The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-15
''si SAs-~ President Carmichael Submits
 a Statement. Feiicitates Governor Jelks on First Full Year of New system of Working Prisoners of
 the state.

The quarterly report of President T. M. Carmichael of the State Board of Con. vict Inspectors made public yesterday by the. the state ;Sn cS. Exesutlye Department shows endar n year v, of 1908 earned the great total
 The report was made at the end. of the working the convicts by the State, instead of leasing them to the mining companies and operators. At the beginning of the year 1t was estimated that the depart ooo in the single year of 1908 The report of Judge Carmichael shows that the net earnings amount to $220. 0.eSl.Ss. r 2 Interesting Comparisons.
 The growth and importance of the Con- Is shown In the comparison of the figures of the department for the years of 1899 and 1908. In 1899 the department earned something thin over ss.ooo and in 1903 1t earned
 This great increase is due mainly to the introduction by Governor Jeiks sof the policy of the State hiring Its conyjcts di- rect instead of leasing them as had been
 The increased revenue is not, however, the only advantage secured from the new plan. The condition of the eonyicts In charge oi,oth of the 5 state , has been improved and, comforts are looked after with more comfort and zeal and the general health of these unfortunate wards of the State : In his report. President Carmichael says "that, your excellency was fortpnate in conceiying the plan Is demonstrated Carmichaers Report.
 The Espeeney EseeEt e fu ax !. w fHlGws p ysfs. T beg to state that my quarterly re port was due to have been made on the first of December last. and was deferred l&Aa szSA N<~ NAxah1 IA would bring the end. of, the calendar year: at which time number of things might be stated, not strictly speaking, belonging | to the quarterly report.
 the last four months has been good. The mortality, notwithstanding we have lost some. has been small. Nearly all are Tn good health. well fed. well clothed. well could be under similar circumstances. Tt is true. we have a considerable. num- Der of desperately bad men. but large men ot Os essentisiy sns sHgvlS Baa D but me iugly without accurate knowledge of what honestly belongs to them. Many of them when released go back to the lives they | ing at the various vacations which had | characterized their previous lives. while | others, never perhaps having been ap- over their lives of outlawry. How to sc 1 reform as. that he may become good citizen. is matter that has taxed for years and years the ablest minds Of the
 Study of Penoaogy.
 'The stuy of penology. so to speak, willie it has resulted in giving many sug- gestons. useful in themselves, has never furnished an adequate and hxed rule which would meet every exiKev
 cOnvicts may be reached by kindness. and
 a desire to secure their betterment, while others are utterly oblivious to any human l Al --a .AA n
 ever. all things considered, that the con: victs with whom we have to deal are we'll | disposed and as much benefited by their | treatment as We could well expect. 1 "The inspectors have each discharged | the duties incumbent upon him as usual. | all exhibiting by their course of conduct l an earnest desire for the we'll being Of the | unfortunates who are placed under our
 charge. and for the success of the depart | ment generally. t.
 "The calendar year 1903 in which the
 experiment of mining coal by the State at a fixed price terminated on yesterday, and that your excellency was fortunate
 in conceiving the plan, Is demonstrated
 beyond question.
 Success of Mining.
 "The success of the plan at first was State, but am not of opinion that you, or the Board of Convict Inspectors, ever questioned for a moment, the wisdom or | the undertaking.
 I received moderately good prices for the hire of convicts employed in mining may | be conceded. but that an exactly fair deal was ever made. that Is, fair division of the profits arising from the labor of the l convicts in the mines. may be questioned, | the contractors have advantage of a more l thorough knowledge of conditions than | the department and using that advantage in favor of themselves obtain contracts 1 more favorable to. themselves than to the State notwithstanding those in charge of the department did what they could fo obtain reasonable hire for the con victs. but having large number of people on hand and no urgent demand for them. l they were perhaps afraid to take the risk of insisting upon more equitable division of the profits of convict labor than they received.
 "'rhe present contracts with the Tennes- see Coal, Iron and Railroad Company and pany are the best ever made for the State and are equally good for the contractors themselves, so there is no room for com plaint either on the part of the State or on the part of the contractors, for whom the State is now operating the convicts. It cannot. however. be insisted that the present contracts are as favorable to the contractors as those under. which they have heretofore been operating. Favorable Conditions. For the reasons indicated. it is proba- ble no convicts will be leased or hired for mining purposes at any time in the near future. The contracts now existing are far more favorable from financial stand point than any of prevoius years. and also more favorable to the convicts who are under the immediate charge and care of the State. so that if they are mistreated the fault is with the Convict Department
 ''I may say, in this connection that the purpose and desire of the Board Is to 1 ameliarate so far as possible the condi- tion of the unfortunate people whom we have in charge.
 r'Rev. Georee E. Brewer, Convict Chap lain for the State. visits as often as pos | sible the convicts at the various prison | breaches and lectures tO them, and pro- vides with the consent of the depa rtment
 such reading matter as in his judgment, | and relieiouslv. and from him much valuable information is obtained. in rela-
 tion to the convicts at the several pri- | sons.
 With your consent. a chaplain will 1 soon be provided for Pratt Mines and Flat Top. whose duty 1t will be made
 by the Bo'rd to preach to the convicts.
 and also to instruct them in such vnan-
 ner, as, in the judgment of the Board. | terests.
 Financial Statement.
 ''I sumhit herewith financial statement | which will show plainly and accurately | the net amount earned bv the convicts. in
 charge of this department. during the year.
 This statement shows alone the net earnings. after full pavment of all liabili- | ties and expenses origtnated and incurred ! during the year. The stock and propertv counted in the statement are still on hand and as valuable or more SO than they were the day they were purchased The statement. however. includes nothing for