The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-04-03
WORK CONV|CTS
ION THE ROADS
SAYS GOVERNOR
Will RECOMMEND SUCH MEAS.
~ URE TO THE LEGISLATURE.
Fulhlh Es Campaign Promies By
!. Declaring For Abolition Of
Convict Lease System.

Convict Lease System.
tallahassee. FIa.. April g. Cover
Park Trammell following up the pol
Icy adopted by him Of giving out in
| advance of the convening Of the
Legislature from time to time some
Of the recommendation which he
proposes to make In his message to
the Legislature. today gave out the
following:
Change in Convict System.
In my platform a. q candidate
for governor, l pledged myself as fol-
lows. to-wit:
favor disseminating lease sys-
tenn and using convicts In road build
ing, States finances to be guarded In
making change.
For thirty years the lease system
has existed In our State. During THE
time the prisoners have been hired
out to work upon farms. in phosphate
mines and on turpentine farms. At
present they are under four years.
lease. which expires on Jan. /, 1914
They are principally engaged In
working on turpentine farms at the
present. The lessees pay the State
s2Sl.60 per capita per annum for
able bodied male prisoners and main
tain in hospital free of cost to the
State the women and disabled male
prisoners. The prison population at
present is about fourteen hundred.
of whom about two hundred and
fifty are women and infirm men. Un-
der this lease about $500. 900 net 10
realized annually from the hire Of
State cOnvicts. This sum is by law
apportioncd to the counties quarterly
upon the basis of assessed valuation
Ct the several counties. Under the
I resent system the commissioner OF
agriculture and the board o: com.
missioners Of State institutions make
ind prescribe the rules and resula-
tons governing the custody, care and
handling Of the State prisoners. ihe
State has four convict supervisors
who are constantly engaged in m
tpecting convict camps. ana h!;,liing
investigation as to the manner In
which the prisoners arc treated see
ing that the rules and rc"ulations
are observed, reporting failure to OBJ
serve the same and suggesting I'M
Irovemcnts.
The prison hospital, the stcchalce,
and all equipment now used in the
handling of the prisoners holong to
the lcssecs. The state owns no Dris-
on buildings, stOckadcs, hospital or
other equipment The only prison
property which the State owns is
tract Of about 10000 acres of un-
cleared and unimrrovcd land in brad
ford county, which was purchased
iE 1911, with a view to establishing
thereon a State prison farm. With
the above conditions confronting us,
we must with Judgment, care and in
business-like way work out a reas-
onabe and efficient plan for the abol-
ishing OF the lease system In this
undertaking 1t is essential that we
bear in mind:
1st. That In view of the fact that
the State has at present no buildings.
stockades or place where 1t could
care for its fourteen hundred prison.
ers, provision for their custody, care
and maintenance is absolutely essen
rial prior to the time the State shall
withdraw them from the lease sys-
'em, and that on account of the great
magnitude ana extend of such prepa-
'ation. from two to three years viii
NJ required for raising the funds and
making provision for its accomplish
mrnt.
End. That for the State to pro-
vide the necessary substantial and
permanent buildings and other
equipment. and put in tillable con-
ditoin reasonable portion of the
land on the prison farm to be estab-
lished in bradford county: and to
provide the other funds necessary n
proceeding with the changing Of the
system during the next two years a
estimated sum Of $25o,ooo to s275..
oG0 will be required for such build
incs and other purposes.
| srd. That for the counties to pro-
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