| Show THE CONVICT CONTRACT SYSTEM recent troubles in tennessee can be traced directly to the system ot of leasing convicts which prevails pr evalla in that state this business has been a bitter issue for some time with labor tion sand also with manufacturers the T e wage workers claim that it degrades degraa labor disturbs wage rates and erea creates tee a sort of general disorder all around the capitalists who cannot lease convicts claim that those who do can undersell them in the markets hence io in certain industries the convict and the honest citizen are competitors the present condition of the cooper trade in chicago affords a fair illustration of the situation as regards the convict as an a factor in production the benite dary of joliet and michigan city are immense institution 8 the convicts there are not leased out as in tennessee but they are leased to contractors for whom the work is performed within the prison walls for some time contractors in the cooper trade have been turning out work for the chicago mar bets at first private master coaster coopers tried to c with the prison made article and of course had to reduce aagep until at present the best trades man in the city can only make per day A days work for a first class worker to is supposed to be about six large lard tierces ti erces for which he be gets twenty cents each the same kind of barrels can be turned out at joliet for four and a half cents each the result is in that convict prices now dow rule and twenty master coopers with six hundred journeymen in chicago alone can not even get full employment at twenty cents a barrel the daily product at joliet la Is estimated at 1200 barrels barrel the convicts are paid about 65 55 cents each a day the output at michigan city is in put at 2000 barrels dally before this prison contract system was introduced jour beymen coopers were paid about 35 85 cents a barrel which would produce about a day when it to is remembered that this contract business also obtains in oboe shoemaking making chair making and various other industries it is in little wonder that disorder sometimes prevails what renders the prison contract system apt dally odious in illinois is the fact that it la Is being carried on in defiance of law as the follow i g appeal of the coopers will show to the pork and beef packers of chicago gentlemen we desire to call your attention to the fact that the general assembly A Ls of illinois in 1885 submitted the following constitutional amendment to the people of this state for their ratification or rejection resolved that he hereafter reafer it shall be unlawful in the state of illinois to let by contrat contract to any person or persons or corporation the labor of any convict confined within said institution at the general election nov the above amendment was voted on by the people of illinois and adopted by a majority of over votes voies on nov 22 of the same year the vote was canvassed and the governor issued his proclamation declaring such amendment to be a pan of the constitution of the state stare it is now seven years since the general assembly passed the above joint resolution and nearly five years since the amendment was wan ratified and declared to be part of the organic law of illinois ing this no regard has been paid by our state officials to its existence in conse bence of this the cooperage interests of this city have become so de depressed I 1 r D ased that tte many of our bosses are on the verge of bankruptcy while the journeymen coopers op have been unable to sustain their families in ordinary comfort with these facts before you we are slow to believe that the packers of chicago are determined to aid in continuing this illegal and monstrous competition of convict labor against a body of our people who have every claim on society for a fair opportunity to make an honest living and ando support their families in conformity with tte the usages of civilized life that we are afe growing restless and considering ways and means by which this outrage can be stopped is in quite natural atter due consideration we have concluded that the wisest course to be pursued is to ask ack a conference with the packers and see whether by mutual consent we can form an agreement by which prison made cooperage will be excluded from the union took stock yards hoping that you will give this your favorable consideration we remain very respectfully f UJ 11 THE RE COMMITTEE OF journeymen 11 in this appeal there is nothing anarchistic archi Arob latic impertinent or intemperate it shows that the anarchy to is on the part of the capitalist and the constituted authority |
