The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-15

they Inu men unlIleu To do the special work assigned they are sent to other and more wholesome occupations, and, If un- able to work at all are carried to the walls at Wetumpka, where the states hospital is. But d county convict or man who is merely a misdemeanant has no such oyershadowing care and atten- tien. If he fals into a place which his constitution can stand, It is we1l if he should happen to be sent out to labor on a work which he Is wholly unitted to. perform, he may live-or die. Death comes to many of them. The greater number work in the mines with the Ten nessee or the Sloss people They come from jails in which they perhaps have been locked up with fifty and even sev- enty-fve 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. Dr. Shirley Bragg, the physician inspec tor, has chapter on our county jalls, which will be found in the report of the convict department, to which I invite your attention. It Is an anomaly to find that mere misdemeanant is less consid- erately treated by the state than q felony convict l know you will find com prehensve treatment of this county con vict subject and the correction of the evils which have grown out of it a most difficult one. 1 hope, however, you may undertake to furnish a radical relief. There Is a partial remedy which is a sim pie one:
 Pass an act requiring the approval by the head of the convict department of every contract for the hire of county con- victs
 This would allow the state to bunch them in convenient localities for better and more frequent inspection. As it is they are greatly scattered and a visit by the inspectors Is only possible at rare in- tervals This requirement would have an additional advantage which county of- fcers drawing costs from a fine and for feiture fund, would most readily appre- ciate. It would make the department practically the hirer of county as well as state conVicts. The department might then be able to force the contractors to pay more reasonable consideration for the services of these unfortunates.
 Finances of the Convict Department
 The president of the board of inspect ors, in his excellent report informs you that the earnings of the department for two years, have been $179, 94, most ex celent showing, and one which will com pare to advantage with any other two years in the history of the department. Especially is this true when it is remem- bered the last two years have been dis astrous to very many farmers. The states farms have suffered particularly.
 Recently the department 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 mtae coal and put it on railroad cars, and in the other to get the coal into tram cars and to the mouth of the room, which Is down in the mines. They are both excellent contracts, and they have met with my hearty approval The state has, since the first day of January, had positive and daily control of it's men worked in these mines to the number of something like six hundred. The department expects to further reduce the death rate, which has been less high during the past few years than ever before.
 The contractors are now paying per ton practically what free miners are paid That this arrangement will increase the net income of the department as well as show satisfactory decrease in the mor- tality rate, l have no doubt. The profits of the department for two years have av- eraged about $90,0 900. You may, In your calculations on income and disbursements look confidently to a somewhat higher
 
 ment in the next four years.
 Cost of Returning Prisoners to State.
 The states around us provide In their statutes for the payment by the respec- tive counties of the expense incurred in the capture and return of abscondng fel- ons. It now depends alone upon the gov- ernor whether he will issue acquisition with expenses by the state. This is not fair burden to the state treasury Local boards of county commissioners know better whether it is advisable to Incur the expense of sending for these crimi- nals The local boards would have re- fused to allow it in some cases where I have permitted the amount charged the state and would no doubt, have sent for criminals for whom l have declined to authorize the expense. The county boards are better informed in these cases, and, besides, the counties should at least pay the expense incurred when the crin- inal Is sentenced to hard labor for it's benefit.
 Feeding Prisoners.
 The state paid out the last fiscal year, $97, 460 for feeding prisoners in the county jails The appropriation for this purpose is $1O0000 Our annual needs are likely to run beyond this sum in the next four years. You will be called upon to increase the appropriation. This dsburse- ment would be something less but for some special statutes which allow the court in one or more counties to sentence a man to jail rather than to hard labor. This sentence to jail means Just SC much each day for each such prisoner out of the states funds. There is no excuse for taking this money out of the treasury other than the arbitrary statute. If you should not see fit to repeal the act al- together. you might so amend 1t that the county will have the burden of it's en- forcement This wrongful diversion of the states money amounts to several thousand dollars.
 Sixteenth Section Land.
 The states land agent finds in an effort to straighten out the states land books that there are 225. 900 acres of sixteenth section lands, which, according to any showing we have, is the property of the schools, but which is now claimed by persons under adverse or other real or pretended titles. The land agent has been diligently engaged and has done an immense amount of work in an effort to reclaim the states own and having pat ents issued to persons whose rights ap- pear to be reasonably clear He has met with many obstacles, among them the in- disposition of some of the county assess ors to give him needed assistance l sug- gest that a small committee of each house be appointed, having this matter in care to confer with the land agent and agree upon some needed legislation.
 The Salt Lands.
 The state owns five sections of salt land granted to the state by the general