The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-26
A DIFFICULT PROBLEM.

One OF the problems which legislators
who are interested in penal Institutions
are discussing is that of the disposition of
the labor of convicts. For years the ques-
ton has been under consideration. but it
is as much an enigma now as ever. One
side has been led TO believe that the prod
uct of prison labor seriously affects the
market price of the goods which they man
ufacture and thus tends TO depress the
wages of free labor engaged in the same
branch of production. This would be true If
all the labor in two or three large prisons
was turned to the production of any one
article, but when the labor in prisons is
employed in the production of a dozen diff
ferent articles ii seems impossible that the
output should affect prices unless it should
be a general season Of depression. when the
market would be overstocked if there were
no prison production.
The greatest objection is to the custom
OF letting prison labor to contractors. There
are those who object to this system who
would be willing to have the product of
prison labor put upon the market by the
State itself. This method, however. has not
been satisfactory wnere it has been tried.
For some reason the state officers cannot
produce and sell the goods at an advan-
tage. Another scheme now being discussed
is the practicability of using the labor to
manufacture the merchandise used in the
state institutions. One scheme looks to the
publication of the books used by the pub
lie schools. Another scheme which has been
ann1aDonnI x-oC - aDorlnx- Dr;coo rnIor -,
the construction of highways.
Two or three points are to be consid-
cred. One of these is the cost of the main
tenance of convicts. It is said by those
who adhere to the contract system that
in no other way can a state prison be made
anything like self-sustaining. Under that
general system well-managed prisons can
usually pay their way, or come very near to
it. If any other system could be devised
by which prisons could be made to pay the
greater part of the cost OF maintenance,
the contract system would be abolished.
Thus far. no one has presented it. Is it
possible? That is the problem which New
York must demonstrate now that the Con-
stitution prohibits the making OF contracts.
If it should be demonstrated that no other
| system Of disposing of the labor of con-
victs will make it possible for prisons to
be self-sustaining, there will be quite as
powerful an element in favor of the con-
tract system as there is now against il.
When the taxpayers of Indiana see a levy
of $500, 900 a year for the maintenance of
the prisons because the contract system
has been abolished they wi. insist very
loudly that the convict labor be made to
| pay it's keep. Another point to be consid-
cred is the effect upon the market of the
States employing the labor and putting the
goods upon the market. If the State should
purchase raw materials and make two or
three kinds of staple goods. say. shoes,
hats. brushes, brooms, chairs or like ar
t~icles-would not the putting of the prod
uct of the labor upon the market have the
same u~nfavorable result as if it were done
by contractors?
1t is idle to maintain that convicts shall
not be employed. Employment is essential
to the health of the convict. Without it
prison discipline would be well-nigh i'm
possible. and the men when turned out into
the world would be totally unfit for any
kind of labor. Therefore. the keeping of
men in idleness is not to be thought of.
| The problem TO be solved is. how shall
the convict labor be employed? Perhaps
an investigation of the effect of prison
products upon the market in ordinary times
would go far toward the solution of the
labor problem in prisons. Meanwhile, New
York is making experiments which cannot
be otherwise than instructive.