work shall be farmed
out, contracted, given or sold TO any person,
firm, association or corporation. This section
shall not be construed to prevent the Legisla-
ture from providing that conv1cts may be dis
posed 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
Section -. new section to be added to the
Penal Code to read as follows: