The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-10
Thinks Mir. Oakley Can Give All the Information
 That Is Needed
GOVERNOR TALKS ON
 CONVICT PROBLEM
Does Not Believe the Men Should Be Removed From the Mines-Work ing on Roads Is Good
 Only in Theory
By HUGH W. ROBERTS

Montgomery, February 9-(Speeial)-s Governor o'Neal doesn't believe that hS
 will be summoned to appear before th-1
 Stanley Investigating committee. "rheiS
 is no reason" said he today, why
 should be I know nothing concerning tlso operations of the subsidiary companieA
 of the United States Steel eorporatios other than that of which Mir oakley will testify
 When asked for a statement in refer
 enoe to the testimony given by Shelby
 Harrison, which charged brutality on tho
 part of minor officials of the state in ref | erence to their treatment of convicts,
 the governor replied simply that he had not read the full report of that gentle | mans statement
 However" stated he, the conditions
 today are greatly improved. There was a time in Alabama when the treatment 1 accorded convicts was comparable only to | the Urea tment of the dependent in Siberia.
 But the conditions of that day are
 changed. Under the old lease system, by the terms of which the state for so much money turned the convicts over to
 the corporations, there was every oppor- tunity for brutality. Today, however, the state, by provisions of enacted bills, is compelled to care for the convicts, to
 fed and clothe them to give them med-
 ical attention, and to appoint inspectors
 whose duty it is and shall be 10 move
 with an observant eye directed toward their welfare.
 T do not mean to state that there is
 II. come reports to me concerning al- legged brutality of guards and others. 1 have in each instance inquired into the facts of the case, and whenever there was ground for the belief that the charges even in some degree might be accurate, I have proceeded with sum- mary punishment.
 Keep Them in Mines Governor O'Neal, however, is not an advocate of the idea of removing the convlcts from the mines. He was asked this afternoon if he thought there would ever come time when the finan- cial condition of Alabama would be such as to warrant an estopment of the lease system. He answeerd in the negative.
 Tn Georgia" he added where the convicts are working on the roads, the escapes are 10 times as great as they are in Alabama. There should never be a system, In addition. as a result of which the state will be burdened with
 the upkeep of those convicted of fell onies. On the farms of the state. the convicts arc self supporting to a cer- tain degree, and in the cotton mills a slight profit is made. But suppose we took every convict out of the mines? What would become of Alabama? We would have to work our convicts on the roads at no profit. We would be compelled to cart these men around as so many animals on display. We would he unable to keep them from escaping. The idea is fine in theory. In practice. l 1t does not seem of value. Do not be- lieve that Georgia would work its con- victs on the roads if Georgia wero filled with coal mines"
 Deeply Interested in Problem Governor O'Neal has become deeply 'n- | terested in the convict problem. This is probably due to the fact that since ais inauguration he has had to go to the depths of several important contracts, ths technical terms of which are not readily grasped by laymen.
 1T am interested in seeing that the stats | ~t..a.