The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-11-11
OPPOSED TO CONVICT BILL.
CITY AND COUNTY SEND STRONG
PROTESTS AGAINST ITS PASSAGE.

Present systcm-Ctty Council calls
Upon senator and HepresentRtiye
10 Prevent the Passage of the BiII
in Is Present Fermentation
County and other Counties stint
IarIy situated Not Intended 30 lie
Included IN the DiiI Anyhow.
The City Council az meeting yester-
day afternoon. held after a meeting ~
the Committee Of the whole. adopted n
resolution calling upon tho Senator from
tho First District and tho representative
In the General Assembly from Chatham
county. 10 oppose tho misdemeanor con
Wet blu ia Sos present form.
The resolution recites tho manner a.
which tho c3nvicta are worked in Chrt-
ham county. the purposes for which they
are used. ana the conditions under which
they are kcp, and lays stress upon the
fact that the progress OF the public im-
provemcnts Of the county would be Sc
riously lntorfcred with should the con
troll OF The convlcts be taken out OF the
hands Of the County Commissioners. The
resolution was nrst considered IN the
Committee OF the Whole. and was sub
mitted from that body by a unanimous
report
Mayor Myers expressed himself az
strongly opposed to any change In the
convict system Of Chatham county when
the proposition 10 place all misdemeanor
convicts under the control OF the state
Prison Commission was nrst announced.
and the members OF Council evidently
agreed with him IA his views.
The resolution reads as follows
whereas. there - now pending in the
General Assembly Of this state a bill de-
signed 10 take away from the several
county authorities the control Of misde-
meanor convlcts;
And whereas. the reasons advanced
for the passage % such hill to-wit. 10
insure the humane treatment, proper
clothing feeding and housing OF and
medical attention 20 such convicts and 20
prevent the evils incident 50 hiring such
persons to private parties. do not apply
20 the misdemeanor conviots OF Chatham
county who are never hired TO private
parties and are afforded all the comforts
and attention consistent with their stu
alton.
And whereas. the road and drainage
system Of Chatham county. so important
to It's prosperity and health and 10 the
prosperity and health Of this city. are
bu,lt and maintained by the labor OF the
misdemeanor convicts OF said county.
thus IN some measure retmbursing the
county and city and the taxpayers there
o. FOR the heavy expense incident 20 the
trial and conviction Of such convicis.
And whereas. IN tho judgment Of this
body. any change in tho power and au-
thor1ty % the County Commissioners OF
Chatham county. with regard to misde-
meanor conviots would he disastrous 10
sald road and drainage systems and
would not improve the condition OF such
convicts;
Therefore. be Il resolved by tho Mayor
and Aldermen OF the CHy Of Savannah.
In Council assembled That the Senator
from the First District and the Repre-
sentntives from Chatham county. be and
they are hereby requested to oppose any
measure on tho line Of the bin referred
10 that will have the effet Of taking
from the authorities Of Chatham county
any OF the power and control now cxer-
cised by them over misdemeanor convicts
Of SAID county. SO far as Chatham coun-
IS Is concerned. we know that its con-
y-lcts are worked under reasonable regu-
tationa. are properly housed clothed and
fed. given medical attention when H. and
that no necessity exists, from any hui
manHarian standpoint FOR any change
such as THIS ulli IiolNrte.
A vigorous protest against che passage
81 the bin may be expected from Chat
ham county The protest already formu-
lated IN the special presentment OF the
grand Jury Of the Superior Court will be
supplemented by memorials from the
board OF County Commissioners. the SIS
vannah Board OF Trade aud che Savannah
Cotton Exchange. as we'll as BY the city.
Since the action taken by the grand jury
sNuaaa
has been done in Savannah to prevent the
passage Of this bin so obnoxious 60 every
one who has at heart the true interests
Of the cIty7 IL Is believed. however. that
an effort will be made TO have the bill
referred 10 the commercial bodies inter
! ested IN tho success OF the port. and that
these bodies viii pass such strong con-
demnatory resolutions as win serve en-
tsrely to destroy the chances OF the bill
being enacted into law.
Indeed. q Is further understood that
neither tho Governor nor Representative
Toomer Of Waycross nor any other or
the advocates OF the bill have ever in
tended TO make its provisions apply to
Chatham or other counties OF like magni-
tude All Of these seem 70 be- well awnre
that the passage Of such a bin would be
completely destructive OF the best inter.
ests OF the counties that have managed
d
public IN the past. and they mean TO make
its provisions applicable only to those
counties IN which there have been abuses
that have revolted the sense OF justice
and fairness OF che people OF the state.
So far as Chatham county Is concerned
II is content 70 submit It's record in the
matter OF controlling ana working mlsde-
meanor convicts TO the inspection OF the
entire state. on number OF occa-
alnWa the fNNmhnrw the RFta-
on Commission have said that the methods
Ia vogue in this county were admirable
and that the work performed wac entirely
satisfactory. SO much cannot be said OF
the camps controlled entirely by the com
mission. concerning which there have been
numerous scandals IN the past few years.
From what can be learned Of the cN-
isting condition OF affairs there Is no
reason FOR alarm on the part Of the
tho County Commissioners and the peo-
pie OF the county. The law as in-
sroduced may be general. but It Is not
thought that there will be any difficulty
In having Chatham and other counties
In which the conditions are similar or
identical. exempted from its provisions.
Everybody in the county o. against the
provisions OF the law as applied TO Chat
ham. They cannot see that Il will work
any advantage and they can see that II
will do great injury 20 the people OF this
section. Situated aa this county IS
drainage and road work is absolutely cs-
sontirl and 90 carry u 10 completion the