The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-15

guess I ought to congratulate you upon the improvement noted in the last few years in this matter of crimes in Alabama in thS Oa past tsws year than than for several years before. We are making considerable progress. The Sheriffs have In every instance given me every assist have. with one exception. treated this of flee with the respect which 1t it's due
 The Convict Department.
 There are now engaged for the State on It's farms and leased to contractors 1,s7s camps leassd under contract for counties S7O misdemeanants. or what is known as county convicts The State has direct su- pervtsion and control of what Is known as State Ccnvicts but the Department can only interfere with the hire of county convicts to the extent, through the Gov e nor of abrogatiag the contract on q showing that they are not fairly treated AbrOgated. the counties are suffered to take them again and release them. The State can aLrogate. but 1t is poweriess to otherwise interfere. The felony man spectors visit the various camps monthly and if they find men 1nfitted to do the special work assigned they are sent to other and more wholesome occupations, to the Walls at Wetumpka. where the States hospital is. But a county convict ora man who is merely a misdemeanant has no such overshadowing care and at- tention. If ho falls into a place which his constitution can stand. it is we'll: R he should hal pen to be sent out to labor on 2 work which he is wholly united to perform, he may nve-Or die. Death comes to many of them. The greater pumber work in the mines with the Ten nessee or the Sloss people. They come been locked up with fifty and even sew enty-five men in one cage. They can live in these places a few months If they reach the mines, they are frequently far gone in some chronic disease, and may die before they take up pick or shovel. pr. Shirley Bragg. the Physician Inspee- tor. has a chapter on our county jails, which will be found in the report of the your attention. It is an anomaly to find that a mere mlsdemeanant Is less consid- CT ately treated by the State than a felony convict. l know you will ind eomp.e- hensive treatment of this county convict subject and a correction of the evils which have grown out of 1t a most dif- fcult one. l hope. however, you may undertake to furnish radical relief There ls a partial remedy which Ia a simple one:
 Pass an act rsquil ing the approval by the head of the ConV4It Department of every contract for the hire of county conVicts.
 This woul1 allow the State to bunch them in convenient localities for better and more f. equent inspection. As 1t Is, they are greatly scattered ana a NlSit Dy the inspectors Is only possible at rare tn- tervals. This TequiI emenl would have an additional advantage which county vffl- cers drawing costs from a fine aud fUr- feiture fund.- would most readily appre- ciate. It would make the department praC tically the hirer of county as well as State convicts. The department n,gnt then be able 70 force the contxacto s to pay a more reasonable consideration for the services of these unfoftunates
 The Finances of the Convict Depart
 ment.
 The President of the Board of Inspec- tors in his excellent reports, informs you that the earnings of the Department for two years, have been SITS, ,511.94 most excellent showing. and one which will compare to advantage with any other two years in the history of the depart ment. Especially is this true when It ia | Iemembe. cd the last two years have been disastrous to very many farmers. The States farms have suffered particularly.
 Recently the department has made con- tracts with the Tennessee people and the Sloss people to mine coal for the State. These contracts differ materially In the one case. the State agrees to mine coal end put it on railroad cars and in the other to get the coal into tram csrs and to the mouth of the room. which is down in the mines. They are both excellent contracts. and
 ccoRtinued on Page ssven,l