The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-14
FOR MORE CONvICTS
MOVEMENT ON FOOT TO INCREASE
NUMBER OF MEN
ON C0UNTY'S PUBLIC WORKS.
GALATIANS COMMISSIONERS ARE
ASKED TO JOIN MOVEMENT.

ter Under COnsideratiOn-Wi Re-
port to Board at Its Next Meeting.
Only the Cooperation of Those
Counties Which Employ COnvicts
on Their Public Works Is Asked.
Movement Is Auxiliary to n Bill to
Be Introduced in Legislature
Looking to Abolition of Lease Sys-
tenn.
1t may be that the number of con-
victs employed on the public works in
Chatham county will be greatly en-
HANGED in the near future. A move
ment to abolish the lease system and
the state penitentiary. has been inau-
gurated, and Chatham county has been
asked to Join the movement. County
Attorney Cam now has the matter I'M
der Amusement.
A letter from the chairman of the
State Board of Commissioners Of Roads
and Bridges, H. E. w. Palmer, was
received at the June meeting Of the
County Commissioners, and read and
discussed in caucus. The matter is
one which means a great deal to the
county, and the commissioners did not
feel privileged to pass upon it at once,
but referred it to County Attorney
Cam, who will make his report at the
next meeting.
The movement contemplateS two i'm
portant changes: First, the employ
nent of felony convicts on public
works. in addition to the misdemeanor
conviots; and second, the acceptance
and employment of those convicts who
are not now employed in the county
from which they were sentenced Cbut.
rather, are leased out in those coun-
ties where convicts are used on public
works) by the counties who do use
them, each county to take care Of its
proraIa share.
The Proposed Bill.
A bill will be introduced in the Legis-
lature at the coming session which has
as its principal aims these changes.
1t is to insure the passage of the bill
(by giving assurance of the co-opera-
ton of the several counties who now
employ convicts) that the movement
has been inaugurated The movement
have been made in a quiet way, and
nothing concerning it has crept into
print
Clarke county, where extensive road
work is being done and is in contempla-
ton has already given it's assurance
of support through its Board of County
Commissioners, and Fulton county has
followed suit. 1t would appear from
the letter from the chairman of the
State Board of Commissioners Of Roads
and Revenues, that after the movement
had been launched by the Clarke coun-
ty officials and referred to the Fulton
County Commissioners, it was brought
to the attention of the state board, who,
in order to ascertain the sentiment of
the several counties sent out the let
ter which was read to the Chatham
county board.
To Work FeIOns, Too.
In case the movement is successful
all grades of criminals except those up
on whom the death sentence has been
passed will be on the county forces,
and the work required of the felony
convict will be the same as that re-
quired of his misdemeanor brother, so
that the only difference between the
service of the two sentences will be one
of time, which, after all, is the most
important. OF course, it will become
necessary to increase the efficiency of
the camp guards.
There is some doubt about whether
the chief objection to it being that the
adjustment of the lease system will
do away with a handsome revenue
received from that source. This reve-
nue. is devoted to the educational fund,
and upon it the school commissioner
in a large measure depend. The bill
will be introduced by Representative
Fielder of Bigg county.
The letter from State Chairman
Palmer follows:
ITO the Honorable Board of County
Commissioners: In accordance with the
action of the Board of Commission
ers of Roads and Revenues of Fulton
County, Georgia, at its regular June
session, 1908, the following resolution
was adopted:
Resolutions Adopted.
Upon motion of Commissioner An
derson it is ordered that in replying to
a communication which Commissioner
Palmer, as chairman of the State
Board of Commissioners of Roads and
Revenues received from the Commits
sioners of Roads and Revenues of
Clarke county, relative to the Fielder
bill, he indicates that this county de-
Sires legislation enacted that will au-
thorize the felony convicts sentenced
from this county to be e%ployed on it's
public works, and that this county will
furthermore consent, under proper con-
ditions, to receive and employ on it's
chain gang, convicts from those coun-
ties of the state not using them upon
their own public works, proportionate-
ly with all other counties of the state
which are using their convicts on their
public works
The representatives from this coun-
ty and the senators from this district
will be advised of this action.
If you are of the same mind re-
garding this matter you might take
such action in the nrar,aisos. -. : -