We understand that it is proposed to manufacture chairs in the State Penitentiary. We are opposed to this as we cannot compete with prison labor.

We have been up against this proposition for the past several years and chairs made in New Haven, Conn. Work House have been delivered as far south as Norfolk cheaper than we could deliver them there from here and make any profit on them, so you can readily see what it would mean to the chair manufacturers of this section if a chair plant were located in the Penitentiary.

We beg to call your attention to the fact that the Federal Government has for sometime considered manufacture in Federal Penitentiaries for Government use only, and in every instance such bills have been defeated although it was not proposed to sell the general public.

This indicates that the manufacture of goods in penitentiaries is generally opposed and we feel that this proposition will let down the bars for all kinds of manufacture in the state prison eventually, and we sincerely hope that nothing of the kind will be done.