The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-06
NHK PRIsoN LABOR 11M
Az May n1ep Are Employed as Under n,
OLD aysten,.

OLD System.
ALBANY. juno b.-Apparently there II q con-
certed effort In many quarters to disparago the
benefits to labor a~ccruing from the operation Of
the now prison provisions Of the State Constitu-
tion and the laws which have been passed by
che Legislature during the past three years.
with q view Of making these constitutional
provisions effective.
The prisons on Jan. 1 last came under tho con-
stitutional provision prohibiting the product of
the labor OF prison oonvicts coming into direct
competition with outside labor in the fixing of
market prices, and providing that the public in
stitutions and civil divisions in the State shall
purchase all articles needed from the State
superintendent Of Prisons where they can DO
manufactured in tho prisons. There arc 3,340
convicts In the three State prisons, Of which
1,o75 are now employed on productive
industries, 1.14A arc engaged In necessary
work about the prisons, and only $50 are idle.
The number Of idle ~convicts is being decreased
each week, as additional industries are being
introduced. The manner in which the prisoners
statistics, which give the number OF mon en-.
ployod In tho different industries now pursued;
IN s MaTk sing aSopt ri son Mum s6 S5 co iar s. Engaged
cutting, 154; road Improvement, 27; quarry
work 70; constrrction new prison buildings.
work, 30; drawing and carving. iS-a total Of
Auburn Prison-Number of ~convicts engaged
IN necessary work about the prison, 293; idle.
Fl; brooms and basket industry, 80; clotihu.mak.,
and cabinet, s.. Iron casting and enamel. 70;
inss, SoNae total OF ]. Too w. CONSTRUCTING 00''o'
Clinton Prison-Number Of ~convicts engaged
asylum construction. $50; shirt industry. es;
hosiery and underwear. so: tinware, 80; laundry
c %SsE is p; y sSssi Of ST. 81 baskets al mi'0'llan'-
This shows as many mon employed on an aver
age as under the old system. The products of
the prisons under the new law are now ready In
quantities for the several State institutions for
use Of the inmates, and many acquisitions upon
A number Of institutions have returned tho
prison-manufaotured articles SO furnished, de-
workmanship that they could not be used. This
mas been the ease especially regardinE FURNITURE
the Blind. u
some Of the officers Of State institutions and
public officials in civil divisions are not anxious
to accept goods manufactured in the prisons, as
favored contractors who formerly supplied such
are quite a few Instances where these officials
have been In receipt Of presents" from favored
anxious to testify, BY the acceptance Of prison:
ma is. goods S%Snct to the sdaptsbilltty = q such goods
e Of thu fee c SasRFiGssi S%p afe s Som nse M IhsoC opposs
the new scheme OF convict employment. They
argue that whore formerly 20 per cent. of prison
and West from Baltimore and Chicago. now the
whole product Of the prisoners is brought down
To- a cSmPetition confined within the BORDERS Of
result In throwing many men out of employment
who for years have boon working for firms
charitable institutions in the State which care
for 10000. inmates, as well as to every county
town, municipality. and school and election dis,
the manufacture of blankets in Auburn Prison
under the new law that several firms in this
ing force considerably, as they will no longer b.
able to supply public institutions with blankets
Commissioner John 7. McDonough OF the Stat,
Of the Constitutional Convention Of 1894, and
who was the father Of the prison labor provision.
81 of sns new %sr Sobh sinS msais ADMITTED I'M nseson tonight MSo N shs'
connected with the old prison manufacturine
system to break down the new law. for the rea
merly made have been wiped out by the new
system.
he says, are DESTROYS Of having the law prov
Pennsylvania, have about decided to adopt sub
Ti1 soS ieSyr 'h the S New 49 york s's sssse% Gt P %iii na lpSIE
spread to other States, thus shutting them on
ase oTr as se well pq as In E isso T0 Iaw 4 e sa ts; Hnf sas,s Ven
in the hands OF men VIII looked upon it witt
favor. the prisoners could be SO employees
Worknen. asR Motive power pow i mschinery yls used 70
the purpose Of increasing production should b
employed under tho new system. because its OF
ponents predicted at the outset that fifty me
needed By public Institutions. For the last foul
TIC sssn prisons sIsas; I iasfed y u. S 20 900 ss's of being taDSf %s sistSn
; P Peesoa that sP the nn aas Rli's rssult sy' aili b rs mu e,
moro gratifying and ample opportunity to d
h possib1e."