The San Francisco call., 1897-03-14
W0RK|NGMEN
WANT HELP
The Cotton-Mills Employees
Against Convict
Goods.
MANUFACTURERS WILL
ASSIST.
State Senator Tracy Asked to
Push the Anti-Machinery
Bill.
URGED TO FIGHT FOR THi
MEASURE.
Good .Iuts Twine Can Be Made in the
Oakland Establishment at
Fair Price.
URGED TO FIGHT FOR THi
MEASURE.
Good Jute Twins Can Be Made in the
Oakland Establish ment at
Fair Price.

William Reay, engineer, W. r. Emery OF
the cotton department ana James Moir,
foreman of the weaving department of the
California Cotton mills of Oakland, called
upon Julian Sonntag, president of the
Manufacturers and Producers Associa-
ton, in. his Office at noon yesterday, and
presented the protest of the employees OF
the cotton-m mills against the manufacture
of cotton and jute twine at the San Quen-
tin prison, which was published in THE
CALL yesterday.
The committee stated that it desired the
support of the association in the ID after,
as the work of the convicts is serious
detriment to the industry they represent.
They then produced and lett with M r.
Sonntag samples of eight and three ply
twine, which they declared could be fur
nished in any quantity and of the highest
quality.
Mr.. Sonntag said that he pledged the
support of the association to the commit
tee in its endeavor to put stop to the
ruinous traffic they complain of.
He added that the Board of State Prison
Directors and Warden Hale have violated
the plain letter of the law by failing to
secure affidavits in regard 10 the twine
purchased, not only bv the Examiner,
but by others, and said that it was evil
IDENTIFY for the purpose of concealing the
facts. IF the directors did not know of
these transactions the Warden certainly
did, and that being the case he ought to
be removed from the position he now
holds"
Mr.. SoDntag then instructed Oscar
Lewis, who was present, to write strong
letter, on behalf of the association, to
Assem- blyman Treacy, asking him to have
the bill presented by the association to pro-
hibit the use of certain machinery in the
prison in manufacturing in order to find
out how the legislators stand on the
proposition and have them on record.
A little later Oscar Lewis forwarde ed the
following letter to Mr.. Treacy:
SAN FRANCISCO, March 13. 1897
Hon. T. E. TteGcy, State Assembly, Sacramento,
CG&-DEAR SIR: In regard TO Assembly bill
933, prohibiting the use of machinery in the
State prisons, we notice it is on second reading
file.
"A delegation of the workingmen from the
Oakland cotton-nills called at our Office this
morni ing, and are very indignant by reason of
into the manufacture OF twine, said twine be-
ing used for variety of purposes, and he
Oakland cotton-m mills have had quite a busi-
ness in that line, but recently their customers
have insisted that a simil ar article was offered
in this market from the East for 1 cent per
pound less money, but owing TO the recent
veniilations in this matter it is found that the
so-called Eastern twine being manutac.
tured in San Quentin. and thus the small
quantities of twine purchased by the Examiner
aud others has demoralized the prices for that
line of goods in this market.
Now we consider this good time, If posi-
Bile, to urge the members of our present Legs
lature TO vote upon the subject as it has beer
proven that the prison authorities cannot be
trusted with the handling of labor-saving ma
chinery, but that they will constantly encroact
upon the rights of free labor.
1t may not be possible to pass bin 933 at thi,
session, but we are very anxious to have a
least vote taken upen the subject. Yer,
truly yours, Manufacturers and Producers
Association OF California. by
JULIAN SoNNTAe President
OSCAR LEWIS. Manager.