The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-09-09
FREE LABOR WINS
Problem of the Convict Worker
Nearing Solution.
TO BUILD PUBLIC ROADS.

Recent Legislation In Several States
Does Away With Prison Factories.
Movement For Reform In This Dr.
rsetion Spreading.
The problem Of convict labor-that
much vexed question which has been
so fruitful cause of contr0versy-is
finding a solution at last. Before long
the prisons Of this country will cease
to be factories. competing tndustrially
with citizens. says the Brooklyn Eagle.
Free labor has won the fight.
No longer will the jailbirds Of vir-
ginia devote their activities to the
making Of boots and shoes at Rich
mond, as hitherto. being hired out at
so much day to a big company en-
gagged in that branch Of industry.
Henceforth they will crush rock. with
the help of machinery, and build pub
lie highways.
Such is the new law. In Georgia
likewise. in obedience to recent legis-
lative decree. all convicts have been
withdrawn from competition with free
labor. and their employment win be
restricted in future to the making Of
roads.
Convicted evildoers in the south are
used largely for farming on tracts ac-
Quired for the purpose by the states,
the produce being sold and the pro-
ceeds turned into the public funds.
Thus in Georgia and elsewhere in that
section Of the country the agricultural
malefactor has been accustomed to
compete with the citizen farmer, to
the considerable detriment OF the lat
ter. From this time on. however. he
will not be permitted to do SO in either
Of the two states above mentioned
These are merely steps in move
ment which is rapidly spreading all
over the United States. Illinois and
Washington have recently adopted the
same radical measure Of reform. and
of the other states of the Union will
follow their example before very long.
Illinois has been using her convicts
to make furniture. shoes. brushes. bas-
kets and stove hollow ware. From this
time on. however. they will operate
rock crushing plants which have been
established at Joliet and Chester.
where quarries are located convenient
ly in the neighborhood Of the peniten-
tiaries.
In the state Of Washington the prin-
cipal employment Of criminal Offend
ers has been in the manufacture Of
jute bags for wheat. but under the
new law their activities will be applied
| wholly to solving the good roads prob
lem.
Meanwhile many other states have
| the same problem under serious con-
sideration. the question at issue being
whether the prisons shall continue to
be operated as factories for the pro-
! duction Of various kinds Of merchan-
| disc competing with the output of free
! labor.
The penitentiaries Of many states
| within the last few years have been
| equipped with improved machinery
| thus converting them into first class
factories. But the prison manufac-
turer. employing what is in effect slave
labor. at an extremely low cost. is cas-
lily able to undersell all competitors.
either driving them out of business
Or forcing them to reduce prices and
wages.
| The seriousness of this competition
may 10 judged when it Is con i,iered
that an army OF over 5000 workers is
regularly employed all the year round
| in prison factories Of the United States
These operatives will produce $685.
100000 worth Of goods during the pres
ent year.
Among the most obvious effects of
prison labor are loss of employment by
large numbers Of people. serious re-
duction of wages and a lowering of
the quality of goods produced by citi-
zen workers. Incidentally dreadful
hardShips are inflicted upon aborers
of that class which deserves the great
| est sympathy and consideration. being
made up principally of widows. or
! phanS and other almost helpless indi-
| vidualS who can earn only pittance at
best. Convict labor has thrown them
cut of work by thousands.
| 1t has taken II long time to work OUT
this convict problem. Experience has
shown that enforced idlenesS democrat
ICES prisoners. The nonproductivn
labor of the old fashioned treadmill.
now happily obsolete. was equally OBJ
| jectionable As for the modern prac-
tice of leasing malefactors to contrac-
tors at so much head per day. it is
a system that gives rise to many
abuses. At best it is modified slavery.
the convicts being sold to the highest
bidder.
The true solution Of the problem
seems to be found under the system
known as public account" by which
the labor Of the convict is employed
exclusively for the benefit Of the state.
! or its civil subdivisions. The move
ment to carry this idea into effect Is