The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-10

| a great injustice and l cannot ALLOW | 1t to pass without notice. First As to fourth class convicts. am asked to explain why nearly all the State Conviets worked by the sTennes- see Coal and Iron Company during the ] time I was employed as their physi- elan. were placed in the fourth class, and only $500 per month was paid for | their labor. The only data on ciass,. hcation of convicts In the employ or the T. c. I. and R. R. Company I have at my disposal in my ofiice here is found in a joint committee report ap- pointed to investigate the convict system in January. 1891 From this report I quote as follows:
 First class ......Is" Second class ..... ...2s"
 Third clas s... ....... sss Fourth class ...'...A. .izc
 $11.o0 class ,.e..,. .......,.Lsf This was for the month of Decen'-
 Der. isse
 At that time the company paid Cor each of these classes sfS.50, $l3.5e.
 se. .oo maintenance and s11.eo respect ively You will thus observe that there were 126 fourth class for whom
 the company paid nothing but main.e, ,, nance; that is. simply maintained them. These convicts were. always classed by the State officials. At the time of classification I furnished the inspectors with list of those in nos pitaf. admitted to hospital ana ois- charged from hospital and those who had been excused from labor on ac- count of sickness, who were treate a.s in the outdoor department, wita such suggestions as in my Judgment were in the interest of humanity Tn tho classification and assignment to work of the convicts. It Will tnere fore he observed that Ihad no author itv except professional advice.
 frequently suggested that the c,ass he reduced, or that convicts pc out of the coal mines. As to the CT feet that this had upon the ousiness interests of the company cali tention to the following: For first class couvicts at this tlme the comnany paid to the state slo'oo and maintenance about slV.oe pe
 month: total, s2s.5o, and was taskeu four tons per day. and minsa p month 1o4 tons. which made the cost of coal per ton for nrst class conV,c.s oT lo cents: for second class cenvicts tba company paid $13.50 to the Sta,e and maintenance. S10.0o; to,ai' s@o''' and the task was three tons per aaE pr 72 tons per month. which maoe tn. cost of coal for second class conVic's 32.s3 cents per ton; for tnira ciass oonyicts the company paid $a.ob anu maintenance. S1o.00; total $19.oo' the task was two tons per day or Ss tons ner month, which made the cost or coal 3653 cents per ton: Tor iouI.h class convicts the company paid noun ing but maintenance. Sle.0O. ana the task was a ton per day or 2e tons per month. or 3s.4T cents per ton. There fore coal mined by first class convlcts cost 27.40 cents per ton; second class, 32es cents per ton; third class. SS.S5 cents per ton; fourth class. 3sf per l ton: showing conclusively that the higher the class more coal was mined l and at a less cost. all of which was Tn | the interest of the company
 It follows. therefore. that every l time a convict was raised the compa- ny was benefited, and the State was | benefited. and that every time class was lowered the company lost as well | as the State.
 It was my custom to advise chang ing the work oe the convicts when | their health required it. and advised 1 reduction of task when the nealtn of the convict demanded 1t. This l often did, the company paving how ever. the urice paid for the class made | hy the State In this way the fenhes- | see company contributed thousands | of dollars to the interest of humanity | lot 1t be said to their credit I That I was sometimes mistaken. l admit but the error was in the inter. est of humanity and at the sacrifice ot | the company. On the other nano' II ] the State erred in assigning men .o | mines, or fixing their class 100 nlsn' | 1t was to the financial interest or poth | the State and company and at the sac riflce of humanity
 Tha contract made the first of Jan | uary, 1898. required the company 10 nav. to the best of my recollection | s14.oo for first class, 5000 Tor sec adn class and S700 for third class and maintenance for fourth class, considerable reduction from tne pre- ceding contract, which had existed TOT ten years. Tn this contract tne rals- ing and reduction of class and the cor respondins raising and reduction or task. the same facts obtained as 10 nrohts to the State and company as III the former contract. As to Credit.
 Tn my letter announcing Tor gov ernor I gave the credit for establish
 ing the present system to GovernOr or Jelks, and that it was managed py him and by that able board of conVlct inspectors appointed by him. This I have invariably done in all my discussions where I have consid- cred the subject. I also said that | thought that I could claim, without | hoasting. presumption or infringing
  | to he the author Of the new system I introduced 1t into the Senate. Senate | Riu 1O4 which abolished the lease sys- l tern and the county convict system l and created a new system to be wholly | under the control and management or 1 tho State. providing q manufacturins'
 mining, agricultural and invalid de- l partment.
 So far as working convicts in mines l ;s concerned. it contained the follow
 ing provisions; of
 mines at an agreed price per ton. the coal to be delivered on the tppie- 1 that Is to say. on the outside or the | mine.
 ?, To mine coal for owners of mines | at an agreed price per ton. the coa !
 to be delivered at the mouth or the room in the coal mine. 2. To hire convicts at an agreed
 price per class to coal operators. the
 State maintaining and retaining en-
 tire control of the convicts.
 4. To lease coal lands and open and | onerate mines on State account.
 This bill passed the Senate.
 For the reasons calling for cahnge' | I quote from a joint committee ap- | pointed to investigate the convict svs- ] tenn of the State. This report was | written by myself as chairman ot the
 committee, and was coneurred in and | signed by the other members of the committee. I quote as follows:
 | Quotations from committee appoint-
 ed under joint resolution 131 to invcs-
 tigate the convict system. See Senate
 Journal 1S96-7. pages 4S3 ASA. 4s5'
 4s6 4S7 and 4s9. Also see House
 journals
 "To maintain the revenue is the real