The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-13
EMPLOY THEM ON FARM
FEDERATION OF LABOR COMMIT
TEES REPORT ON CONNECTS.
After 1904 Prisoners Should BE Put
to Manufacturing on the
States Account.

Federation of Labor to visit the state prison
at Michigan City, at the invitation of
Warden Harley, returned to this city last
night at o'clock. 1t will indorse the ward
ems plan to purchase a. farm on which to
work convicts and will recommend that con-
victs be employed, after present contracts
expire, in manufacturing supplies for the
State. State Labor Commissioner McCor-
mack was called to Alexandria at the last
moment Saturday night and was not able
to accompany the others to the prison. Most
of the members lived in other cities and
went home as soon as possible after arriv-
ing in the city. Philip Reinbold, of Terre
Haute, was compelled to stay here until
lilo last night and was interviewed by
reporter
Mr.. Reinbold said it was the purpose of
the committee not to make public what
would be the substance of it's report to the
State Federation of Labor until it had been
presented to that body He, however, dis
cussed his trip to Michigan City with free
dom. TO begin with, he said the members
of the committee were as one on the prop
osition to put the convcts to work as soon
as possible. Said he: Members of organized
labor bodies need only visit the prison to
have their hearts touched by the condition
of those convicts who are denied the diver
sion of mind that comes from work 1t is
not a question of policy, but of humanity,
and we all want to see them given work"
How do the members of the committee
feel toward Warden Harley's plan of culti-
waiting a farm adjacent to the prison"
asked the reporter. I'VE feel that it is all
right as far as it goes but it will furnish
employment for but a few men-not over
four hundred. Still it is a good plan. Our
first thought, as representatives of labor
organizations and citizens of Indiana, is to
form some plan to present to the Legisla-
ture by which the convicts can be made
self-supporting and at the same time keep
their products off the market" Continuing,
Mr. Reinbold said: 1.-THE crying need as we
found it was to get money enough to put
any plan into execution. We have been led
to believe that the Legislature will not APP
propriate enough to allow any good plan to
have a trial. 1t has been limited that the in
fluence of the old contractors will be also
felt in the effort to obtain an appropriation
from the Legislature. Even now when moth
ing in the way of practicable plan has
been suggested, it has been limited to us IN
sly way that it will not be Judiclous TO nave
the State take control of the work of the
conVictS and some of the arguments USED
to support this position are nothing short
of nonsensical The element which VIII WORK
for the retention of the old contract system
maintains that what IS known as the piece
price system is the best solution or the
convict labor problem. This scheme IS VIZ
tuaIly double monopoly for the contrac-
tors. The State, according to this plan, leases
the conVicts to the contractors and not only
buyS all the supplies necessary for maintain
ing the state institutions from the contrac-
tors but compelS the county officers 10 GO
likewise. All the goods bought must, accord
ing to the plan, be paid for at market price,
FEDERATION WILL NOT OBJECT.
'This later provision is intended to be in
nocent-looking when presented by partisans
of the plan, who will hide the profits the
contractor will make on the goods by hold
ing up the idea that the prison-made goods
will not be brought into competition with
free labor when the goods are sold at mar
ket price. The State Federation of Labor,
think will not have any objection to the
plan if the State is the party to reap the
benefits of the double or triple profit but
It will oppose to the bitter end any legisla-
ton looking to any change in the present
law under which contract labor ends in the
state prison with the last of the present con-
tracts, which expire In l9Oi.
1.-THE partisans of the contractors monop-
State to take the place of the contractors,
as each year many valuable MACHINES are
broken by the convicts, who wish TO take
short vacations. They VIII take a small nu5
or bolt or any other hard substance and
flip it into the air, allowing 1T to ran INTO
the intricate parts or the machfhesii soIli -
repair the machines. This expense, under
the contract system, falls on the contract
ors For myself l cannot see what connec-
ton this could have with the question AT
ALL for If the contractors can make money
under these conditions, why cannot tne
State do the same and assume the risks OF
breakage which I believe to be greatly eX-
aggerated. The truth of it is there Is money
in the State working the convicts, ana those
who know it do not want the State 10 get
any of IT.
STATE PUT IN MACHINERY.
81 believe, if the State put in the necessary
machinery for the manufacture of furniture,
clothing, brooms, printed matter, shoes and
all supplies that will be needed in the state
and county institutions, the prison will not
only be made self-supporting, but will be
source of revenue to the State and not in
terfere with organized labor to any great
extent. At any rate, we are prepared to in
dorse this plan, but we will not stand for
any return to the contract system. The
State can manage its affairs as well as any
contractor can do ii for It, and the change
to state work, under which a convict knows
that every effort of his is not adding to the
riches Of an individual who has no interest
il him would improve the condition of the
convicts, mentally and morally. The great
trouble will be in securing large enough
appropriation from the Legislature to put
the plan in operation on the proper scale.
From the best estimates we can get it will
require 100000 to start with. This, of
course, must De IeSdIueu otS d Pc iHaliSHt III
vestment. and the profits accruing from it
will make an interest account that will sur
prise the people of the State.
Humanity demands that the State give
the conVicts work to do There are fifteen
insane inmates there now, and when we
seeched on all sides to do something to bring
work TO the prison. But the State should
have the profits from the work DONE and
ii will be proved in time that the investment
OF such an amount as ] have named, IN
plant and machinery, viii not only be profit
able from a financial point of view, but will
be a step for humanity. What the profits
must be to the contractors can only be estt-
mated along with the damning influence the
system has when brought into competition
that we receive in wages II per cent. of
the value of what we produce. Say for
example that shoemaker earns $3.50 day:
he receives, under fair conditions, but IL
per cent. OF what he produces. The average
price of convict labor at Michigan City is,
ence between the amount of work a convict
turns out and that of a free man. The con-
victs are constantly watched and kept al
their tasks, and it is an open question IL
plish much work in day as the spurts
of the free laborer who works hard for
time and then chats and rests for a few
minutes. The conclusion is. then, that the
State places an awful competitive weapon
in the hands OF the contractor when II
get rich by unfair methods In manufacture
and trade.
I'm order to give all the convicts little
work, the present plan at the institution is
half the next. but we intend to recommend
that a bill be drawn up for the considera-
ton Of the Legislature keeping the five
hundred men required under the existing