The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-10
BUSH REPORTS ON
 JAIL CONDITIONS Finds Conditions Growing Bet
 ter in Cotton Mills.
SCHOOL LAW VIOLATED
Conditions in Large Number of Jails Is Reflection on Citizenship of State, He Says-Insists on Many
 Improvements.

annual report of Dr. C. r. Bush sta te mill and jail inspector, just sent to Gov. B. B. Conner, it is shown that there are io61 children between the ages of P and IS years employed in the textile mills of the state. Between F and Is there are 2500 and 2415 have filed certificates show ing that they are between the ages of F and 16 and have been in school the re- quired eight weeks, a demand of the state law, which allows them to work. The total number of affdavits as to ages of children to December 31, last, is 9600.
 Under the law showing must be made on oath as to the age of every child under IS. Between 12 and Is they must go eight weks, six consecutive to school, and no child under IA can be worked over GO hours a week. Some mills have been trying to get around this by working them GO hours in five and a half days, docking for the rest, but the in- spector has insisted that 60 hours a week means in six days and no less
 The total payroll of the Alabama mills is given at s71,3So a week for 1S,493 em- ployes. The mills have 960, 72O spindles, 17,145 looms, 625 braiders, 454 knitters, 271 ribbers, 95 loopers, 16O sewing machines and 210 boilers. The new mills have good buildings. well ventilated and lighted, with toilet and sanitary appliances pure water for the employees and many times ice water, the idea seeming to be to take care of the health of the men, women and children who toll at the plants. The employees for the most part use snuff and tobacco and spit on the floors, which is a filthy habit, but one hard to con- trol.
 There are violations of the law, no doubt. the inspector points out, In the matter of weekly time and working chill dren under age, but it is not general and the organization of the forces is cut ting it down all the time, It is also fact that many of the mill owners are doing everything they can to help the in- spector to the full enforcement of the statutes. In many cases children ap- parently under age are removed this being within the power of the inspector when he thinks the law is being vio- lated
 It has been hard to enforce the eight weeks schooling part of the law, because the people of the mills move about so much, but with a card system of identif- cation and careful watching the number who escape are becoming fewer all the time. An effort has been made to have night school attendance accepted as a compliance with the school part of the law, but this has been denied. Our con- tention is, and has been." says the re- port, that night schols work a hard ship upon the children, practically in- capacitating them for both work and study, which defeats the very intent of the child labor law, which is and should, be child protection
 In spite of objections the doctor finds that the Alabama law is a god one can be enforced to the well being of the children, and the mill men are taking this view of 1t in large measure, though there are some who still think that an inspection is a meddling with their af- fairs There is now penalty for every violation. It is also a fact that of all the talk and agitation about the protec- ton of the children in the mills, and in the face of the additional fact that he appealed to the public for aid and sym pathy, not one word of encouragement or suggestion has been received from any person. We are convinced that there is @ lack of real interest on the part of many who agitate' says the doctor.
 More inspectors are needed, one man and a. clerk not being able to look after the Il manufacturing plants, 69 jails and 55 almshouses.
 Welfare work is being done at many mills. Halls and amusement places are provided. often free libraries and schools and prizes are offered in some cases for the best kept yard and garden.
 Thanks are extended to the various persons who have given aid to the work
 Bush Speaks of Conditions.
 q can not speak too strongly in con demnation of the county jails," says Dr. Bush. Tt is difficult to impress upon feet jail is not intended as a place of punish ment, but as a place of safekeeping; that when we deprive people of their lib- erty we become responsible for their we'll being.
 The reportd goes into a discussion, giv- ing great many figures of conditions in the cotton mills, the jails and the almshouses of the state. There are few good things to say of the jails which are not approved but much bad. Human beings are found crowded into close places. running one to eight in cell, which are often dark and damp and poor ly ventilated and rarely supplied with bath and sanitary facilities. They reek gith ferns and man coming out well is surely immune. says the report
 The conditions in a large number of jais Is reflection upon the citizenship of the state, the inspector says proof positive of mans inliumanity to man. The state gives 30 to 70 cents a day to feed each prisoner. but the inspector does not thing great many of them get it. In most jafs there are two meals day of meat! and bread. with at times peas Prisoners are fed as cheaply as possi- ble in order thatfthe profits of the sheriff on feed bills may be large. In fact, sherlffs have admitted to him that with out the profit on feeding prisoners they would not have the office.
 Everything possible has been done to alleviate this condition and remedy tor poor feeding and generally bad care is being worked on. New Jains have been built in Autauga. Colbert, Conecuh, De- Kalb, Elmore, Iowdnes. Marengo Mo- bile, Montgomery and Washington coun- ties New Jails are going up in Hale. Marshall Tuscaloosa and Choctaw Inn provements have been In the jails of Chill ton, Houston, Jackson, Perry, Pickens Randolph and Russell. There are many are pending for their rebuilding or re- pair.
 Aims House Conditions.
 Tn many cases" says the report. q am impressed with the idea that the aims houses are maintained for the purpose of having a place of banishment, so to speak, a quiet. secluded place to carry these unfcrtunates to die Farming out the poor to the lowest bidder is bad practice, the doctor thinks. as many of them get little or no attention. Mentally and physically unfit to take care of them selves tie paupcrs ought to have at tention, but where farmed out they ire quently get little of It.
 Of the counties that take good care of the poor. according to the report, ''Dal- Ia Tefferson Mohie and Tallade~o TO pl,