The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1908-07-28
HOLDER BILL
MAY Be VOTED
By GOVERNOR
HE WANTS SOME ASSURANCE
THAT THE LEASE WILL END
VERY SOON.
Stringent Regulation in Present Bill
May Act to Prevent Any More
Leases Being Executed; Men,
bers Must Visit Camp.

Atlanta, july Zf.-Ine Holder con-
vict bill will be passed by the house
Tuesday, and the majority will be a
| big one. Indications now are that
fewer than fifty negative votes will
be cast.
However, the favorable action by
the house will leave the question in a
state far from settled 1t must go to
the senate, where sailing will not be
as easy as it has been. 1t will take
the upper house several days to dis
pose of the question, and it is not i'm
probable that the bill will be changed
in many particulars. The sentiment
of the senate on this vital subject is
much mere evenly divided than it is
in the house.
1t is also not improbable tha, the
governor will veto the Holder bill if
| it reaches him in its present shape.
1t is said that he wants assurances
that an end will be put to the lease
system within limited period Nom
inal assurance is given in the bill
| now being considered, but such is not
binding. The next legislature may
continue the lease system indefinitely.
Under the I9,alder bill, it's advocate
claims, the lease system will disap-
pear gradually and without violence.
, Counties may use all the convicts they
want for road W fk, and the terms
have been made is attractive as pos
sible. A large number will take ad-
vantage of that feature of the law
and retain their pro rata share. The
bill also provides in general terms,
for the extension of the state farm,
| by giving the prison commission au-
thority to send as many prisoners
there as it sees fit. 1t is intended that
all white prisoners shall be kept at
the farm.
The bill provides that no more
leases shall be made after three years.
One-year contracts are also provided
for. The regulations governing the
conduct of wardens and guards are
made more stringent Immediate dis
missal and prosecution as for a mis-
demeanor is the penalty provided fer
hose found guilty of cruelty, or ac-
/ epting money from any person or
corporation interested in the leasing
iof convicts. A number Of the prison
commission is required to visit each
lcamp not less often than once a year.
1t also provides that persons or
companies found guilty of cruelty to
| 'risoners in the past shall be barred
n the bidding, and that in future
heavy fines, as well as forfeiture of
| contracts, shall be inflicted
All these requirements are very
| good in their way, but persons famiI-
: lar with the situation would not be
surprised if the BILL when enacted
into law. should of itself end the lease
system at once. With the stringent
| regulations and because of present
agitation, they will be strictly en-
forced and with one-year contracts
only and most of these now using
this kind of labor probably barred
from the convict market, the price Of
lfered is apt to be meager one 1t
may amount to less than the expense
! of guarding and supervising the
working Of the men. This condition
lCf affairs would make leasing useless
and unnecessary and would perhaps
lead to the residue of prisoners 9TH
erwise intended for the market being
lsent to the prison farm.