The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-21
GOV. SMITH
 SIGNS BILL Convict Lease System Is
 Terminated. A COSTLY EXTRA SESSION Nearly a Month Used in Discussing
 the Legislation. The Measure Prohibits Lessing ef Felo.s Except By The Consent of The Governor And Prison
 Commission.
A COSTLY EXTRA SESSION

Atlanta, Ga, Sept, 20--Just at mid night last night. Governor Hoke Smith signed the convict lease bill which hereafter prohibits the leasing O. felons except by the consent of the Cover nor and prison commission.
 The bill was passed by the Legisia- ture yesterday after $35.000 had been spent in an extra session, and nearly a month used in discussing the ,cgis- lation. With the signature of Cover nor Smith on the bill as engrossej. Georgia has done away with a system which has been in existence ever since 1865.
 1t was to settle this convict lease question that Governor Smith called a special session of the Legislature. He desired that the lease system be eb- solutely abolished and the bill IS pass ed provides that there will be no leas- ing of convicts to any contractor for private gain. It Is said these contrac- tors have made thousands of dollars out of convict labor in Georgia in the last forty years, the men being leased to them at $100 a piece with the sim pie proviso of board and sleeping quar- ters.
 In the investigation which led to the present legislation, there was consider. able testimony to the effect that negrt convicts had been whipped by over. seArs, that in several cases the abuse had resulted in the death of men under the control of the Jesse.
 When the Georgia Legislature as- sembled a month ago to consider the question of convict labor. Governor Smith announced that he desired all traces of the lease system to be eradi- cated. House and Senate disagreed as to how this should be accomplished. The Senate insisted that there should be no leasing after March 3l next The House wanted the lease system extended to 1911. Finally. however. House and Senate compromised on q measure which permits the use by the State Of any convicts not used on state roads. nor by municipalities nor in state institutions. These men may bt used as the prison commission and governor sees fit. but as . close frienS of Governor Smith said tonight when 1t was suggested that this provision might prove a joker" M
 Governor Smith, you may be sure, is totally opposed to leasing convfce{ to private individuals and will nevek consent to any leases of this kfn6 The lease system is dead"
 Governor Smith gave out the, fol lowing interview to-day: lD
 The extra session has accomplished all that I expected. The people of the Stdte were emitted to the full benefit of the report of the leRislatiye committee appointed to consider an in vestigation into the convict lease sys- tenn.
 The Juvenile Court bill and the parole bill mark a new era In the ef- fort to prevent crime in Georgia. The creation of a commission to investi- gate the extension of the Western and Atlantic Railroad to the sea and the employment of convicts on this work is also m important and valu- able measure.
 The convict bill furnishes an op- portunity to each county in the State to take its pro rata share of con- victs and work part of them on a farm and part on the public roads. I expect that under this bill every con vict will be disposed of without Ieav- ing one to be leased. The Wise bill taxing imitation beer should pay in- to the State treasury S200. 900 within the next twelve months. I have no fear of It's constitutionality. The ex- pense of the extra session is a small item compared to the benefits which will come from the legislation which has been passed"