The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-12

competition with free labor. In Alabama we have two systems. state and county. Under existing conditions the following sums up the situation:
 First, in the matter of general treat ment, convicts are humanely treated; great inhumanity in the working of con- victs and an outrageous disgraceful nor tality; no effort at reformation.
 "Second, the revenues derived from state convicts sufficient to pay all costs | of conviction, maintenance and a splendid l profit. The revenue derived from county | convicts not sufficient to pay costs, and | with few exceptions little profits to go | into the fine and forfeiture fund. Third, an unjust, unequal and wrong | ful competition of convict labor with the coal miners.
 ''There are, therefore, only two things to commend our present system, to-wit First, the general humane treatment or convict; second, the revenues derived from state convicts. The following are the most fragrant failures which demand corrections: First, the excessive mortal ity; failure to pay cost of conviction or county convict labor
 Limitation of Convicts.
 "The first and last can be effectually corrected by the limitation Of convicts 10 
 state and county convicts, consistlhg ol inc very best convicts physically ana who have no organic or serious tunctlonal disease. or any injury, men only, ana sen- fenced for less than one year, ana pe- tween the ages of 20 and 50 years; pro vided that all convicts assigned to mines shall have previously recovered iroHi lhe effects of jail confinement. The secoho evil can be corrected by the abolition or tot inc convict fund responsible for costs as ia now the case for state conyiets.
 eve. therefore recommend that the countv convict system be abolished ana all convicts sentenced to hard labor pc committed to the penitentiary 10 per cene' and not more than 25 per cent be permit ted to work Incident to mining or tnae county convicts be prohibited rom worAo .o | ing in coal mines and not more than 4u ner cent of state convicts be permitted to work in mines, or at work incident to ,,,ining If the latter is adopted, all Iel- | ms should be sentenced to the state anu ,,isdemeanors only to hard labor for the county. with no limit under ten years as to the number to be hired. The TOT lowing is the percentage or county e9. v,cts convicted for respective perioos. T,welve months and under, 2S per cent one to two years, 40 per cent; over two years, g. per cent
 Here inc report quotes from the re mort of former Convict Inspector k. Ii. Dawson which states that the contract made in 1ssS and which was to expire In 1eoe was the best contract the state ever had had or would ever have with the Tennessee Coal and Railroad company. rrhis was set forth in six reasons First, tha reduced price of pig iron; second, re- duced price of coal third, great sur plus of free miners; fourth, large increase in the number of convicts; fifth, diminish aa demand for convict labor; sixth. gem or.i financial and business depression; seventh. the almost universal opinion In the approaching reduction of prices Of
 The report then states that for these reasons the committee believed that the state would not be able to maintain It's revenue under the present system, but IL believed that the chief revenue must come from mining coal. The state could do thihs humanely by limiting the number of convicts to do mine work The report then states that the following facts should be considered:
 Reliable Labor.
 ..Tirst. in convict labor the state has reliable certain, skilful labor, one that it can absolutely control: second. that with the same skill and judgment in business management it has the advantage Of any other operator; third that it could make contracts without a strike clause, thus giving 1t the advantage in the markets both in an opportunity to sell and in the price, These remarks apply not only to coal mining, but to every form of labor for which the convicts are suited.
 Let us now enquire why mine owners want convicts: First, reliability; second, because of the profit derived in working convicts. Through the first they can make definite contracts and in effect con- trol free labor; the latter increases the profits. We believe that 1t is not illogi- cal deduction, therefore that the present or other mine operators would be willing to sacrifice the latter to keep the former, to-wit: the certain supply of definite amount of coal if they would not be influenced by this in leasing their mines to the state, then. of course they would - ---- :.