Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-09

competition which convict labor ere
| ates.
| Formerly our state leased their labor
| to manufacturers, but in 1908 it aban
| doned that policy. During the operat
| ing of that policy. attempts were
| made to distribute the evil effects OF
the employment of convict labor over
! as wide a range of industries as pos
| sible. Many plans were devised to
| shift this burden from one industry
to another, causing continual unrest
and dissatisfaction among variou.
| classes of our citizens. But l think II
| is beyond dispute that the employ
ment of convict labor. where tried, in
| connection with public road work, has
caused least complaint both in this
country and in Europe.
Can Manufacture Material.
With this fact in mind. l suggest an
| inquiry into the feasibility of furnish
| ing employment for our convicts in
| good roads. Under the law enacted by
| the last general assembly convicts are
permitted to be employed in the man
ufacturing of crushed stone and other
road material at Chester. to be free at
the penitentiary to such counties as
may apply for the same. on condition
that the material shall be spread on
some public road in the county within
, a year.
Little advantage has been taken of
this provision by our counties on ac-
count of the expense involved in rail
road transportation. 1 suggest. there
fore, an inquiry into the ACCESSIBILITY OF
the state furnishing road material
free at point within the county, to
be designated by the local authorities
A state commission would be able to
negotiate with the railroads through
out the state to greater advantage
than county or road district. Where
this plan has been tried the railroads
conveyed much material practically at
cost, because of the direct advanta sc
to them of good roads in equaliZins
traffic throughout the year. Inquiry
also could be made by your commit
tees as to the feasibility of furnishing
crushed stone ballast to the railways
in exchange for transportation of road
material to the counties or districts.
Information has been furnished me
by experts in the matter of road build
ing and the cost thereof, to the effect
that suitable stone road could be
built at n cost of less than $1,000 per
mile in the county. should the material
be delivered free by the state. Fol
lowing the plan of issuing bonds in
payment thereof, spread over a series
of from seven to ten years. as has been
adopted elsewhere, the burden upon
real estate within suitable road dis
tricts, taxable for such purpose, would
be very light.
Cost Not Great.
Under such system, the cost to the
state would not be great. The convict
is a charge upon the state. He must
be supported whether he works or is
idle. The additional cost TO the state
for machinery, transportation, etc,
would lie comparatively small. ],
therefore suggest that You consider
whether or not ii would be advisable
for the state to undertake to utilize
the labor of cOnvicts in the manner
outlined.
In the event that you determine that
such an application of convict labor is
not feasible, 1 urge you, through your
committees, to gather information and
devise some plan which will meet with
the approval of our people and enable
our state to make a beginning in this
great work.
Factory Inspection.
Illinois is the greatest manufacture
ing state in the Union. Our advance.
ment to this position has been so re-
cent that some abuses have grown up
as incidents to such rapid develop
ment. For their correction former leg |
islatures have enacted laws regulating |
the conditions of work in our mines,
our factories, our sweat-shops and by
our children.
A former legislature enacted what
is known az the "child labor law"
Your attention may be called to some |
hardships incident to the enforcement
Of this law. AS whole it is beneficial
and salutary. With the growth of |
manufacturing here the state will be |
called upon more and more to super
wise the conditions of labor, making
such conditions safe as we'll as SAM
tary. Under our present law, the EN-.
plOye in many instances assumes the
risks Of dangerous occupation. 1t is
not a justificat ton of such conditions
to answer that the employee need not
work unless he is willing to assume
such risks. Work is necessity of ex-
istence. In our large cities work with
is the only kind which a
great many of our citizens can OBJ
tain, and, in the event of disablement,
the citizen and his family frequently
become charges upon the state. The
state therefore will be called upon to I
enact laws TO protect the citizens
n gainst unnecessary hazards in such
1 suggest that such laws
AZ you may deem it wise to enact in
this regard could be enforced by the
factory inspectors without additional
expense.
Arbitration. |,