The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-03-03
HEARING
ON CONVICT
MADE GOODS

There was an interesting adjourned
hearing on labelling convict made goods
before the house committee on Judiciary
this afternoon, when representation of
the Rhode Island labor unions appeared
TO protest against the turning out OF
shirts. wire goods and printing at the
state Institutions unless IT is properly
labelled as convict made"
A. T Holden. representing the Rhode
Island State Federation OF Labor, spoke
OF the disastrous competition forged upon
the honest laborer who was forced TO
compete with the men who received but
a fraction Of allowance for the doing OF
work which fairly took the bread from
the mouths Of men and women.
Mark all the goods with the label con
Wet made and leave II 70 the public 10
discriminate now and we will be satisfied
for the present. he said.
He told OF other states where sim liar
protection was afforded.
He admitted that but few shirt makers
I'm Rhode Island were effected by the
prison work on shirts, but said the labor
Ing men did not want TO wear prison
made garments.
TO LABEL PRINTING.
s. S. MacCready, representing the
Providence TypogFaph phical union, warmly
supported the bill to label convict made
goods and said he thought such outside
printing as the reform school boys turn
Ell out should be labelled also with the
mark.
II the state printing Is done by them
label that convict work also, he said.
Mr.. Fitzgerald remark d that the state
printing was much too fat job 10 give
thC state Institutions
In response 20 questions from MFR.
lauchard he avocated putting the men
AZ work on the stale highways as a reme-
DIV
Some one suggested that the men, who
make that their business would feel
1ggrieved and Mr.. Blanchard expressed a
doubt IS 10 the accuracy OF the state
ment that Mr.. MacCready had seen con-
vlcts at work on the roads at Auburn,
Syrs cuse and other New York places.
The proprietor or the What Cheer Wire
Works complained OF the direct competi-
tion with his work Of the contract wire
workers at the prison.
The contractor hires L. men for $36 a
week for the lot there and my cheapest
boy gets four and half and / pay one
man 81 a week. he said. naming five OF
his force Therefore they can undersell
me though we pay the same for wire and
other material.
WAS WARDEN'S BONDSMAN
The reason he did not get similar bill
rassed Is years ago was that George
Camp bell was the warden's bondsmen
Attempts to overbid the present con-
tractor for the laborers were not con-
sidered at ALL said the manufacturer.
Though he had been IN the business 20
years he had not been able TO build
houses, as had the prison contractor.
Mr.. Donovan OF the Pawtucket Central
Trades and Labor union was heard for
the biii rs WAS also William j. Wech of
the same body
The former said in the course of his
remarks that he was opposed to convicts
altogether. II possible, TO which sta tement
the committee agreed.
Mr. Welch spoke eloquently and to the
point. and said that though Rhode Island
Industries were not now greatly affected
by convict goods In competition he hoped
the label would be put on before they
started making goods there that would
be in direct competition.
There were frequent questions from the
committee,