Norwich bulletin., 1911-03-17
ACTION POSTPONED ON
PRISON LABOR BILL.
Claim That II Would Bankrupt Wind
ham County if Put Into Effect.
Especial to The Bulletin. }

especial to The Bulletin.)
Hartford, March 16.-Action on Rep
resentative Chandler's (Rocky Hiil)
resolution to prevent wardens of pris-
ons or jails or other institutions of
correction in Connecticut from enter
ing into any new contracts or from re-
newing present contracts for the labor
of prisoners until such legislation now
pending before the general assembly is
disposed of, or, as the resolution was
OF the resolution applicable after Sept.
1. was indefinitely postponed in the
house Thursday after Representative
Charles 8. Hyde of Canterbury had
made an emphatic protest against its
adoption in the interest of institutions
WITHIN WindhAm county, where the
earnings of prisoners at the taiI at
Brooklyn amount to several thousands
0f dollars each year, enough, in fact,
TO meet all the expense of maintaining
the institution and the expense of the
county home for children, near Put
nam, as well.
Would Bankrupt Windhar County.
Mr.. Hyde stated his conviction that
the passage of any legislation prohibit-
ing the use OF Jail labor would be the
means of bankrupting Windham coun-
ty. which today, 1t may be said. is
without debt and has assets of many
thousands of dollars, including a treas
ury of respectable proportions.
Mr.. Hyde stated his belief that the
law as 1t stands Is satisfactory to
Windham county and, in his opinion, to
What are jails and prisons for?"
inquired the speaker. Are those with
In them not to be worked? Are we
going to merely keep prisoners and
pay their expenses? Under the pro-
posed laws q farmer would not be able
n <rnfv fr-ax ~ 1T
tarm work and under such conditions
lawyers and city men might find them
selves without enough to eat"
Retain the Present System.
Representative Hall of wilmington
said that the resolution looked to him
like the f0rerunner of what is coming
later in the way Of proposed 1egisla-
ton, and while taking neutral atti-
tude as to the merits of the, resolution,
said he did not believe it would be
wise to pass IT., believing that the in
stitutions should be allowed to go along
under their present system until some-
thing definite in the way Of a law was
passed. We are capable of taking
care Of ourselves until such a measure
is passed" said Mr.. Hail.
Representative Magee Of Watertown
thought that the debate was premature
and might wait until some bill against
the use of prison and Jail labor was
reported. but unless there were excep-
tionally good reasons he did not believe
the resolution ought to pass
Pill Pushed by Organized Labor.
Representative Chandler explained
that he was not fathering the resolu-
ton, though ne had introduced it. It
had been brought to him by represent
ativeb Of organized labor who were
opposed to any new contracts for pris-
on labor being made until pending leg
isl0tiOh is DISPOSED Of. He agreed that
the passage Of the resolution might
cause some embarrassment to penal
institutions In tho state and said that
he would be willing that it again be
tabled in order that substitute reso-
luton might be drawn that would al
low Of the making OF temporary con-
tracts for pf10on labor.
Action indessnitsiy Postponed.
Finally. on motion OF Representative
Perrin Of Woodstock, action was In
definitely postponed. More will be
heard Of this matter later, however.
Seven bills are pending that would
when In effect prohibit the letting OF
prison labor bS contract in the state.
etisis 1srfisss Was cenvietsd in