The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-13
ON CONTRACT LABOR
INTERESTING HEARING BEFORE A,
JOINT COMMITTEE LAST NIGHT.
manufacturers and WOrkmen Pulling
TOgether-RepOrt on the
Prison South.


brought up and discussed at length last
night at the joint meeting of the ways and
means committee of the House and finance
committee of the Senate. Chairman Smith,
of the ways and means committee, is some
what of an enthusiast on the subject of re-
moving the product of prison labor from
competition of free labor by some sucn
means as was suggested in the Lambert
bill, which died upon committee report in
the House the other day. This bill was
printed in full in the Journal when intro
duced and favorably commented upon. 1t
provided that the prisoners should be used
in manufacturing supplies for the state in
stitutions and for the poor who are charges
upon the various townships and counties.
It's premature death was probably due to
the fact that it carried an appropriation Of
$780, OO
Last night a large delegation, represent
ing the State Manufacturers Association
and the State Federation of Labor, was
present The manufacturers were repre-
scented by d. NJ. Parry, c. w. Smith, Frank
Helwig, n. S. Byram, E. q. Cornelius and
B. f. Schmidt The Federation of Labor
was represented by T. A. Perkins, Robert
Croft and Rosco Barnett. Nearly all of
these men made speeches. Mr.. Perkins ex
planned that the federation at it's Muncie
convention had adopted resolution looking
to this end, asking that all the penal and
correctionary institutions be placed in the
hands of the State Board of Charities. Mr..
Byram spoke at some length on the subject,
demonstrating that il was next to impossi-
bic for manufacturers to pay from 81 to $3.50
per day for free labor and compete with
prison labor at from 40 TO 80 cents per day.
rs Of ha fa
turers Association, spoke briefly in the
same strain. Senator Holler explained the
work of the senatorial prison labor commits
sion and told the results of its inveStiga-
tons, which have heretofore been pub
lished. He believed that reformatory meas
ures would have an important bearing on
the subject though rather remote, in the
fact that reduction of the number of
criminals would tend to reduce this sort of
66om rtf,, &c, he pronounced himself
of the Lambert BILL Chairman Smith, Of
the committee, said that he believed this
to be one of the most important reforms
that had been suggested 1t was something
that he has given good deal of study to
and when a member of the Legislature be-
fore he endeavored to do something on the
theory that prison labor should be disposed
of to the state institutions. The manufac-
turers had prepared the following BILL
which they presented for the consideration
of the committees:
Section l. Be it enacted by the General
Assembly of the State of Indiana. That no
reformatory, or other place for the con-
fnement of offenders in the State of In
diana, shall be required or allowed to work.
while under sentence thereto at any trade,
industry or occupation wherein or whereby
his work the product or profit of his
work. shall be farmed out, contracted and
given or sold to any person. firm. associa-
ton or corporations; but this section shall
not be so construed as to prevent the prod
uct of the labor of convicts from being dis
posed of to the State, or to any political
division thereof, or 10 any public inStitu-
ton owned or controlled by the State or by
any political division thereof.
Sec. 2. Said prisoners shall. as far as
possible. manufacture all articles which
may hereafter be needed in the various in
situations maintained. i'm whole or in part
by the State. and which supplies are not
manufactured in such institutions them
selves.
Sec. 8. Said prisoners may also be used
by the State for the building of public high
ways, roads, canals and other public i'm
provements OF this nature. that would not
be undertaken unless the labor of convicts
was available
Sec. f. This act is not intended to in
terfere with existing contracts
Sec. 5. All acts or parts of acts incon-
sistent with this act are hereby repealed.
Sec. 6. Whereas. an emergency exists
for the immediate taking effect of this act
therefore the same shall take effect and
be in force from and after its passage