The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-10-15
Governor Chamberlain
Endorsed by Re-
publican Papers.
Competition With Convict
Labor in Factories
Should Be AbJI-
iShed.

lican paper Of the stalwart kind. has
an able leading editorial, endorsing
Governor, Chamberlain's ideas on
working the cOnvicts on the public
roads. In addition it takes up the Eu-
gene Registers attack on the plan OF
road-bullding with convict labor. and
replies to it, both Of which viii be
found printed below:
Convict Labor Unpopular"
Is the title OF an article in the Eu-
gene Register. which we reproduce.
~. The scheme OF Governor
Chamberlain to utilize convict labor OF
Oregon in construction Of public high
ways will have two very serious OBJ
jectons to overcome before attaining
TO any degree Of popularity as an in
novation in this state.
(2) There is objection enough to
convict labor as IL now competes. un-
der cover. with manufactured articles,
but when the convicts are brought out
into the open and PLACED in competi
ton with day labor on the public
highways a vigorous howl will go up
from all over Oregon
(3) There is a well defined objec-
ticn 10 letting the criminal classes.
who are yiolators Of law. and not in
sense citizens Of the country. but
aliens. enter into competition with
those who are keepers Of the Law. good
citizens and honest laborers. OF
course. in these prosperous times such
division of labor would not affect the
laboring classes. but should a period
OF depression come. when labor would
be anxious to secure every possible
days work. in order to make a living,
the convict labor on public highways
would kick up a good-sized disturb
ance.
(D Then the question OF how this
convict labor should be distributed
about the state. so that each portion
would have its share Of work done on
the public highways would be another
vexing problem. The cost TO the state
for keeping them would be as great OF
greater than at present, for they
would have extra bosses and trans
portation. and many other things
would enter into the expense account
that does not figure in the present
regime Naturally the demand would
come from each county that so much
convict work be done there on the
highways in lieu OF that county's por.
tion Of state taxes paid for mainten.
ance OF the convicts. The result
would be II the demands OF the
state were complied with our con
yicts would soon be scattered from
one end OF Oregon 20 the other with
an expense and bother exceeding the
benefits TO be derived II the con.
victs were kept together, and confined
their work TO one section OF the state
other sections would have a kick com
Ing
(6 "A third objection would be to
allow such freedom TO conyicts. Men
who are. sent 20 the pen for violation
OF law are not entitled to freedom OF
the earth. the air. the sky and all the
glories with which nature surrounds
the law.abiding citizens OF the com.
monwealth. To turn convicts out In
the open is a sort Of apology TO crime
for enforcement OF its penalties and
to the criminal for his Incarceration.
(6l Convict labor is unpopular
and should remain so. The man who
a bin in the next legisla-
ture for the purpose OF putting con.
victs 10 work on our public highways
Is liable 20 pave the way 10 his politi. |
cal oblivion"