Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-07-07
WlLLARD'S INTEREST
IN LAB0RING PEOPLE,
tFrom the Union workman llohmnnnl

From the Union Workman Richmond.)
Capt. Joseph +. Willard, in his
platform and on the stump, advo-
Gates the working of cony yicts on the
public roads for the excellent reason
that this plan combines the double
advantage of removing tn, IN from
competition with honest, skilled Ia
Dor, aud at the same IIme affords An
advantageous opportunity for im-
proving our public highways.
.lu view of the fact that Mr.. Will
lard s advocacy of this idea dales
from toe day of his aspirations for
the governorshIp, 1t may be well to
II quIre W neither he has during his
long service in the General Assembly
furnished any evidence of this in
tense interest in the welfare of the
laboring people. Commendable as
his present professed desire ia, it must
also be r, eognized that under exist
ing conditions il is wholly impracti-
cable for the reason that substantial
ly all the able-bodied convicls in the
penitentiary are under lease for the
next eight years to the Davis Shoe
Company.
If this contract may be violated
now, it must be admitted that it
could have been abrogated as we'll at
any time during the years Mr.. Will
lard has served in the General AS
sembly of Virginia. If he had de-
sired to annul this contract he might
have at least offered bill amending
the statute which authorizes their
lease for making shoes.
From 1887 until 1901 be was a
member of the House of Delegates,
but nowhere can evidence be found
that he indicated or expressed any
desire to protect the honest mechan-
les and artisans Of Virginia from
competition with convict labor
That Mr.. Willard knew of the
statute authorizing the lease of the
convicts cannot be doubted, for it
has been enacted since lS77-'7S, and
was re-enacted at the last general re-
vision of the statutes.
There is ample evidence, too, that
MIR. Willard knew of the existing con-
tract and of the fact that it had
been made six years in advance of
the expiration Of the then existing
contract. On December 81, 1899,
Mr.. Pitcher of Fauquier introduced
in the House of Delegates a resolu.
ton of inquiry into the contract of
the State with the Davis Shoe Com
pany and providing for committee
to ascertain whether the said con.
tract was by authority of law, etc.
This resolution was offered in the
body of which Mr.. Willard was a
member, passed both Houses and the
joint committee thus created made
It's report, which is of record now.
That committee reported that no
publicity was given to the fact that
new contract was 10 be made fol
the employment of con victs, and that
no effort was made to ascertain
whether a better contract could bs
made with some other individual firm
or corporation. This contract, let il
be remembered, was made thus
secretly and six years in advance
Under it's terms the State was abso-
lutely bound, while the Davis Shoe
Company was given the right tc
rescind the contract upon sixty days
notice and the payment of a stipulated
sum.
MIR. Joseph Z. Willard, member OF
the House of Delegates, sat without
protest against this iniqn tous one,
sided contract. lie offered no bill
to repeal the statute which permitt
"the superintendent, by and with tn,
consent of the Board" to enter int
contracts for the employment of con
victs in the penitentiary. lie spok,
no word for honest labor. Mr.
Willard had no Gubernatorial aspira
tions then. Now, however, when h.
desires the votes of honest workin.
men aud mechanics. his indignation
is suddenly aroused and he thunder
against this outrage.
Mr. Willard as legislator ant
Mr.. Willard as a candidate for Gov
ernor are very different persons. Gar
it be that his changed attitude is du,
to his new and lofty ambition?