The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-20

steam lines. He declared that he had
never represented railroad corpora
ton in his life and never expected
to. The pending question being called
the House declined to reconsider the
vote by which the bill was sent to
its engrossment. by vote of AZ to
80. 1t was then placed on its pas
sage and duly carried
House bill No. 204. another of Mr..
Whites bills providing for a reduc-
ton in the reeordation fees of deeds
of trusts, was passed by vote Of Sc
to IS.
Consider Convict Labor
The House then went into the con-
sderation of the Throck morton bill
with reference to the employment of
convicts. Mr.. Dreamer declared that
the bills were defective for the reason
that they set no minimum wage. If.
said he, the State of Virginia, is going
into the business of hiring convicts
ii should set its price He declared
that when the question was first dis
cussed some time ago it was stated
that there were three hundred men
in the peniteptiary too dangerous to
hire out. Later a bid was gotten for
the use OF 500 men by foreign shirt
factory and it was then found that
work on the roads.
The House by a vote of "a to IS
refused to reconsider the vote by
which the convict labor bill was sent
on to its engrossment, Speaker Byrd
voting in the negative.
The ayes and noes being called for
the House refused to reconsider by
q. vote of 40 TO &c. .-..e =
Mr. Creaner .tla4ns made. II strong
speech. looking to getting into the
measure a provision that a minimum
wage should be exacted of eighty
cents a day for men and sixty cents
day for women in case of a con-
tract. In the course Of his speech.
Mr. Dreamer seemed to reflect upon
Major Wood by declaring that the
number or men who had been found
to be dangerous in the penitentiary
correspondent to the number needed
in connection with the Reliance Com
pany contract and the ITO needed to
do the work about the penitentiary.
Mr. Rutherford defended Major
Wood, and Mr.. Dreamer disclaiined
intent to reflect upon the superinten-
dent whom he declared to be the best
adapted man for the position who had
ever held it,
Mr.. Dreamer explained the hear
before the joint Roads Compcittee, de-
claring that there We're 500 people
present at the hearings and that there
was not one to advocate the convict
contract system
Every Interest Safcguarded.
Mr.. Throckmorton declared that
the measures before the House did
not say how the men should be en-
ployed The committee had safe
guarded their interests in every way
possible. They had provided I'm the
bill that the present contract should
not be renewed he committee had
further provided that the men should
he employed upon the roads. and only
those who We're so dangerous AS to
be unsafe for outdoor employment
should be employed inside the walls
OF the penitentiary. and the bill, too,
had limited the number for inside
employment to a. maximum OF 500, !
who were to he hired on contracts
approved by the Governor and the
secretary Of the State Board Of Char
tiles and Corrections. 4
Mr.. Lunsford brought out the idea
that the measure was not to prevent.
but to require. the convicts to be
employed upon the public roads of
the State. and the ciass referred to
was only the exception.
Mr.. Kemper. OF Augusta, declared
that he did not believe that the tax
payers Of Virginia would be willing
to support stx hundred convicts with