The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-05
MR.. RYAN's REPORT.


II is understood that the committee will
adopt, in part at least, the report prepared
by Mr. Ryan IN tire last Congress, which is
substantially as follows:
/ Representatives OF lator organizations
ana leading manufacturers nave appeared
before your committee in advocacy OF tie
passage Of this or SGn.e similar measure.
NUTRITIOUS pcuU0GS, compliant and appeals
have also Teen received by you committee
| from different sections of the country,
setting forth tie EruinouS effects alike ON
! thc labor and capital employed in many
| industries by TIE unrestraiDcd competition
! of convict labor, and earnestly btSceChing
Congress, by tie exercise OF it's sovereign
power, TO intervene for prot eCtiCn of both
, by prohibiting the interstate transportation
| Of prison-madc goods, and 50, minimize
| the evils Inherent in the pres ent systems
or cNpcdien,s Of the several States in the
| employment Of convicts.
Your committee have also considered
arunicpts presented to them ny emPlO yers
and employees complaining of and protest
ing against the unjust competition 10 Which
| 10th capital and iabor employed in many
| industrial pursuits are subjected, in con-
sequence OF the State, to whose support
| and maintenance all contribute, unre-
strictedly entering the market against
them with the product of lis prisons.
| EFFECT OF CONVICT LABOR.
There is no disputing the fact that the
| question of tie employment OF the $4,000
| ConvictS in tn eseveral prisons and penIten-
! tiarieS in tie United States is one,Of very
| great Importance, and that its satisfactory
| solution require the exercise ofthe soundest
Judgment and the wisest ooun sells, on the
| part Of those whose duty IL is TO icgislate
| on the subject.
But with the question OF employment,
! or orr " mi
| OF the methods OF employing hose convicts
| in the several States, you rcOnimitteedo not
| feel that they are expected to deal in the
| consideration of this measure. whose only
| purpose is the introduction of interstate
commerce in prison-madc goods, and not
The prohibition nor the regulation or their
! manufacture.
| lit is not designed by this bill to at
| tempt to interfere in the slightest degree
| with the right of each State to employ its
| conyicts, and to dispose OF the products of
| their labor In any manner. or by any sys-
! tenn ar plan that may appear wiscst and
best to its citizens. All it seeks to ac-
Complish iss To- confine the results of the
| operation OF such system 50 far as pos
| Sible, within State lines, and to prevent
resulting evils, whether necessary or other
| wise, from extending to and iniuriously af.
| fecting the citizens of those other States
which eject To make different disposition
OF the time and labor of their prisoners
SOME STATE LAWS.
Some States having, in a great meas
ure, protected their own business enter
prises and labor from the unequal compe
| tition of their prisoners. send travelling
agents of their penitentiares into othel
| States To dispose of convict-made good!
at prices that utterly defy competition from
those who employ free labor. 1t is evi
,,a,. IL
be permitted TO continue if a remedy cal
be applied.
Ito tolerate its existence is to place those
States which are making just. earnest anC
intelligent efforts to regulate their conyic
labor at q serious disadvantage as compared
with others which make no efforts what
| ever toward such a solution of the diff
Guilty as may be in harmony with the bes
| interests of their own citizens and those o
and control by each State Of its own do
nestle affairs in its own way. 1t is t
| permit, in o measure, the destruction o
that perfect equality of the States which il
guaranteed and secured by the Constitution
ut is evident that the remedy for thi
| requires the exercise OF n power aDOV
and beyond that possessed by any othe
State, and that nothing less than the enact
mcnt Of such national legislation as wi
effectually prohibit the Interstate trans
| Dortatiop of prisOn-made goods will b
found efficaCiOuS.
I'VE believe in the bill under considers
tlon, with certain amendments suggested
will be found such remedy for the wrong
complained of as is within the power O
Congress to apply, and as Is desired a
our hands alike by the representatives O
labor and capital,
1--WE find precedent for the proposed legi,
lation in many laws heretofore enacted
among others those which absolutely Pre-
hibit the Importation of goods into tn
/ United States to the production OF whic
! convict labor has contributed; thoS
which provide for the expulsion OF TO
eign paupers and convicts; those wbic
regulate the traDspo rtatiou charges @
interstat c common carriers; and those whic
| forbid, under certain circumstances, III
transportation of live stock from one sta,
TO another.
1--WE believe that no State should be pc
| mitted to transfer an undue share OF il
burdens on the protesting citizens Of a
other State, while the National Cover
: neDt has the right and the power to il
terpose an effectual prohibition"