The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-30
Many Urge A bandon-
ment of Contract
Labor System.
BlLLAGREEDTO BY
GOVERNOR M ANN
lie Would Allow Board to Con-
tract for 500 More Desperate
Men Thatcher Company
Says 1t Will Retire From
Virginia-May Sell Pen
itentiary.

Complete abolition Of the practice
OF selling the labor of Virginia con
victs by contract was advocated by
many speakers last night before the
joint session OF the Senate and House
committees on Roads and Internal
NaNiSation. In behalf OF humanity
In behalf Of road building, in behalf o.;
Tree ,libor. the appeals were made
40 voice was raised IN opposition to
the abandonment of the contract SIS
lem, although questions asked in some
quarters and answers made by the
superintendent OF the State Pcnit.n-
tlary aud the State Prison Farm cid
not indicate nanim!ty Of opinion.
ne proponents OF tho L=sner bill
20 abandon contracts rested their case
ard the committee heard from others
Tor The sake OF procuring informa-
lion The net result was the adoption
~ a resolution. offered by Senator
lison. providing for tho appointment
Of four members by the chairman Of
Inc Senate committee and seven by
the chairman OF the House committee
10 FORM Joint subcommittee TO tako
all the bills that have been offered
and those which viii DO in,T oduced to-
day, and formulate a bill to be pre-.
scented al another meeting Of the two
committees TO be held on "Wednesday
night. February 4 Tn, chairmen are
members OF the subcommittee.
Two Other bills.
Fhe Interesting features OF the scs
tipn wcro three:
Former Senator Charles Trotter Las.
s!tc- offered n bill OF his own con
eWucton. watch Will be introduced by
senator Lesner to-day, providing that
q peniten;iary shall he established on
tHe State Prison Farm. in Goochland
county, that state Farms be established
IN eacn OF the ten congressional districts
mat tho p.nitent!ary property in :h,.
city be sold. and that the road torecs
.hciudc not only felons, but those In
mates OF the iails who have been
found guilty OF mlsdomeanors.
measure was produced by State
Highway Commissioner L. -. Julien
wilson. agreed upon during yesterday
BY himself and Governor William
Hodges Mann. which allows the board
OF directors OF the pcnitentiary 10
make contract for the hire of no,
Exceeding 600 convicts, this TO include
INC classes or long-term men and
those whom Il would be unsafe TO
work on the roads
Thnrber VIII Retire.
Vigorous and unqualified denial was
made hy the Thatcher Company OF a
charge that it has paid lobby seek
ing for contract. a telegram was
read by Joint Chairman Throckmorton
AZ follows:
Boston, Mass, January -, 1912.
lion. c. w. Throckmorton.
Chairman House Roads Committee,
state Capitol, Richmond. Va:
We alphabetically deny report that
we arc maintaining lobby for renewal!
OF our contract. We have not bid Tor
contract. and under present conditions
do not want renewal We have
started factory elsewhere and eX-
poet At expiration OF contract 10 move
our business entirely from its present
location.
(Sisned) THE THATCHER COMPANY
4 point of no little interest was
opposition TO the proposal OF the Gov
crnor, the United Agricultural Board
and the State Farmers Institute that
come convicts be used in grinding
agricultural lime. /. was voiced by
Senator Blackburn Smith, of Clarke.
who said that the same arguments of
the competition OF convict labor with
FREQ labor In manufacturing shoes ap-
piled with equal force to limo grind
ing, as there arc several such plants
in his section.
Senator Gravatt, who hopes to SEQ
limo grinding made "A fact, asked Sem
ator Smith some questions, which in
dictated that lie Will not consent to
such construction.
No Extra Cost TO Stntc.
Senator L.. c. Fokes opened and
closed the debate for the advocates OF
the Lesner bin. which prohibits con-
tracts and stlpulates that all men save
those too desperate shall be used on
the roads, and that the remainder
make clothing and other material for
inmates of state institutions. Senator
Folkes said that 700 coDVicts have
been employed on the roads at cost
Of 100000. and that 100 more could
be used In the same way for similar
sum This would leave the 500 more
desperate men to be engaged as stat
ed in the bill. These extra men on
the roads would take the place of
State money aid. He did not think it
would cost the State an additional
dollar.
James +. Crcamer told how lie had
fought for this proposition for twenty
five years. and was glad that he was
now a member of the Legislature, so
that he might be in at the funeral OF
contract convict labor. He was not SO
much opposed because of the competi-
tion with free labor, but on the score
Of huma nifty. IT was innuman. he ar
Eued. for the state to sell the labor
of its fclons to enrich private pockets.
Now was the chanc" to get at the mat
# tcr, ana lie .DcllcNcd lHe LICK
would do it. For years he had lived
within two blocks of the State Peni-
Tertiary. and said In passing that thet
institution Is more humanely managed
than at any time within his recollec-
ton The desperate men could make
shoes and clothing and school furni.
ture. He closed with an appeal to
wipe out the blot on the fair name OF
Virginia.
4. 49, 'VItxtnr. ~ nnou
Former Senator Lassiter dealt with
{. the subject at length. He traced the
history of convict labor on tho roads