Gulf Coast breeze., 1898-02-11
GOV. ATKINSON MAKES REPLY.
To An Articis In New York World Re
garding Our Convict Law.

To An Articis In New York World RE
garding Our Convict Law.
Governor Atkinson, of Georgia, has
written vigorous denunciation Of
story printed in q recent issue of the
New York World rejecting on the new
penitentiary system Of the state.
The statement in part was as
follows:
"The World, New York:
my attention has been called to q
sensational slander published in the
New York World of January 27, last,
in form Of dispatch from Atlanta,
dated January 26. 1898.
''This dispatch contains so many
Misrepresentation and is suoh tissue
of falsehoods that it is impossible to
refute all Of them in q short space, and
/ shall therefore confne myself to
such of them as appear most promi-
nent.
'Tt states that more than two entire
regiments Of state convicts will be
auctioned Of to the highest bidder
and thus will be witnessed
the renewal of system which has
already been condemned
Tn the coming auction OF human
chattels to persons who are not Off.
GERS Of the state
This whole fabrication is apparently
based upon the fact that the prison
commission of Georgia, by authority
of an act of the general assembly, ap-
proved December 81, 1897, have ad-
vertised for bids for the labor of able
bodied male convicts, to go into effect
upon the expiration OF the present
lease at definite per capita per an
nun, the state through its penitenti-
ary officials, agents and guards en-
ployed and paid by the state, con-
trolling the convicts and with them
performing the work 30 contracted
for; the contractor having absolutely
no control over the convicts and pay
ing for such labor so furnished. This
advertisement is in strict conformity
with the law, and no other construo-
tion can be justly placed upon it.
"This being the statute and the
advertisement, it follows, first, that
the statement more than two entire
regiments of state convicts will be
auctioned off to the highest bidder, is
untrue.
"Second. That the statement thus
will be witnessed the renewal of a sys-
tenn which has already been condemn
ed is untrue.
"Third. That the characterizing this
step as the coming auction Of human
chattels to persons who are not officers
of the state is untrue.
"This dispatch further states that
the worst feature of the new law.
is that these men, thus hired out to
traders in human labor may be sublet
to others, though the state assumes to
keep an eye upon them, The premises
upon which this conclusion is based,
having been shown to be false, the
conclusion is likewise untrue, and has
no foundation except in that provision
of the law which, by and with the
consent of the commission, allows the
contractor for this labor to engage the
same in contracts for others than him
self, the state still controlling the
convicts through its own officers, agents
and guards.
"a large part of the last session of
the general assembly of Georgia was
devoted to this question, and measures
looking to re-enactment of the lease
system repeatedly defeated. The law
finally adopted embodies every ele-
ment of reform necessary, and in di.
rect line with the suggestions made by
me and others who had devoted much
time to the study of the question.
"It is easy to slander a state or
public institution, and hard to correct
the impressions made by the SANDER
GUS publication, but where the truth
can be so easily obtained as in the
present case, when copy of the law
could have been had for the asking, it
is remarkable that a newspaper like
The World should have been so easily
imposed upon, and thus become a
party to the injustice done the good
name OF q state.
"W. Y. ATKINSON,
"Governor Of Georgia"