The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-18
FEE SYSTEM A BLIGHT
 ON STATE, SAYS DIR. BRAGG

r "a and children. alike, are made to feel its withering blast. It does not spare the old man tottering on the verge of the grave, nor does 1t respect the child scarcely old enough to leave its moth CTS care. Perhaps some day this will be changed, and the County convict placed on the same plane with the State convict.
 "The jails of the State are, as of old. and still furnish their full quota of sick. Many prisoners are received from them in bad condition. and while some recover. a large proportion are permanently unfit for labor. In addi- tion, the common corridors, and open cell doors of the ordinary jails are the occasion of grave evils. The wicked and hardened criminal the corruptinS and diseased tramp. are often permit ted to communicate freely with com paratively innocent boys, caught ir guilt and first confusion, or arrested for transgressing some minor statute. The old repeater of crime, the profess sional burglar. in search of appren- tices. should have no opportunity of teaching the youth the ways of crime and of gaining personal ascendency over them.
 "Parsimony comes to prove extrava-
 
 when public money is refused to meet the cost of a decent and humane build ing for the detention of those await ing trial.
 Tt has been said that the jail is as truly a sign of the culture of a com munity as church. school, or library. It shows what the people think about justice. humanity and evil. The jail should never be used. as 1t ordinarily is used, for place of punishment and. as generally built and administered. furnishes idleness, and bad assoca- tions, and these make the establish ment free school for the training of public enemies at public cost, a sem mary of crime with gratuitous instruc- ton in tine trade.
 Health Centinues Good.
 The Walls at Wetumpka is still used chiefly as a hospital for the De- partment. and here, as heretofore. the tubercular patient is separated from the -tubercular. All chronic cases from each camp are also sent thereA Some are restored to health. and are returned to work, while others remain permanently disabled. Taking It as g. whole, the health at the various camps has been exceedingly good du- ring the past year, and we have had no epidemic of any kind.
 My visits to the mines have been regular, and while at times there has been some friction, in the main. the business is carried on satisfactorily. The organization is fairly good, yet am constrained to believe that quite e number of changes could, and should. be made that would decidedly inure to the benefit of the State, but these. however, are merely matters of detail.
 l.u have been built at Vinegar Bend and Durham. Both were built under my supervision. and from plans furnished by me, and while there is nothing elab- crate in their construction, from an architectural :, standpoint. they are thoroughly lighted. ventilated. and heated, consequently meet every de- mand for the health of those confined at these points.
 Discipline Has Improved.
 '"The punishment list shows a very marked decrease In the past two years. while the discipline has been wonder fully improved. As a rule, the con- victs seem as we'll contented as 1t Is possible for those placed in such posi- tions. Complaints have been few, and have been patiently listened to and retified where possible. Among the very many matters brought before the inspectors Gas you are aware that gives much concern) is the disposition among many to have some prisoner re- moved from one camp to another, or. to state 1t more candidly, place him In a position where he will have nothing to do, and this regardless of his crime. or physical condition.
 Were the incarceration of a man l not so serious question, it would be ludicrous to see these presumably kind ly disposed people, literally falling over each other to accomplish this end. | There is no prisoner in the penitentiary but who has my sympathy, but If these demands were acceded to, there would be no discipline. Punishment for crime would be a mockery. and the criminal with outside influence, many times purchased, would revel in a life | of comparative ease. Prisoners are | classed according to their physical and mental ability. and are at once trans ferred when their condition demands | it
 "In conclusion, I will state that all i contractors have carried out my or ders not always graciously. but fully
 T beg to gratefully acknowledge in 1 this report the aid given me by the | physicians at the various camps. They have performed their duties well and I