Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1913-10-24
TOMATO CLUBS ARE
AFTER PRISON BOARD
OFFERS CONVICT-CANNED PRODUCT
AT A LOW FIGURE.
Communication From Heart Of Tomato
Growing Section Criticises Prison
Board and Says Their Sole OBJ
Ject Is to Make Money,

JaCkson--Ih ne trustees OF the peHlJeH-
tiary have stirred mp a hornets nest. By
bringing convict labor INTO competition
with the girls tomato canning clubs
OF the state the trustees have not only
aroused the ire Of the girls who com
pose the clubs, but they have started
their male relatives on the warpath,
The state operates a canning factory
in Connection with the penitcntiary. This
season, it appears, a large quantity Of
tomatoes was produced on the Oakley
penal farm, Having NJ market for the
raw tomatoes, the prison officials had
the tomatoes canned.
Recently the trustees Of the peniten-
tiary, who are required by law to sell
all prison products, placed the canned to-
matocs on the market at the price OF
20 cents per dozen. This price is about
20 per cent below the quotations of the
girls tomato club goods. When the
news of the action of the trustees in
placing convict tomatoes on the market
at figures below the prices that the
girls tomato clubs were receiving went
out over the state, there were immediate
protests. Some of tn state papers took
up he cudgels for the girls and began
to belabor the prnitentiary authorities.
Then male relatives of the girls joined
in the fight and are making it interest
ing.
The following letter was received by
II. +. Blakcslec, commissioner of agri-
culture. from Frank Mcintosh of Wes-
son, topiah county. Wcsson is in the
heart Of the tomato-growing section OF
the state, where tomatoes are u com.
mercial crop and yield a large revenue
to the farmers of that section
II have seen in the past few days that
The penitentiary trustees have decided to
put the output Of the new Oakley can
merry on market at zoe per dozen. THIS
is about 20 per cent less than the mar
iustifies, and is doing the canning
and private Gamers n great wrong,
and should not be done.
you, of course, have no authority to
interfere, but | should think from your
as commissioner of agriculture
hat a protest from you might have
and think you ought to protest
What is the use of the strenuous ef-
forts of yourself and others for the up
lift Of the farmers, the dcvising of new
ways for making things, if the state,
With its practically slave labor, will come
II and put the products on the market at
my kind of prices, leaving, as in this
Instance, the Gamers without any mar
lin Of profit?
"Our penitentiary management seems
o be imbued with the idea that to make
money for the state is their whole duty,
Without regard to whom it may %injure.
t is practically bringing slave labor in
competition with the farmers and truck
'rs of the state.
81 have an idea that this labor might
Ne divided, part of it put on the roads
nd %levees, and the other part on the
making supplies for the whole.
Ion't think it is right for the state to en-
,age in the kind of farming they are
ut is to be hoped that there will be a
hange in the management Of the state
arms. With the burning Of costly harms
nd their contents, the burning of help
css human beings, the grating, the cost
y Investigations, etc, the pcnitentiary of
ecent years has not been an agreeable
ubicct for the people"
Commissioner Blakeslce, when he gave
'ut the letter for publication. said that
lie thought the state should dispose of
Is canned tomatoes and other products
# that kind to the insane asylums, the
hospitals, colleges and other pub
ic institutions and not compete with the
and girls tomato clubs. Mr..
ilakeslce is opposed to the state cngag-
ny in the canning business as a CONNER
ial enterprise.