The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 13, 1897, Page 5

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SATURDAY, COTTON-WORKERS WANT THAT TWINE MILL STOPP They Ask the Manufacturers’ and Producers’ Asscci- < ation to Use Its Best Endeavors to Suppress It at Once. v DECLARE IT TO BE A DANGEROUS MENACE TO THEIR LIVELTHOOD They Have Frequently Been Assured by the Prison Directors and the Warden That No Such Mill Existed There. “THE CALL'S” EXPOSE CAME AS A COMPLETE SURPRISE , TO THEM Labor Union Men All Over the State Express Disgust and Contempt for the Hypccritical Fik:r Who Lately Was So Loud in Professions of Friendship for Them. } After the first flush of surprise and indignation foliowing THE CALL'S exposure of the duplicity and hypoerisy of the Examiner, workingmen everywhere have adopted gust and contempt in speaking of that monarch of fakers. Expressions of this kind come to THE CALL every hour of the day from all parts of California, the voluntary utterances of men who feel that they have been duped in heretofore giving credft to the Examiner’s professions of friendship for them. A. J. Read, ex-president of Alameda County Federated Trades, who served three terms as president of Oakland Typographical Union, speaking of the faker, sald yes- terday—this is a mere sample of what is fieard everywhere: *The Examiner only saves about 2 cents per pound on the twine made for that paper in San Quentin, but the principle underlying the transaction merits the condemnation and contempt of the toiling thousands who have to struggle simply to obtain plsin food and shelter for their families. According to the Examiner’s teachings, to obtain employment it may be necessary for workingmen to commit a crime and qualify for State prison, where work will be provided them. Our merchants should realize and protest against such unfair and unworthy competition. If our convicts are so numerous and 80 desersing of work, let them bs put to work at once in building needed fortifications for this coast. The rock can be had from our quarvies at little or no expense. Such healthy exercise might also tend to lessen the number of Examiner convicts, and the price of twine would then go up to living rates.” It will be <een that to workingmen this is not the trifiing matter that the Ex- aminer seeks to make it appear. The workingman is engaged in a constant struggle against the repression and aggression of capital and monopoly, and one of the princi- pal agens employed by these against him and one which he has bad the most diffi- culty in meeting, is convict labor. It is a most insidious element in his problem, un- dermining the prices of the home market. He has had tocontend with it long and hard, hereand everywhere. To him the fight against convict labor, as it comes in competition with free labor, is not only a matter of principle, but it is & practical matter touching the prohlem of his survival in the struggle of life. - The newspaper that buys convict- made goods through its business office and condemns convict labor in its editorial columns trands itself as a hypocrite and a thing to be shunned and despised by work- ingmen snd all who sympathize with them. The Labor Convention, organized for the purpose of looking after legislation in the interest of workingmen during the sitting of the Legislature, gave expression to its sentiments on this subject in the following resolation: WHEREAS, The question of prison labor and its encroachment om free labor should receive the attention of this congress without further delay ; therefore be it RESOLVED, That we are in favor of submitting to the voters of this State a constitutional amendment to be voted on at the next gen- eral election abolishing prison labor when such comes in competition * with free labor, and providing that convicts shall be compelled to work By hand, thereby discontinuing the use of machinery. A. McDERMOTT. Thé frame of &n act was subsequently submitted to the convention for its ap- proval providing that prison-made goods be branded so that they might be recognized in the market, but the convention, having expressed its aiscpproval of admitting uch goods to the market at all, declined to recommend the bill. The manufacturers and producers of San Francisco look upon prison labor as one of the troubles in their path also, and they join with the workmen 1n their condem- nation of a newspaper that patronizes a prison to save a few cents, while the free- labor market is elamoring for employment. J. W. Kerr, at the meeting of the Marufacturers’ and Producers’ Association held Thursday evening, speaking on this subject, said: “We find that one of our metro- poiitan dailies, the San Francisco Examiner, on which' we relied for support in com- mon with the others, 1s itself a patron of San Quentin, The Examiner, Iam glad to say, has been shown up, as it deserves to be.” The employes of the California Cotton Mills deny the Examiner’s allegation that the twine purchased from the prison could not ba procured otherwise than from the prison in California. Alarmed by the stealthy action of the faker, directly menacing their liv ood, they yesterday hurriedly dispatched s delegation of their number with a petition to the Manufacturers’ and Producers’ Assocaiation, protesting against what they term “a gross outra-e that is being perpstrated upon ifree white labor by the Examiner and the prison.” ey declare that they have been employed for six years past in making twine of similar and better qualities, which are in daily use by other newspapers, and that no such twine is made in auy other penal institution in the United States; that they have been sssured repeatedly by the Prison Directors and the Warden that the prison jutemill was being run on grain and sugar bags only, which, they say, would thus re- duce their unfair competition to a minimum, and that it was with great surprise they Jearced of the establishment of the Examiner twine factory within the prison walls. They ask the Manufacturers’ and Producers’ Association to do what it can to put a 810D to it e Caleorma Cotton-Workers Want the Examiner’s Prison Mill Stopped. Employes of the California Cotton-mills yesterday dispatched a delegation repre- senting them to the Manufacturers’ and Producers’ Association, protesting against the Sxaminer’s twinemill 1n San Quentin and vleading that the association use its best endeavors to ‘‘put a stop to this menance to our livelinood.” The language of the protest is as follows: To the Officers and Members of the Manufacturers’ and Producers’ Adssociation of California—GENTLEMEN: We, the undersigned delegation, -presenting the employes of the California Cotton-mills of Oakland, where both cotton and jute twines are manufactured, desire to deny the statements of the San Francisco Examiner that the twine it has been purchasing from the State prison at San Quentin could not be procured, made by free white labor, in California, we having been employed in making twine of similar and better qualities for various firms in San Francisco for six years past, said twines being used by many local newspapers and other firms. Moreover, we desire to state that nosuch twine is made in any penal institution in the United States except at San Quentin, and we were not aware of its being made there until the recent exposure in the San Francisco CALL, and we protest that it is a gross outrage that is being perpetrated upon free white labor by the £xaminer and the prison. We have been assured from time to time by the Board of Prison Directors and the Warden that the prison jutemill was being run on grain and sugar bags only, which would thus reduce their unfair competition to a minimum. It was therefore a great sur- prise to us when the twine-making was revealed. We would therefore petition the Manufacturers’ and Producers’ Association to use ‘their utmost endeavors to put a stop to this menace to our livelihood, and to do all in their power to end this unjust manu- facturing by the State prison. WILLIAM KEAY, Engineer, ‘W. R. EMERY, Foreman Cotton Department, JAMES MOIR, Foreman Weaving Department. «Should Be Frowned Upon by All Honest Workingmen. GRASS VALLEY, CAn, March 12.—J. J. Ryan, president of the Grass Valley Miners’ Union, when interyiswad by a CaA11 correspondent, was loth to be- lieve the statements of THE CALL, but was forced to by the conclusive proofs offered. “In the face of this,” said Mr. Ryan, *I must say that the Examiner has done the workihg classes of California an injustice. Honest labor should at -ll umes be given preference over convict production of any dcnripuon. Even it advantage in the way of reduction of price of articles was gained it illy becomes a paper which champions the rights of the people to go contrary toits teachings.’’ Frank Rose, a prominent barber and president of the Barbers’ Union of Grass Valley, does not believe in the patronage of convict labor to the exclusion of honest labor. ‘‘My sentimen‘s in this regard,’’ said Mr. Rose, “'are that there has been much hypocrisy in the policy and methods of the Examiner in its alleged protection of the rights of the masses. It is in direct opposition to its open statements, and such conduct should be frowned npon by every intelligent and honest workingman. The jutemills of the State Prison is the lastplace I would expect the Examiner to Ppatronize after such bold championship of labor.” John Renwick, a foreman at Maryland mine, is utterly opposed to patronage -of convict labor of any description. He said: *“How would the miners of Grass Valley feel and act should the mine-owners contract for prison iabor fo work our mines? They would rise up in arms snd demand protection of honest labor. This applies to other industries as well, and THE CALL has again showed its loyalty to the working People by exposing such action as the £xaminer is guilty of.’”” Edward Nathan, a well-known salesman, said he voiced the sentiments of the retail clerks when he denounced to action of the Examiner in purchasing prison-made twine. He believed in giving a fair price for such products, although a littie in excess of convict production. No Mere Sentiment Involved. It Is a Principle, Vital and Burning. BAKERSFIELD, Car, March 12.—Many people here read wita interest THE CArv’s disciosure of the Examiner's patronage of convict labor. Following are some of the exprossions touching the matter, picked up at random, which indicate the opinion of all whose attention has been attracted to the subject: F. W. Snyaer, secretary of the Labor Exchange—Such inconlhuncy on the part of a daily paper like the Examiner is perfidious, it matters not how little is concerned, and I think THE CALL has done well to unearth it. No mere sentiment is involved. It is a principle, vital and burning. No journat thst truly labors for the interests of the workingman can practice such hypocrisy. Itshould be sat upon with vigor. If an but half way trust a paper inconsistently upholding the right, which -flec s all regardless of sentiment, we should not trust it at all. Hon. R. W. Gay, a prominent business man and an active friend of the laboring man—Under no consideration should free labor be brought into competition with convict labor, and he who encouraged it cannot possibly be a friend to the working- man. “It only convinces me more that the Examiner is the most unreliable and un- trustworthy journal to be found anywhere,”” remarked Joseph Fisk, a well-known carpenter. ‘It is not even reliable to its friends.” Thomas Jefferson Packard—Such practice is not calculated to throw many jewels into the iap of any institution. We're not all guys. Frank Buckreus—It is not right. A big paver has too much inflnenco to be guilty of such two-faced work. We have enough of producers among the free to patronizs without going to the penitentiaries to get what we need. The Faker’s True Character. The Mask Is Shattered. WATSONVILLE, Cavn.,, March 12.—M. Valentine, an o!d resident of this valley, and who is familiar with all San Franciscy papers and their policies for a number of years, says: “I consider there is no moral soundness in the Examiner, and has not been for years.’" G. M. Bull, a merchant here, and who is ap old printer and who belongs to the Typographical Union now and has for the past Lwenty years, says: ‘I would not con- sider the Examiner worthy of the support of union labor.” Frank J. Murphy, a prominent attorney of this county, and who is familiar with the policy of the Examiner, says the expose of THE CALy of the true relation of the Examiner to labor is complete and utterly shatters the mask that hasso long con- cealed the Examiner’s dual character. The laborer should appreciate the fearlessness: and steadfast support of THE CAuL in his interest.” Judge Sam C. Smith of Pajaro, an oid Virginia Democrat, say: 1 THE CALL'S statements are correct that the Examiner encouraged the manufacture of twine by convict labor, when the same could be had that was being manufactured by free labor, the inconsistency of the Examiner as to its claims in regard to the upholding of free labor is certainly apparent.’” Many other interviews could be had, but these indicate the line of them all, These persons give theirs freely and sign the same, so they are authentic. Its a Snake in the Grass, an Enemy of Honest Labor. PLACERVILLE, CAL., March 12.—M. Zimmerman, contractor and builder, says THE CALL has advanced the laboring man's interesis in exposing the duplicity of the Examiner toward the people who struggle for an existence during these days of finan- cial depression. Robert Blair, lumber-dealer—THE CALL is pursuing a good course in laying bare the false assumptions of the Examiner. Posing as a friend it has been really a snake in the grass, an enemy to honcst labor. John Pearson, bottling works—I glory in the course being followed by Tme Carr. It shows itself the friend of him who battles in daily toil for sustenance. The friend of the laboring man and buying. twine made by convict labor is rather a ludicrous position, but quite in keeping with the tactics of that monaseh of fakers, John Dench, saddler—I like the work done in the interest of labor by THE CArr It did well to expose the rascality and duplicity of Long Green’s damnable policy. 8. G. Beach, contractor and builder—TrE Carr did well to expose the hypocrisy ot its morning contemporary to the laboring man. It is difficult enough for an honest man to gain a livelinood during these times of financial stress, and it 1s har- assing to see a daily journal of the metropolis. posing as the friend of labor and patronizing convict labor, thus indirectly closing the door of the factory to honest labor. F. F. Barss, jeweler—The expose by Tme CaArw is timely and opportune. The bread of honest labor is sweet, but labor in a felon’s cell patronized in preference to clamoring and hungry people is nothing less than an outrage upon honesty. Duplicity 1n this case was well exposed. “The Call” Is the Real Champion of 'the Workingmen. FRESNO, CAv., March 12.—A. D. Marshall, president of the State Typographical Union and foreman in the composing-room of the Morning Republican, considers that the expose by THE CALL of the Examiner’s treachery to labor places the nolorl- ously faking newspaper in a very bad light. “The Examiner has pretended to be the firm friend of tbe workingmen, but Tae Caru has now shown it to be much different,” said Mr. Marsball. “The buying of twine from the prison mills by the Examiner proves it to be other than the friena of the workingman. This instance shows the true spirit of the paper. The case of the Examiner is a very hypocritical one. Its pretense of friendship while secretly acting as the enemy of labor shows it to be a hypocritical paper. I maks these statements MARCH 13, 1897. : in the assumption that THE CALL’S expose is founded on facts, and I don’t think there can be any question about tbat. In' my position as president of the State Typo- graphical Union Idon’t care to express mvself very extensively, however. I believe THE CALL is the true friend of labor, a8 it has shown itself to’ be in regard te the printers, Under the management of Charles M. Shortridge THE CALL, in-my opin. ion, is the strong champion of the workingmen.'’ Stupefied by the Unmasking " of the Arch Hypocrite. LOS ANGELES, Car., March 12.—The exposure contained in yesterday’s CALL of the hypocritical fakers who conduct the 8an Francisco Examiner relatigg to their pur- chase of supplies producea by convict labor at S8an Quentin produced a profound sen- sation among labor unions of this city. It has been the chief topic of discussion in ofganized labor circles here to-day. The friends of free labor are utterly dumfounded over the situation. The Examiner management has concealed its real motives toward orguniud !abor so cleverly in the past that its advocates are dazed and stupe- fied at the unmasking of the arch hypocrite, humbug and fraud. Mingled expressions of surprise, regret and indignation were heard here wherever a squad of organized laborers were at work. The leaders and officers were astounded at the news, and nearly all of them, when pressed for an expression of views, begged for more time to consider the remarxable disclosures. Some one had evidently been the rounds of the unions in behalf of the recalcitrant sheet, promuligating the gratui- tous information that this is a newspaper fight between the. two papers,” .which proposition was knocked higher than Gilderoy’s kite in the Examiner itself, which con- fessed in an editorial that the charges of THE CALL were true and practically defied organized labor by insisting that they had a right to purchase supplies where they cou!d be secured on the best terms in the first place, and pleading in the next that the amount was small, anyway. Asa prominent labor leader said to-day: *“I'he Exami- ner stands convicted by its own utterances. The sum of money involved cuts no figure at all. If the Examiner can, with impunity and propriety, purchase a few hundred doliars’ worth of twine made. by convict labor, it can with equal propriety buy all the twine and every other product of prison labor 1n the United States. This is not the way for a friend of organized labor to express itself. Laboring men have been so adroitly and cunningly deceived and the deception has been pursued so persistently that it is now pretty hard for these men to realize how great a fraud they have been encouraging and harboring for years. There can be no doubt, however, that a fatal blow has been struck at the most gigantic humbug and the most arrant faker who ever had the gall to conduct a newspaper. Cyrus E. Fisk, ex-president of the Council of Labnr and president of the Labor Congress of this county, was seen by a CALL correspcndent here this evening. Mr. Fisk declared himself a friend of the Examiner and said he was loth to believe that it had deliberately taken such a step, but when asked how organized laborers felt about this matter said: “Ido not care to expréss myself about the issues involved in this jutemill affair owing to lack of full information on the subject of the Examiner’s alleged purchase, but this is true: Organized labor severely condemns the employment of convict labor in any productive capacity that brings the convicts into competition with free labor. “Trade unions have done much to eliminate the evil of prison labor, and we feel as though every newspaper having at heart the welfare of the laboring people should second our efforts.” The Holier-Than-Thou Faker Estimated at Its Real Value. BAN DIEGO, Car., March 12.—Although more than six hundged miles away from San Francisco the news of the hypocritical action of the Exami ner in purchasing and using convict-made twine, as conveyed in THE CALL'S expose, has created considerable indignation among workingmen and trades unions in this city. Tne position taken by the Janus-faced monarch in its frantic holier-than-thou editorials concerning the Grant monument pedestal last May was fresh in the minds of ‘many who were seen to-day in regard to THE CALL’S expose. Harry Clark, a well-known printer, and president of the Federated Trades of this city, said: It strikes me as very hypocritical on the part of the Examiner, whizh has always posed as the .friend of organized labor, and certainly very inconsistent when one re- members but a few months ago that this same journal was working itself into a fine trenzy over a block of granite made in s prison 3000 miles away. At the meeting of the Federated Trades Thursday nizht the atiention of Mr. Hearst will certainly be called to this matter.” Alderman George H. Spears, ex-president of the Federated Trades: ‘It seems mighty small business 1o . A paper tust has for years talked for organized labor and howled against prison labor. It seems as though one can hardly know whom to trust. The Examiner has always been considered opposed to the very thing it appears to have been practicing in secret.” Alderman Joseph Bachman, a prominent member of the Order of Railway Con- ductors: **All labor organizations have for years bitterly fought the introduction of prison-made goods everywhere, The Examiner has advocated this course time and again, and now it comes to the surface that they have been buying prison goods themselves. If it is true, the Examiner is no paper for the workingman to take.” A. C. Crane, a prominent printer: *“Very hypocritical and inconsistent. It seems the Examiner, like some others in this world, has been preaching one thing wtile practicing another, and THE CALL has been smart enough to find it out.”” It Can’t Justify Its Action : In the Eyes of Workingmen. SANTA ANA, Car, Maxh 12—C. F. Durfee, a well-known shoemaker of this city, who has resided here for the past ten years. when questioned by a CALL repre- sentative as to his opinion of the Examiner's experiment with convict twine, said: “The Examiner has certainly placed itself in a very inconsistent position before workingmen, and I hardly see how it can éxpect to justify its action in giving convict labor a preference to honest men in making its twine, for every pound of twine made within the prison walls means a corresponding loss to laborers outside of them. Itis all well enough for the convicts to be made seif-supporting, but through the Exam- iner they bave been brought into aciual competition with honest laborers of the State.” “High Time to Withdraw Support.’ CHICO, CAL., March 12.—THE CALL’S article exposing the Exarthines’s purchase of convict-labor material set quite an interesting subject for conversation agog in Chico. THE CALL is always the champion of right, and when it atlacks a contemporary, espe- cially on a question of this kind, it adds laurels to its already goodly store. Many of the workingmen who were interviewed to-day in regard to the step THE CALL has taken spoke in commendatory terms. regarding the same, and heartily condemn the Examiner, It has been a noticeable fact that in this vicinity three-quarters of ail the grain bags used are the product of convict labor. Notwithstanding the fact that time and time again the workingmen have protested against the patronage of such a detri- mental product it still goes on, and when a paper such as the Examiner purports to be deliberately purchases and consumes the product of coavict labor it is high time for the Iaboring and business class of a community to withdraw their support from such a paper, which deliberately sinks them lower In the toils of monopoly. Workmen Open Their Eyes. VALLEJO, CAw, March 12.—A number of workingmen interviewed are of the opinion - that THE CALL is pursuing the just course in itsexposition of the metkods of the Examiner in procuring their twine from ‘the result of convict labor and in their opening the eyes of the laboring men and others in California and letting them know that the practice pursued by the so- called “monarch of the dailies” is of no benefit to the workingmen of this coast, whose interest it has so oft claimed it is espousing. It is their earnest wish that TaE CALL will expose all persons engaged in the practice of procuring articles of any kind brought in competition . with free labor. Pretending to Be Their Friend. GILROY, Car, March 12.—The news of the rerfidy of the San Francisco Ex- aminer in buying convict-made goods in preference to those of union labor was re- ceived here with indignation and surprise. That a paper pretending to be the friend- of the workingman should for the sake of saving a few cents on the pound for twine be caught contragting for prison-made goods and forget its duty to the working- man meets wilth hearty disapproval and’ condemnation. The prominent working- men and mechanics of Gilroy uphold the stand-of THE CALL in tne interest of the laborers and manufacturers of the State in unmasking Hearst’s hypocrisy. E. H. Farmer -and other prominent citizess agree that it is a crying shame to thus 9 disregard the laboring men by placing 2 them in competition with convict labor. Underwriters Dine and Talk. An informal ‘meeting and banquet of mem- bers of the Underwriters’ Association of San Francisco was held last night at the Occiden- tal Hotel. About twenty persons Were present. The association is compowd of managers oi life insurance companies in this City. Clar- ence M. Bmith, president of the assveiation, it at the Mtd of the table. John Landers e interesting reminiscences of his experi- Beavet told storles: Heniy K. Fleid mself o some et praunAl Sxpes e ne_ humorously explained how he Sy acolgent il £ot into tne insurance busi- ness, and. Major J. B. Day read a paneron “Underwriters' Associations”” Thé dunner was a pleasant affair. mdlL po-m"ly o i B -Detroit Journal. ence in “writing up” different risks: rl NEW TO-DAY. THEDTAR JAMES H. BARRY, Editor. School Board Combine. Spring. Valiey Infamy, Legislative Matters. e Roasts Rogues. Rascality Exposed. All Questions of the Hour Considered. 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