Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1909-09-02


employment Of convict labor by the
State. | am pleased to furnish you
tae information desired and shall try
to give full and complete answer to
the questions submitted.
Your first question is. viii you
kindly inform this Union why con-
vict labor was employed in hauling
coal, when. as We are Informed. free
labor has hitherto done the same
oners have. for a number of years,
hauled the coal used at the State
Prison. Whether this be true or not
Is of little consequence as tae coal
has. in the past. been purchased from
local dealers. This year the coal for
the different state institutions was
purchased at the mines by the state
and was shipped to Carson in the
name of the state.
The State Is compelled 10 Keep a
number of teams ut the Prison for
use when required. The cost Of feed
ing these teams amounts to u consid-
cradle sum. and Is just the same
whether they are idle or employed.
The State Is also caring for something
over we hundred prisoners, at an
average daily eos OF u dollar Il day
for each prisoner. Under present
conditions IL is impossible to find use
full employment for more thar ten
per cent. of these prisoners. Now,
believe that you will agree with me
that the business OF the state should
be conducted III the same principles
that govern an individual in the
management of his private aifairs'
The merchant WAC would hire teams
to haul goods when he had teams OF
his own standing idle in his stable
and would employ extra help to DO
the loading and unloading when he
already had sufficient force to do the
work would be regarded as an imbe-
ellie In urgent need of "a guardian. IL
his be true OF the merchant, is 1t not
equally true of the officer selected to
manage the affairs of State in the
interests of all its citizens?
There were several additional rea-
sons Tor employing the prisoners 10
haul the coai to the state institutions
1t was necessary to get the cars
emptled as quickly as possible a'tet
their arrival us the railroad co"'-
pany charges demurrage ON cars
at the expiration of ~rty-eight hours.
III a contract had been let Tor haul
iug he coal, the contractor, not nav
Ing 10 pay the demurrage charges.
would not, In ali probability have e%-
erted himself to get extra teams ana
men, with the result that the state
would have had to foot an additlohai
and unnecessary item OF expense.
The Board of Capitol Commission
ers is compelled To exercise ne CLOS
est economy to heep wI.ntn 'ne ap
preparations made by the Legislature.
The stationery, Fuel and Ligat fund
Tor several years past has not been
sufficient Il meet the necessary de-
mands made upon 1t. At the last
session of the Legislature the approp-
ration for this lund was considerably
increased. but it Is extremely doubt
full " the board can, by the strictest
economy, keep the expenses within
the limit set by the Legislature and
avoid "a. unpleasant position OF hay
Ing to appear before the next Leg
islatve session with deficiency bills
watch may or may not be passed.
Your other questions are easily dis
posed. Is it probable that convict
labor will interfere with free labor in
other work, notably that of improve
ments of roads, etc, in this County?
This latter question is prompted by
the current statement that the en-
ployment of Convicts in the matter
before mentioned Is but an entering
wedge to their enlarged employment
In competition with free labor"
| can speak only for myself. but |
think | voice the sentiments of every
member of the Board of Prison Com
missioners when | say there is not
the slightest possibility of convict
" .@~~~~~-~-