Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-03-26
CONVICT LABOR AT TIE FRONT
Bill Amended So ~ to Require Full I'm
fOrcement by May L. 1904.

fOrcement by May L. 1904.
Springfield, Ills, March 26.-After
the house had disposed ofLfor the
time-the legislative salary bill yester
day the convict labor bill was called
up on third reading, and two propo-
sitionS were made to amend, both in
the line of gradual change in the
system at the state prisons. Clipper
field spoke in favor of the bill, but
was willing for Il gradual change so
long as the legislature acted, for he
was opposed to trusting the officers of
the institutions. I'VE have trusted
these men for sixteen years." he said,
lin 1886 the people of this state adopt
ed a constitutional amendment pro-
hibiting contract convict labor, and
within the last year the trustees of one
institution contracted for $4,000 of
labor in violation of the constitution"
Johnson spoke against the bill, say
ing he understood that the demand
for this bill comes from the furniture
trust in Chicago-the Chicago Fur
niture company. l will ask the gentle
man from Fulton IChiperfield /,
whether he represents that company"
Chiperfield said he did not, and thank
ing Johnson for the opportunity took
occasion to make a sweeping denial
of all such reports. He said he had
gone to New York to investigate the
convict labor law of that state, but
paid his own expenses. Il will say
thai if 1 have at any time represented
any one in this matter, it has been the
INDIGNATION Of nh MI
attorney 1 have BEEN
Yes retorted Johnson, You have
always taken occasion to call attention
to that fact in the committees and on
the floor of this house"
Chiperfieldr-And will again.
Johnson-In view of the next cleo
ton for attorney general of Illinois.
Laughter.
johnson then spoke against the bill.
He said the attempt to put convicts
at productive labor and yet keep them
out of competition with free labor was
failure both in New York and Indi-
ana.
barrow called attention to the fact
that the constitution prohibits convict
contract labor and that legislation on
the subject must be had.
After more discussion a vote was
had on one of the two propositions to
make the change gradual, and it was
adopted-102 to %. The amendment
was proposed by Indy and provides
in part that "Said board of prison
industries shall see that this act is in
full force and effect at the latest by
May 1, 1904"
An amendment was adopted permit
ting the managers of the Pontiac re-
formatory to use all or part of the
working hours in the giving of useful
instruction Hunt offered an amend
ment prohibiting the convicts from do
ing any printing for any political di-
vision or any institution of the state.
barrow opposed the amendment. He
said that many printers had appealed
to him to favor it. but that he could
not do so. All that the legislature
could do for the wOrkingman, he said,
was to give him a fair show.
Sherman said that on the general
proposition barrow was right, but that
an extensive business had grown up In
Springfield in connection with the
state printing and that If this work
was to be done in the penal institu-
lions this business would be wiped
out
The Hunt amendment on a rising
vote was lost-yeas, 80; nays, "A. The
previous question being ordered on mo-