The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-13
WORK OF CONVICTS
question CONCERNING THE
LEGISLATURE.
MAY Be DECIDED THIS WEEK
ro WHAT WILL BE DONE WITH
PRISONERS.

.-I,ture VIII Have an OppOrtu-
~, 70 Make IA Choice i'm Its Pol
g., ReGarding the states Con-
.,,t.-DiHerent Measures Are Pro-
od-ouestion Will Come Up on
r,,,rs,Iay-Other Important Legis-
,.tion That Is on the Boards for
This week.
Atlanta. July 12.-It is probable that
che House Of Representatives will de-
ado this week what is to be done with
49, Georgia convicts. This is, in fact.
.ho most pressing question before the
egislature at it's present session.
The matter will not come up, how
aver until Thursday, when the bill by
AZ Fielder of Bib, whose object is to
n,,t the convicts of the state, felony
ard misdemeanor, at work on the
roads will be considered as the spe-
cia1 order. The consideration of this
,raasarr will precipitate the whole dis
cussion of the convict question, regard
ing which there are three separate
hills before the House now ready for
final action
ON Thursday, however. Mr.. Felder's
hill viii be especially considered. This
hill proposes to give each county in
tho state the right to work its felony
convfcts on the public roads therein,
without cost other than the expense of
maintenance and guarding. Such coun-
ties as do not desire to work their own
convicts, shall turn them over to the
Prison Commission to be leased out for
4 short terms, but these counties have
the privilege of securing them for road
a work whenever they desire, at the ex-
piration of such leases.
Counties which have not a sufficient
3 force of convicts with which to work
n their roads, may make requisition on
S the Prison Commission for the number
desired, and the commission is required
to furnish them. The fund arising from
a the hire of such convicts as are turn
ed over to the Prison Commission for
the purpose, is to be set aside as a
prison fund to be used for buying farm
lands on which to work the convicts
which are not worked by the counties
on the roads, the double object being
ultimately to remove the conViets as
far as possible from competition with
free labor, and to improve the public
highways of the state.
No Expense to State.
Mr.. Fielder states that under his bill
the COnyicts can be worked on the
v,,,I,It .slf.
pense to the state, the only loss being
about $4,000 a year, which now goes
TO the common school fund, which is
more than $1,5OO,OOO annually. He is
3 confident, however, that the great good
TO result from the improvement of the
roads will more than compensate for
81 what he considers will be~-only the
temporary diversion of this amount
from the schools
The other propositions relative to
convicts before the House are, first,
the Clements BILL which has passed
the Senate providing for a renewal of
the present system for another period
OF i've years, and, second, the bill from
the Penitentiary Committee, which
"a proposes to create a prison fund of
$i@,O00 year, by continuing the pres
ent system for another five-year pc
ROO, and at the end of that time using
the 100000 fund to provide other work
for the convicts.
There is a strong disposition in GER
IAN quarters to incorporate in what
ever legislation is adopted on the sub
Ject OF the convicts, some provision
giving the Prison Commission full
power and control over the misde-
meanor convicts and the camps where
'ney are worked. Complaints of
abuses from these camps have been
frequent, involving violations of the
rules made by the commission for the
government of such camps, cruel treat
hent and unlawful detention of con-
'Icts whose terms have expired There
Is little doubt that something on this
nne will be heard when the debate
on the convict question is opened.
Alternative Road Law.
Two other special orders have been
ee' Tor consideration in the House this
week On Tuesday there will be con-
sioered bill by Messrs Fields of Doo-
ana McCurry of Hart, proposing an
IMPORTANT amendment to the alterna-
1--WE road law. At present this law is
apPHeable all over the state, except in
Incorporated cities and towns which
thaEe their own read ordinances. The
VII TO be considered Tuesday proposes
,
pe OF each county shall be given the
t.LL!'4,ege OF voting, whether they want
we law operative in their county or
NV! ms law, as is we'll known, re-
lures that each male citizen between
nv dses OF 16 and so years, shall work
o roads certain number of days
30 oc II year or in lieu thereof shall pay
- me yne county specified road tax.
lie Inc special order for Wednesday,
So,y TO- is bill by Mr.. George of Nor
sam' proposing to make it unlawful for
c mS one to employ a laborer, tenant or
upper, who is under contract with
another. There is already a law on this
4 sT9S1eCI but the present bill is more
81 d setinc and in stronger terms. 1t is
4 edisHeu to protect farmers who make
ae st,r IIes to employees under contract,
n raL aaeh employees are sometimes in the
4 adj vi disappearing as soon as these
'dhces are made.
Tax Commission Bill.
N1d me subcommittee of the Ways and
3 ot y, committee of the House is still
Il hin olS on the state tax commission
& Conf mLlch is a lengthy and rather
4 tba p 2'lCa measure. The members of
a side committee are carefully con-
a nortIihs every detail, because the inn
B il ' NJ, of the proposed law demands
\ sags ne nere is time enough for the pas
. $50. u such measure at the present
n kina H. ont progress with bills of this
+ CHS I Is usually slow and guarded. The
4 EorDeS are. therefore. even if the
4 ate should pass the bill. the Sem
4 for You'd not get through with it be-
next summer.
4 taral.'H some of the measures of in
4 for a which are on the House calendar
\ be r,ariy consideration and which will
c. acned this week. are bills by Mr..