Birmingham age-herald., 1895-01-25
THE Con VICr QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER GATHER PRESENTS SOME
 FACTS ON THE SUBJECT.

COMMISSIONER GATHER PRESENTS SOME
 FACTS ON THE SUBJECT.
 To the Age-Herald
 AsHvILLE, Jan. 24.-In the Monbgom- cry Advertiser of January p a brief edi- torial appeared under the above caption, which, though it spsaks little, seems to signify much.
 In it's comment the Advertiser intima.es that of all important questions requiring
 legislation the convict issue is the one
 which so far has gone untouched, and
 very suddenly it has jumped the matter.
 All at once 1t wants new bill on the sub ject and new system-wants somebody to
 go at tue work at once to tear down to
 build up again.
 If my memory is not at fault, before the
 legislature adjourned for the Christmas
 holidays a reasonable amount of attention
 was given this subject by legislators
 more, perhaps, by outsiders-and so far from
 it being left untouc led, two bills. at least,
 were introduced very materially touching
 the subject. know the fact that the sys-
 tenn established by the legislature of 1892 93
 in it's workings and results was very
 greatly misu nder5tood, for some reason,
 just on the eve of the meeting of the legis-
 lature in November last. l regre!t d when
 came up from Montgom cry from the last
 meeting of the board of managers, on the
 17.h instant, to see special from Mout- gomery in regard to the action of the board al tnab mtetluR WulCU was hlnOSI culiEcly false as to the particular matters reported. That special from the Capital City appeared
 in both daily papers of your city, and it's contents placed the board of convict man. aeers in an ambiguous, not to say an un- enviable, position.
 regret the Advertisers editorial com ment even more than the contents oi the special alluded to, because 1t both does in- justice to the act of 1893 and to the man. agement under it.
 What iuaf Q DpntQtinna nf the people of the state in regard to convict system, or & law regulating suchP
 The Advertiser hasn't told the legsla-
 lature, and is not likely 10 do so. But the Advertiser does know that the state can't afford to spend 'sthousands each year for
 sentiment in tue treatment of criminals. " That is statement every citizen of the state will readily assent to. But the in- timation, taken in its connections, Is that the state has been spending 'many thou- sands each year for sentiment In the treatment of criminals" Now that idea is circulated and is sedulously cultivated over the state, and even an effort seems to | be made to impress the legislative mind | with the tiction-for false 1t is. Let the | legislature do what it will with this sub | ject, one thing the membe of that body | should be sure of, and that is that they are | not imposed on by misstatements of selfish l men. Inquiry into facts of the convict management for tie last two years will | satisiy any one honest enough to accept | the truth, when it is made clear, that the | state has not supplemented the convict | fund one dollar in the treatment of crimi- | nals in any manner or in the expenses of l the system.
 ''sentiment in the treatment of crim{nfGls'' is D ot new, nor is it any truer than new sofsier as 1t IS intended as an in- situation againse the expenditures of the board of managers the treatment of criminals. Let any memoelsr of the legisla, turo examine the question of sentiment ana estimate it's cost, If he finds any. 1rse2ct did not provide Tor any, or the board, in I two years, had not reached that part of it's | duties up to the meeting at the capitol on | the 18th instant.
 But the Advertiser thinks ia thoroughly humane system can be devised that will not be so expensive as the present one.' No one would object 10 the able journal at the capital giving its plan. In fact, if it has ideas on this matter ao important that something must be dQpau g apfIr N.Y. 
 should let it
 oi those1