The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-08
TIE CURSE or CONVICT LEASED
LABOR IN ALABAMA.

LABOR IN ALABAMA.
The Joint committee Of the Alabama
Legislature appointed to inquire into the
pcnilcntary system Of that State, have
made their report The investigation has
been exhaustive. 1t is well known that
the convict lease system obtains IN Ala
bama, and that nearly all the conyicts,
both State and county. are employed in
the coal mines. The committee have
found that the convicts are recklessly and
numerically whipped, the record Of
whippings being irighiu for the
frequency with which they occur.
This punishment is generally inflicted
not because OF characterization or inirac-
ton OF rules, but because OF failure to
complete allotted tasks. In some in
stances, where four men have been set to
accomplish, by their aggregate effort, a
specified task, and have failed, all four
| have been chastiscd without regard TO the
possibility that one or more Of them may
have done his best The lcssees against
whom the committee flo special com.
plant, are the Tennessee Coal and Iron
Company, tho Sloss Steel and Iron
Company and the Miner Coal
and Railroad Company. They assert that
the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company OBJ
tanned their conyics for work in the Pratt
mines without being the highest and best
bidder, as the law requires. Tlry also
charge that the counties have been divided
mp among ring OF lcs,ces so that there is
not genuine competitive bidding for the
county conyicts The report is very vo-
luminous, aud full Of scandaous facts,
and the committee are forced to the follow.
ing conclusion:
The lease system Ia slavery In m wort aspect
II u nt war with the enlightened sentiment Of tho
ngr. Il T. admitted everywhere that the only
Tor a. existence, II the necessity out of which
Il arose We believe that the state could now
afford 10 move forward In this matter with safety
Insane Asylum own large quantities of most ynlu-
able cot lands II the state prup,a-s To continue
to work the oons o. Ia mines. shc should open
mines un these land, aud gay 20 these
institutions royalty that would grnuy enlarge
their capacity Tor usefulness Tho state of Kansas
works u mime ON STATE account with convict labor.
mud tn results arr satisfactory The testimony
h,iufc your committee shows that the Tcunc-.cc
Coal aud lrun Company make % net profit at siuo
to so day from the labor 81 the state con, iCis
under the present lease. This profit IL difference
IN cu,t 10 them II ic1 labor aud con.
yc lal1E Why should not the state get
the NH hcncht Oi this labor kNpcrt
witnc.scs before your committee. men who uro
rurarrd IA mining with incc labor. nay that they
could ahorl IN pay the state 10 mine their coal
much us Il nov cost, them. that u Ia siy. they
now ny iOf cutting. hoistins and loading Ia cnr
exclusive at al other gusts. ahout M cents por tom
| at some plnrcs morc. M others lcss They could
niuri tn pay the state the same phOU Ter ton. the
State retaining the control aud management IT the
! ciuViris aud icttiiug aud clothing them. Tho CIo
state oinvicts ~ rrtu Mines Frt out about T. iOl
tons pr day Tho ntcmru him Ut ihrsc 90 men l.
go, CENTS Ter day, and the cust of feeding. cloth.
int. ETC., docs not exceed n ccuts p,f day. Thcsc
statements arr amply sustained by the testimony.
And thus We have the echo Of the ring.
ing dcnunciation OF the lease system 10y
the Grand Jury Of Kinds County, Miss.
No honest investigating committee ever
considered tho operation 81 the lease sys-
ten, In any State that they did not IMPORT
against u. Nav the Lord grant that the
day be- no, iar d.s,an; when the States of
Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi aud Ala
blma, and all other States where the sys.
tenn obtains, may know II no morc Hut
ihd Alabama committee have discovered a
new but very serious objection to the
working OF conyicis Ia thc mines, or at
any form Of labor peculiar To given dis
trict
Another objection BE- Shat the tendency ani ofcft
uf This rlc1hy BE- in make HIiany nsy=a pruai
uH'H1y ui uur sUTiIHu ui thr state The number
~ onnyirIs annually rric1a,d in ivnrraon county
BE- quite Thousand u .s nut o. o. disputed that
aNy1 lnHsg prilU rlun 81 uiis uumbef. practically
Bii who have taauiHc oual mlurrs, urmhiu thcw.
Hnd bunr their families tu live thrr With them
| o. vas aaorrainrd that NJ ,oalbum b. t,cr orut
uI ue ircr iah1rgrs VEN c, ,un,i,ls. This class
l iofu r. nucleus afHnnd vhich assemble, the grim.
Iua' r'lts.s from this aud aduiuur State in this
t,HfU ia grave mrnacc tn ihc IaHr ani Irsp,rity.
ult ouiY 81 che t.UIU Of this cluuty, but u the rn
| uv riaiF Iithrs ruutiris WrNr employed In ont
I side vufs GOO iarus. iu u,t guauIc. saEmiils mn
sh.HJ III. Is etc. thU muiI,r Whirl nov tccJs them
boo .H. IHHiIf, ylr ih,If aiHlIt. to cot r,al uould
uH iuHerf ytist IA uDrHso in The prifurinnaic
numbered vase cinrr to che pIrulaiiuu iurrra,,s
/ che rrnUfsl pnsIefiiy lrmu,o the D. - rUu,irt,
| inum ihr mime aui iu their stead would cums
! o. ~ vaEr raucfs uhu uiTl their familius suuid
aid approximately 'H1l tn the population. Theft
homo uuH.d orru1 bills nos iau,n aud unpfn
du,ii,c aHd aiI Hi Wy oi inCrasing tlx values.
H. che natynur ui uiH state
This b calculated 10 give The people II
Alabama pause. II shows that the abom
Unable system DO thnt State strikes vt 20.
ciciys most vital uirt No community
can tolerate such a condition and success,
fully invite immigration. Some day IN,
free miners oi tho Alabama coal region,
will rise in th'ir might aud protest. Then
thc system will surely hll
|
Tr message oi President Cleveland In
reference 10 the purchase hy the United