The Advocate and news., 1898-11-02
LOUIS MA.TIGNoN.


While so much is said in the pending
campaign by the Republican party press
and orators about the disposition Of con-
Wet coal, and is seized upon as an argu-
ment against the Populists, 1t may prove Of
some interest to the readers of the AdvO-
cate and News to get an expression upon
this question from one who has some prac-
tical interest In the adjustment OF this
matter from the standpoint of a wage
Garner. l will not enter into discussion
Of this matter from political point Of
view, because to do so would impel the
use Of partisan tactics wholly incOmpa-
tlble TO a correct analysis of this problem,
and necessarily antagonlstic to impartial
conclusions.
II the marketing Of convict coal is an
injury to the miner as 1t is claimed to be,
the question may be asked-in what does
II consist in?
The reply is QD in the displacement os
free labor relative to the proportion OF coal
thus placed upon the market. ~ The in
variable effects that the marketing Of
cheap priced product has in reducing prices
to the lowest level. (3) The ethical con-
sideratiOn involved in the impropriety Tor
the State as a moral guardian to become
a commercial competitor, and utilize con-
vict labor for purposes wholly beyond Its
proper and legitimate functions.
1t Is well known that the main conten-
ton against convict coal proceeds chiefly
from the miners of LeavenwOrth and Usage
counties, who in view Of the limited and
promiscuous character of market condI-
tions are more directly affected by the riV-
airy of this form of competition than any
other coal field, though Of course, the en-
croachments thus complained Of are pur-
posely and grossly exaggerated by that
,In 90 rin oil vuhn gNwtNr
to achieve success by appeals to prejudice
and ignorance. Nevertheless that a certain
amount Of labor Is thus displaced, and hat
il constitutes a source Of grievance to the
element of labor thus affected Is not to be
denied, hence the question to be deter
mined resolves itself In such application
of convict labor as will preclude it's usage
to competitive account, and yet safeguard.
the interests Of the State as a whole. Com
petition of some sort Is necessarily wholly
unavoidable under our present industrial
system in whatever the labor of the convict
is utilized but since the principle Of COM
petition cannot be avoided, the labor OF
convict may be utilized in some form Of
occupation where the effects of competi-
ton would be minimiZed or where at least
it's influence would be outweighed by su-
perior advantages to the State Hence al
u first proposition, all contract prison la
Dor should be annulled The production
of convict coal should be limited strictly
to the needs of the State institutions.
But If it Is deemed perfectly legitimate
and proper to supply State institutions
with fuel material as not logically inter-
fering with the market advantages of la
Dor, why confine this exception to coal
product alone, and not extend it to other
articles manufactured in the penitentiary
that could be utilized with equal advan-
tage in supplying to the needs Of the State.
Why should the State need to contract
upon the open market for the supply Of
articles that could be made in the State
prison and furnished at the actual cost of
production? 1t seems to me that the con-
tention is perfection consistent, logical and
rational, and l believe that the practical
adoption Of this proposition without further
elaborate details would prove a decided ad-
vantage to the State, a saving of tax eX-
penditures and a good way Of doing away
without injury to the interests of the peo-
pie Of the State, of the obnoxious and un.
satisfactory contract system that now pre-
walls in our great penal institution.
Scranton, Kas.