The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-28
ABOLISH LEG-|RONS
 ASK PHYSICIANS Doctors Appear Before the
 Commissioners BLUNTS MORAL SENSE Dr. Parke, Representing Jefferson County Medical Society, Says
 City Cannot Afford to
 Shackle Convicts

Representing the Jefferson County Med ical society. Dr. T. D. Parke and pr. Frank Lupton appeared before the com missioners yesterday and appealed to the board to free all city convicts of shackles The physicians desire that eonvicts be worked without the cllnl1ing irons. even to the extent of not employing them on streets at all. The doctors claim that shackled convicts blunt the moral sensi- bilities of the people when seen shackled on the streets. They claim that to work them is very dear to the city, although rated at 50 cents per day.
 Dr. Parke made a very pointed talk to the commission, setting out that the city should not expose the convicts to the pub ilc gaze, even though it were necessary to buy a farm for their occupancy.
 Dr. Parke said:
 Exploited for Profit
 "We appear before you as authorized representatives of the county board of health-the' Jefferson County Medical so- ciety-to present petition asking that SldCKleS De TeflONtu HUH SiiS pi iocii- CTS. We request favorable consideration of the petition for the following reasons:
 "1. That forcing men to work with shackles, impeding free movement of the limbs, is a hardship and an injustice.
 "2 That forcing men to work under such conditions and especially for the minor infractions for which they are sen- fenced, constitutes greater crime. on the part of the community. than the in- fractions by the offenders.
 "3 That forcing men to pay their fines at 60 cents day, when the same labor in the open market commands more than twice as much remuneration, and then shackling them while working, properly subjects our city to the charge of little ness and meanness of spirit, in that the city exploits them for profit.
 "A. That the shackling of prisoners on the streets Is open to the same objec- ton that holds against bull fights, cock fights, public hangings, in that the ex- perience of the civilized world has seemed to prove that all these things tend to blunt the sensibilities. of a people.
 Ddu dS Dull FlButluS
 That other cities of this country, not more favorably situated than Birming- ham,, find ways and means of meeting the city offender problem, other than by working them with shaclxle and chain.
 That the practice of working shackled prisoners on our streets cannot be de- tended before the bar of public opinion bat hut fighting or the lottery, and that like lottery, our only excuse could be that it produces revenue for the public bene- fit.
 we recognize that this city penal sys- tenn has been handed down to the com mission form government that it has grown up gradually In our midst till 1t has taken firm root, but we fain would believe that our commissioners, al the outset of the new type of government, will take immediate action, so that the citizens of this fair city may not be forced to admit. in action, that we are too poor to afford what other cities can af- ford and do afford; may not be forced to admit that we value few paltry dol lars more than we value the bunting of the moral sensibilities of our people, more especially the youths.
 Weatherly to Report
 Judge Lane told the committee that the question was a very grave and se- rious problem, requiring much study and time.
 A resolution was adopted referring the petition to Commissioner James Weather ly for a report
 Since the commissioners ordered the chains removed from the convicts at night their further welfare has been agi- tated.
 The physicians said the question was not so much for the uplift of the con- victs as it was for the betterment of the moral tone of the people who see the men at work with chains upon them. = = =