The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-16
THE CONVICT BILL
WILL HURT ALABAMA
Would Result DisaStrousIy TO the
State.
WILL PROBABLY PASS HOUSE
The Measure Introduced in Congress is
Result of the Fight of Labor
Organizations Against Con-
vict Competition
WILL PROBABLY PASS HOUSE

Age-Herald Bureau, Hotel MADISON, Mont
gomery, December 15.-(Special)-A bill has
been introduced in the national congress by
a member of the Georgia delegation, which,
if it becomes law will work a very great
hardship on Alabama. 1t is the bill which
provides that the products of convict labor
in one state shall not be shipped to another
state for sale Advices received here from
Washington are to the effect that the bill
is sure to pass the house, but nothing is
known as to its course in the senate. The
measure is being backed by the labor or
ganizatons, and is continuance of the
fight of Independent labor against convict
competition.
Since Alabama employs all of her conviets
in the manufacture of goods which are sold
in every state in the union, the bill would
have the effect of entirely changing tae
convict system of this state, and would
probably cost the state an immense amount
of money.
Some of the state officials say that in case
the bill is enacted into a law That a special
tax would have to be levied in this state
to pay for the keeping of the prisoners.
There are about two thousand convicts in
system, bringing in a revenue of about $780,
900, less expenses. About 200 Of these con-
victs are employed in the mines and in
lumber and lime mills.
The convicts of the state, taking the
month of october as basis, are leased out
follows, the paid to the state by
these several concerns for the year ending
October l, 1899, being set opposite each firm
name:
621-Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad
company, $n,073.
313-Sloss Iron and Steel company, $25,o3l.
39-Milner, Caldwell & Flowers Lumber
company, $2,375.
16-Chewacla Lime Works, ,2SS.
69-Hand Lumber company, $2,S61.
43-Longview Lime Works, S3,l4o.
41-Mills-Rawls Lumber company, 1884.
50-Walter Bros farm, $3.50.
fl. II. McCurdy's farm, $500.
34-R. N. Bell farm, $685.
Barron & Crosby Contract EXPIRED, $474
Besides the above there are about 600 of
the poorer class of convicts, including the
women and children, at the four state pris-
ons, from whom the state last year re-
ceived earnings to the amount of $3o,746.
Would Result Disastrously
The members of the Alabama convict bu-
reau think the passage of the bill would
result very disastrously to this state, and
they will make united effort to secure its
defeat. If the bill becomes a law they
claim that it will prevent the lease of con-
victs in this state for any purpose, save
that of building roads, and it is maintained
that the state is not now in SUCH financial
condition to place the convicts on the
roads. The operators of coal mines will
not longer continue to lease the convicts
under the law, and the cotton mill system,
which the state has recently Inaugural ted,
and which promises unusually good re-
suits, cannot be continued, as a large por-
ton of the manufactured goods are shipped
to other states for sale.
The bill was before the last congress, but
it was defeated by a small vote. The at
tention of all of the representatives from
this state in congress has been invited to
the bin, with the request that they use
their energies to secure it's defeat.