The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-06
DR BRAGG SUBMITS HIS ANNUAL REPORT He Thinks the Contract System
 Should be Abolished
WANTS BOARD TO CONTROL
Suggests a Strong Need of RemodeIing the Criminal Laws, Especially as Regardc Management of the
 County Criminals.


 the convict board. has submitted his an- nual report, as follows:
 Hon. J. M. Carmichael, President:
 Dear Sir:-The fiscal year for this de- partment is now drawing to a close. I therefore, in accordance with the statue, hand you this, my report for transmits sion to His Excellency, the Governor.
 Since my last annual report, health con dition among the state convicts has ma terially improved. and this is particularly noticeable with those worked in the mines where the board has complete control. This can be accounted for on various grounds, but chiefly because those unfit ted for such work I have transferred to other places of confinement. The health at all other camps has been better and the death rate lower than at any time in the history of this department. It has been my endeavor to place each convict at work best suited for both his physical and mental condition, while the sick and debilitated, as you are aware, are trans ferred from time to time to the hospital at Wetumpka, which Is kept on a higher plane than ever before, under the super vision of a competent warden and under the direct charge of physician who is required to give his entire time to the care and attention of the needy.
 Many of the jsils of the state continue to issue death certificates with a lavish hand. They are deficient in air space, deficient in ventilation, deficient in pro- per food deficient in everything pertain- ing to health, a cesspoo of danger and disease. Paved with filth, overfiowing with yermin, disseminating tuberculosis and other constitutional diseases, a men, ace not only to those confined in them, but more far reaching,-a menace to the citizens of the state. Humanity cries aloud that something be done. The strong often come out of them physical wrecks, while the weak present their death certificates in their faces. The pie ture Is not overdrawn. I am fully aware of the magnitude of the task to remedy these conditions, but even this should not deter Us for one moment.
 State Control.
 l am of the opinion that the contract syst, m should be abolished at the earliest possible moment, and that the convicts should be worked under the absolute con trol of the board who should employ all help necessary to carry on the business and who should be directly responsible to the department.
 When this is done, imposition will be impossible. Excessive punishment will be reduced to a minimum, and not only will the convict be better cared for but the results to the state will be greater.
 The bulk of our convicts are of a class who are largely "grown-up children: they need some one to think for them, and surely they need protection from the rapacity of many who look upon them not as human beings but as machines.
 All those convicted of offenses carrying over one year of Imprisonment should be sent to the penitentiary and should be directly under the control of the inspec- tors.
 Criminal Laws.
 There can be no question that our crim- inals laws need remodelling and in no di- rection more radically changed than in the management of county conyicts The operation of the present fee system is a stigma upon the state and a blot upon civilization he poor and unfortunate are often made to suffer for the greed of the official; men and women, too, white as we'll as black, are caught in the mesh es of the drag net and imprisoned on the most frivolous charges. Many, very many of these are too decrepit to earn a living, and instead of being confined in a prison they should be confined in a poor-house. So stupendous has this sys- tenn become that in many instances 1t is apparently debauching the very officials themselves. The county convict has no safeguard thrown around him. he is fre- quently at the mercy of those who look upon him merely as an animal and l have reason to believe that in many his punishment is far in excess of what the law prescribes. As the law exists today, the convict board is powerless; we stand by and see those worked in the mines totally unfit for such labor, without the power to transfer them or to mitigate the}r sufferings I speak advisedly, for so bad has this become that in the month of June l ordered some fifty of those poor unfortunates out of the mines where to have let them remain only meant speedy and certain death. The death rate among county convicts under present conditions, must ever remain high-they are leased and delivered per capita to the highest bidder. regardless of the charac- ter of work they are able to perform Men. women and little children surely our lawmakers never intended that un- der the f1imsiest pretenses the unfortun- ates always among us should be forced to give up their lives seemingly to in- crease the fees of some official.
 The system should be curtailed the county convict should be placed on the same plane as the state convict, but should the contract system be continued. all contracts should be submitted to and approved by the state board of inspectors If this is done, these unfortunates will have protection whereas now they are no more than ''the beasts of the field" I would further suggest that our penal laws be so amended as to include the in- determinate sentence, by this the con- he shows that he has reformed and will probably make a good citizen, let him be paroled. always, however. requiring him to report at stated times to the proper authorities. I freely confess that have vsry grave doubts as to the reformation of the criminal but let us be charitable and give him a trial; the indeterminatc sentence inspires hope in the breast of the convict; 1t is the rift in the cloud and no man can fofztell the results.
 I have not touched on the financial af- fairs of the department. as I presume that you will cover this ground in your report, but as we have often discussed the matter, am still of the opinion that the state should dispossess itself of the large amount of worthless land on hand, and invest in one large body, suitable for all purposes thereby largely reducing expenses in having so many employees. The lands at Speigners and Wetumpka are virtually without value. and under the most favorable circumstances and sea- uope "a n never he made tO nay exnenses