The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-07
CONVICT REPORT
 IS GRATIFYING  Long Forward Steps Have
 Been Made CAUSES MUCH COMMENT Large Income to State and Low Death Rate Are Especial Causes for Re-
 JolcIns By People of
 the State.
CAUSES MUCH COMMENT
BY HERvEY W. LAIRD.

ment earned and paid Into the state treas ury for the twelve months ending Au- gust 31, s505, ,562. 26. Is as astonishing as 1t is gratifying. Not so very long ago the wards of the state were badly handled by contractors and lesses and did not earn l enough many years to pay for their man. agement. Today they make far more money than the most sanguine friends of the system now in vogue ever hoped for, with death rate so low that it is the wonder of the world. A New York man said last night that the work done in this state was vastly more effective and satisfactory than In others where mill lions were spent in the care of those con victed of crime.
 important Subjects.
 There are many things in the reports of the board of inspectors made to the gov ernor yesterday, by the president, Judge J. M. Carmichael that are subjects or pride to the present administration, re- sponsible for the changes of methods or management. The first is that the enor- nous earnings have been made with great benefit to the convicts. They are housee and fed much better than has ever been known and the death rate or less than per cent indicates that they are care fully watched over by Dr. Shirley brass' the physician inspector. The ne" con +rac+s all nlace them under the direct charge of the state, guards peins le snonsible to the board of inspectors anu not the lesses. The result mas peeh eo raise the standard of treatment and over eiyht to a point where the whole couh- trv Is looking to Alabama for the pess means of meeting this ever vexing prop lem.
 Awful Fee System.
 There are several matters in the re- mort that call attention to other work vet to be done. Among the most import ant of these is the fee system ana the county convict plans. These make the temnetation to mistreat the convicts great and causes Inspector Bragg to designate ii 'the curse of civilization" Men are taken LID in the counties on the most frivolous charges and then fined small amounts and costs to keep the officers in fees. It Is safe to say that probably in the cases where small fines are imposed there has been no real offense commit ted and the sentence Is given for the sole purpose of some officers getting fees. It has lOlR DSeH ItSdidtu ny ehS SAeNNS officials as one of the most disgracefui things in the economy of the common wealth.
 The Cotton Mill.
 Another thing that gives qualification is the success attained in the operation of the state cotton mill at Spegners This plant has been owned by the state for some years and heretofore It has proven unproftable to operate II. some ten months ago, however, President Car michael took up with the governor a plan to get a man well posted on the busi- ness and let the state go in partnership with him. The state and the man were to become the operators of the mill This association was then to hire the convicts from 'the state paying so much per month. The cotton mill firm has proved a success and the state has been paid a good price for convicts who could not be used, because of physical inefficiency, any where else.
 This has begun the solution of prob lem long felt in all the states, that Of working the weaker convicts to advan- tage. It now seems as If the state has dis' covered that they can be made to pay good dividend and at the same time be- come parties to the consumption of a good portion of the raw cotton of the ter ritory
 Care of the Sick. The suggestion by Dr. Bragg that the sick men and women be isolated is in line with efforts that have been urged for some years During his administra- ton of the health department of con- victs both for the states and lesses Dr. R. M. Cunningham, lieutenant governor, has worked to get at the tubercular trou- bles and tendencies and it Is conceded that the only way to do this Is to set those who are i'll away from the others These come almost entirely from the county jails. of which Dr. Bragg says "No improvement has been made in the jail system since my last report They are still killing their full quota besides delivering to us many invalids, some of whom are restored to health whole oth- CTS are permanently disabled"
 The Doctor closes his message on tuber- culosis dangers with the following aston ishing statement, indicating the necessity of quick action to meet 1t.
 T believe that nearly all the convicts in Alabama, in the next generation will be tubercular. It is upon us. It is not too early to meet it'