Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-09-25


the legitimate toilers Of the nation, one
need but to refer to the recent report
of Commissioner of Labor Carroll l.
Wright. That authority gives the total
number of convicts pitted against hon
est labor in 1895 as 54,244, an increase
of 1857 over the total number of con-
vlcts in penal institutions in the vari-
ons states in 1885. Of this number 80,
AS or 70S per cent are engaged regu-
larly on productive labor. During 1895
the value of work done by convicts in
the United States was $19, 042, 472.33,
representing merely the value of the
goods at purchase price and the labor
of the convicts expended in the produc-
ton of the material through the con-
tract system of supplying raw material
to the prisons. The labor of the con-
victs themselves is not included in the
total value, which if it was, would run
the total way out of the million place.
In 1886 the total wages paid by con-
tractors and lessees to states and coun-
ties was $3,512,97O. The products OF
the labor amounted to $2S, 1893, at
which ratio 81 worth of labor produced
1913. This year, however, the ratio is
less than that, which makes the profit
to contractors of convict labor all the
more alarming, since the total value or
the actual labor performed in 1888 Is
quoted at S2,500OOO as against $3,5l2,-
$40 in 1885, while the number of con-
victs engaged in the production OF
profits for contractors has increased
from 30,S53 to 3S,415, or a net gain IN
numbers of men of 81 per cent, at the
same time the cost of his labor has de-
creased as above given, producing gain
to contractors of 40 per cent. In other
words, contractors paid 40 per cent less
in 1895 for 81 per cent more work than
they did in 1885. These are astounding
figures and are sufficient to cause a
wink of wisdom from the mathemati-
clan. who at once says no wonder there
ere so many tramps in this country.
If s19.OO0,O00 were expended every
wear for the purchase of material upon
which deserving labor could spend its
skill, a very noticeable decrease IN the
unemployed would follow, and then put
legitimate labor at work TO produce
the raw material thus purchased and
n valuable factor would be discovered
in solving the out-of-work problem.
When it is considered that 81 worth
of labor gives profit to the contractor
of s7.19 it is enough to make strug-
Cling humanity take up arms as dlo
the miners of Tennessee and go forth
to do battle against such tyrannlcal
outrages.
OF the total number of convicts given
for 1895, 1888 were women, an increase
of only q for the ten years preceding
The increase in the amount or WORK
done in penal institutions during 1898
has occurred in the following states
and territories: Alabama, Connecticut,
Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, MIN
nesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, new
Mexico. Rhode Island, South Carolina,
Texas. Vermont, Virginia. Washington,
and Wisconsin. A decrease occurs in
the following named states and terri
tories: Arizona, Arkansas California,
Colorado, Georgia. Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa. Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maine. Michigan, Mississippi, Nebras-
ka. Nevada, New Jersey, New YORK,
North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Penn
sylvania South Dakota, Tennessee and
West Virginia.
The industrial condition of the Amer
lean people has about come to that
stage of the game where man must
either beg or break into the penitenti-
airy to get work. There is no work on
the outside, and it is in great meas
ure caused by the work done ON the
inside of prison walls. What induce
ments are there for contractor to hire
idle citizens when he can secure con-
victs so cheap that he can get return
of 1913 for every dollar expended, and
besides be lord and master of the situ-
alton by having the power to punish
vigorously any display of dissatlsfac-
ton on the part of the men.
The course of convict contractors is
high handed robbery of honest toll and
n menace to Independent workmen. 1t
should be abolished and completely, II
it takes a war of determination to ac-
complish Tx.