The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-26
SOME ACTION TO BE TAKEN
Preventing Shipment Of PriSOn-hade
Goods to Other States.
THE PRODUCTS OF MINE AND FARM
Are Excluded as the Bill Now Stands.
But Determined Effort Will be
Made to Have Them Rein
stated in Measure.

Washington, February 25.-(Spec:al.) )-A1a-
bama may be brought face to face with the
convict labor problem at an early date.
Representative Sims, of Tennessee MEM
Der of the committee on labor, has written
to Governor McMillin, of Tennessee, sug-
gestng to him the Importance of some
message to the legislature of that state on
this question, telling him that the whole
question, he thinks, will be forced on the
state at some early date by the passage CT
federal law preventing the transporta-
ton into any other state of goods manu-
factured in whole or in part by convict
labor.
Mr.. Sims has also written to the govern
ors of other states, leasing their convicts, or
employing them to manufacture goods
asking them for data on the convicts in
Their respective state, and also how far the
interests of their states would be effected
by the passage of such bill.
The bill has been favorably reported by
the committee and would have been passed
at this session had not certain members of
the committee agreed to let it go over until
the next congress. Mr.. Sims has canvassed
the house thoroughly and says it will pass
by a large majority and that sooner or
later the states will have to take up the
problem, or else confine the sale of such
manufactured goods within the borders Of
their own states
The Original Bill
The bill as originally accepted by the
committee prohibited the transportation
of not only manufactured goods, but also of
minerals, such as coal and iron. The states
of Tennessee and Alabama are deeply inter-
ested as their convicts are largely employed
in the coal mines. The committee, in or
der TO make the report unanimous, agreed
to the amendment exempting from the law
manufactured agricultural and mineral
products" But Mr.. Sims does not think
this amendment will be allowed kept In
when it comes before the house. The mat
ter is most serious one and will present
a serious problem to the state of Alabama.
Mr.. Stallings will write to Governor John
ston and tell him the status of the measure.
Mr.. Sims favors the passage of some bill
putting a stop to manufacturing goods.
but will fight to exempt mineral products.
He wants data for this purpose.
OF Interest to Alabama
The bin is of such interest to Alabama
ment, which he fears will not be accepted
by the house is at the end of paragraph 3.
The bill is follows:
Be it enacted by the senate and house of
representatives of the United States of
America in congress assembled, That no
person shall knowingly transport or cause
to be delivered for transportation, for COM
mercial purposes, from any state or terri
tory in which they are in whole or In part
manufactured, any manufactured goods,
wares or merchandise in whole or in part
the product of convict labor in any peniten-
tiary, prison, or reformatory or other es-
tablishment in which convict labor is en-
ployed into any other state or territory or
into the District of Columbia.
Must be Plainly Marked
Sec. g. That all goods, wares and mer-
chandise made or manufactured, in whole
or in part, in any state or territory by
convicts, and all goods, wares and mer-
chandise in while or in part the product of
convict labor in any penitentiary, prison, or
reformatory or other establishment in
which convict labor is employed, In every
state and territory of the United States, as
we'll the separate pieces of said goods,
wares and merchandise, as also the pack
ages and parcels containing the same, shall
be branded or stamped In a legible and
permanent manner, where 1t can be plain
made by convicts at -" giving the name
of the penitentiary, prison, reformatory, or
penal institution, and of the city, town, or
village, and state or territory where made.
Sec 8. That all manufactured goods,
wares, and merchandise in whole or In
part the product of convict labor, and
transported or delivered for transportation
in violat tion of section / of this act, and
all goods, wares, and merchandise in
whole or in part the product of convict
vided for in section 2 of this act. shall be
forfeited to the United States; and every
person who violates or aids or abets in
violating this act or any part thereof,
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor,
and upon conviction thereof shall be pun
ished by a fine of not less than two hun
dred and fifty dollars nor more than five
hundred dollars, or by Imprisonment not
exceeding one year, or by both such fine
and Imprisonment, at the discretion of the
court; Provided, That this act shall not
apply to manufactured agricultural or
mineral products
Sec 4. That it shall be the duty of the
several United States district attorneys to
prosecute all violations OF this act, or of
any part thereof, when any person shall
make the complaint under oath, and the
same shall be heard before any district or
circuit court in the United States or Ter
ritorial court holden within the district IN
which the violation of this act, or any part
thereof, has been committed.
Sec. g. That this act shall take effect at
the expiration of three months from and
after its passage.