The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-02
Tennessee and Her Convicts.

ACun8SScS du4 E16E OOuEACA1s
Gov. Buchanan, of Tennessee, IS slow
to act, but having made up his mind with
regard to any course OF action nothing can
turn him from his purpose. He has decided
that the convicts that were released at the
Briceville and Coal Creek mines by the
free minres shall be returned and put at
work in the mines. He is reported 20 have
said at Nashville Monday night that ''the
convicts shall be returned TO the mines If it
takes every able-bodied man in the state TO
do it.n
The number OF conviots released was 452,
and 800 have been recaptured. The lessees
have demanded the return Of those capt
ured, and 1t is the duty of the state to re-
turn them. The Iessees must furnish enough
men to guard them and must build stock
AIDES In place Of those which were destroyed.
II will be two weeks probably before the
stockades are ready to be occupied.
Will the free miners resist the return of
the conviets9 They undoubtedly will en-
deavor to prevent them from working In
the mines. They have shown very clearly
that they do not intend to submit to COM
petition with convict labor.
the free miners and the state will be cannot
be foreseen. The state may be able TO pro-
tect the convicts in the mines for a little
while, but it will not be able to do SO very
long. The free miners are strong
In numbers and very deter
mined. They know the mountains
in which they have lived all their lives
thoroughly. To prevent them from releas-
ing the convicts again would require a small
army Of guards. The expense Of maintain
| ing sufficiently large force Of guards for
any considerable length Of time would be
very great. The free miners can afford TO
wait for a favorable opportunity to carry
out their purpose. 1t is safe to predict,
therefore, that as soon as the extra guards
are withdrawn the convicts will be released
again.
The only thing that will be accomplished,
therefore, 10 returning the conviots will be
the unfolding of the authority Of the state
for little while. The convict trouble will
not be settled. Indeed, it is doubtful If the
trouble can be settled in any other way
than by Withdrawing the convicts from the
mines.
The people Of Tennessee undoubtedly
sustain the governor In the course he is
pursuing. because he is doing nothing more
than complying with the law, but they do
not approve the convict lease system. II
called upon to uphold the law the military
organizations will respond and do their
duty, but they will not do 80 with any
show Of enthusiasm. Their sympathy will
be with the free miners.
This trouble with the convicts In Ten
nessee marks the beginning OF the end of
the convict lease system. 1t is not regarded
with favor in any of the states in which it
exists. Last Thursday the convict commits
sion Of Alabama, created by the last legis-
lsture Of the state, met in Montgomery and
| considered reports of the methods of en-
| ploying convicts in many states. It came
to the conclusion that the lease system
should be abandoned and some other SUBJ
stituted for it. Before it adjourned it in
vited the submission Of substitutes, and au-
thoriEed the leasing Of the state farm, on
| which convicts are now worked.
1t will not be long before the lease system
will be thing of the past in Alabama. In
this state there is a strong feeling against
| the system. For three or four years the
| question OF finding a substitute for it has
been discussed. 1t may be several years
before the system is abandoned, because Of
the difficulties in the way of substituting
some other for it, but it will not remain
very long. Public sentiment is against it.