The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-10
O'NEAL DOES NOT
 EXPECT TO TESTIFY
 BEFORE COMMITTEE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ID

 convicts," stated he, 'and am also in- terested in seeing that the treatment ac- corded to convicts Is humane I have been doing considerable investigation.
 q am considering the adyisability of recreatng the office of superintendent of mines, which was abolished last month. suppose that a man whose duty it will be to go into every camp of the state. look into conditions and report to me, will be of great value. Of course, this duty might be expected of the convict inspec- tors, but those in service at the present time have no opportunity to go into the details of the situation as l would have them.
 The Banner Contract
 "There has been much said and done in reference to contracts" stated the chief executive. First, there was the investigation of the Banner mine con- tract I disapproved of this because by It's terms the state would be compelled to go into the coal mining business. l disliked the idea of our convicts com peting against free labor. l would have abrogated this contract had not feared that a grave injustice would have been done against the Pratt Consolidated Coal and Iron company, which, in prep aration for the discharge of it's part of the agreement, had expended a large sum of money. I may be mistake en, but do not believe the contract a good one from financial standpoint. Before acting l employed a number of experts to go into the details and they re- ported that its terms were not disad- Vantageous to the state. Following this report the company guaranteed, and placed a bond in the sum of $60.000, that the state would make as much money per man per month as was made under the contract had with the Ten nessee company the year previous.
 Investigate SlOss Contract
 "The most recent investigation has been made into the terms of the con tract between the state and the Sloss- Sheffield Coal and Iron company. By this contract as it stands today, the state will receive 42h cents per ton for all coal mined and placed a the door of the rooms. Under the terms of the previous. contract the state re- ceived a minimum price of a5 cents per ton, but on account of the good conditions the actual amount paid the state was about 50 cents per ton.
 "Colonei Maben of. the Sloss company represented to us that under the previous state administration he was compelled to make this contract on account of his dire need of labor. He told us that he was paying more than any other corpora tion for labor and that it was unfair to make him do longer.
 '1 left the matter in the hands of Mir. Oakley, president of the convict bureau, and he, after an investigation, assured me that the contract was a good one for the state. l signed it.
 However l am now under the opinion that the price to be paid the state is too low. Some days ago we conferred in Montgomery with the officials of the Sloss company, and it was then thought that another conference would occur. Now I dc not believe that there will be an- other conference.
 At the present time l am writing letter to the officials of that company ] cannot in justice to them announce the contents of the letter before they receive it. But it is reasonable to pre- sume that I will make an effort to have the price of labor increased"
 The general belief is, in fact, that the governor will notify the Sloss company that the price of 421a cents will have to be increased It is reported that he will either send the company new contract or will send them the old one to make the amendment concerning the figure.