Birmingham age-herald., 1894-12-06
THE CONVICT QUESTION.

THE CONVICT QUESTION.
 The Legislature of 1S9o-91 appointed commission to take under consideration the convict question. This commission formulated bill providing for the ap- pointment of Board of Managers and out lining certain policy. These recommen- dations were substantially accepted by the subsequent Legislature. The law as passed contemplates the removal of convict labor from competition with free labor, and guarantees that at some future time the couvcts shall be removed from all mines in the State. Section AS of the law says: ''Be it further enacted, that upon the ter imitation of the contract with the Ten- nessee Coal, Iron and Railway Company, by limitation, or upon the abrogat1on or cancellation thereof under the provisions of the existing laws under which said contract was made and which laws are hereby continued in force as to said contract, said contract shall not be renewed or extended, and all of the convicts worked under said contract at its termination shall be transferred to the penitentiary or some prison connected herewith and worked and disciplined un- der the provisions of this act. That it is the true intent and meaning Of this act that the convicts now worked under contract in any of the coal mines of this State shall be removed therefrom, as rapidly as pracllca- ble, by the 1st day of January, 1895, if it can be done without detriment to the 6nan- cial interests of the State, and when so re- moved shall never be again worked in any of the mines of said State; provided, how ever, that said contract shall not be abro- gated or concluded except upon the written recommendations of the managers of the convicts.' ''
 Thus it is seen that the present law is ad- visory in every respect except as to the provision taking convicts from the mines, which is mandatory. The convict question is again opened, and is one of the live, burning questions of the State. Under the existing law the Board of Managers have gone ahead and are making preparations to remove the convicts from the mines, They bought the Spiegel farm, a large body of land, and paid good price for it, and have made extensive improvements which will add to the State's indebtedness. Of course this land and these improvements are the property of the State, and may some day become very valuable. It is an investment by the State that may some day realize handsomely on the amount of money ex- pended. This plan of dealing with the convict would have met with no opposition if the financial depres- sion had not come on but it did come, and the State is falling behind, has had to borrow money, must increase the tax rate, and the best inanciers say it cannot go on with the present plan. Gov ernor Oates. in his message, admits that a halt must be called. He seems to favor the present plan but has serious doubts of the ability of the State to carry it out. He rather inclines to the idea of suspending the operation of the present law until the finances of the State improve. Several bills have alreany been introduced in the Legis- lature proposing amendments to the exist Ing law. One measure proposes to abolish the Board of Managers and leave the mat ter to the inspectors, which is a return to the old law; another proposes to work them on the Mobile and West Alabama railroad; another proposes to continue them in the mines indefinitely.
 The State has found the working of con- victs in the mines SC profitable that it is hard to discontinue this system. Proba- bly, the State will eventually open up mine and work the convicts on It's own &C., count. Such mine might be opened up on the Warrior river, which is far removed from any city or town, and thus the con- victs would not be brought in contact with free citizens. The university of Alabama owns valuable coal lands along the Warrior river. If the State would lease these lands and pay the university royalty on the coal mined it might work well for the State and the University. Suppose the State worked 500 convicts in such mine and paid roy atty of cents ton, which it could well afford to do. The conyicts could mine 250O tons n day, and from the sale of this coal the State would net S1000 a day and the university would receive S75 day. There is good profit in mining coal in this dis trct. This was clearly proven during the past financial depression. When all other lines of industry had come to stop there was a constant demand for coal and the mines were kept busy filling their orders.
 Judging from the present situation and the expressions oi members in the Legisa- ture, it is probable that the State will con- tinue to work its conyicts in the mines in one shape or another. Of course, the dis abled ccnvicts must be provided for out side of the mines and they will be kept in the penitentiary. The members of the Legislature from the mining districts favor taking convicts ont of the mines, but these members are largely outnumbered by the members from the agricultural districts, who favor keeping them in the mines to save the State additional expense and the people ID increased tax rate.
 The question has grown to be serious one, but the party in power is committed to policy of relief to free workingmen.