The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-15
Varied Interests Repre-
sented at Meeting of Pro-
test Held Yesterday
in Birmingham
GOOD ROADS FIGHT
KEPT IN BACKGROUND
FOR THE MAIN ISSUE
About 100 in Attendance, Including
Equal Suffrage Representatives.
Chairman Is to Appoint EX-
ecutiye Committee Cow
ering Whole State

ering Whole State
The mass meeting of citizens yesterday
morning in the armory OF the city hall.
conclusively proved to it's satisfaction
that the custom of leasing convicts to
mine operators was barbarous. but did
not attempt to point out the remedy. The
organization was made permanent with
Capt. Frank S. White of Birmingham,
chairman, and John w. O'Neill of Br-
mngham, secretary. The chairman will
appoint an executive committee to be
composed OF 20 citizens from the state at
large and a representative in addition,
from each of the 81 counties of the state.
Attending the meeting were probably 100
citizens, several of the sections of the
state having been represented. There
were present the staunch friend of good
roads. the friend of the United Mine
Workers of America, the advocate of
woman's suffrage. the person who pro-
tests against the leasing of convicts, hut
who considers their employment OIL the
road equally as barbarous, the ubiquitous
politician, and representatives of the JEFF
ferson county board of revenue.
Good Roads Fight
The plan adopted was definitely stated
in the report of the committee on resolu-
ticns. The committee reported favorably
a resolution providing for permanent or
ganization, and a resolution declaring
perpetual warfare against the lease sys-
item in Alabama. 1t was specified that
the executive committee which Is to be
appointed. should consider the most feasi-
BILE remedy for the evil, the correction
of which was the purpose of the organi-
zation. IL the committee finds that their
employment on the roads is expedient
and feasible. the committee shall so rec
ommend to the Legislature
When the latter clause was reported,
j. A. Rountree objected. Said he:
THE resolution means nothing. We
must he definite. The people will believe
in case we adopt that resolution that
this is milk and cider gathering with
out sufficient courage to state our con-
rictions. We should pass a resolution
declaring in favor of taking the convicts
out of the mines and mills and off the
The Resolution Wins
Following this announcement there was
considerable agitation the part of the
committee on resolutions. The members,
". c. Davis of Walker, w. b. Oliver
of Tuscaloosa, John Craft of Mobile Lou
Herzberg of Gadsden and George IL. Ma
lone and Mr.. ONeill spoke in favor of the
resolution as reported by the committee.
,,,.1, tl..,k ia
committee had no other idea than putting
the oonvicts ON the road, but that the
phraseology of the resolution had been
arranged as it was in order that no idea
could be obtained that the meeting was
called for any other purpose than taxi
ing the convicts out of the mines 1t was
the desire that no one believe that the
primary object was in the in
terest of good roads. Mr. Rountree there
upon withdrew his objections.
The committee on resolutions also re-
ported favort. bly, resolution introduced
by David Holt, a local newspaper man.
providing for a publicity committee to
consist of five members
Some of Attendants
When Captain White called the meet
ing to order the armory was comfort
ably filled, there being probably less
than 100 people present Mr. O'Neill
was at his desk. Among the well
known people in the hall, in addition
to the officers, were w. C. Davis, a
former candidate for Congress from
the Sixth district; w. B. oliver, a pres
ent candidate for Congress from the
Sixth district: Burr Black burn, super
intendent of the Boys club; j. III. r.
editor of the Labor Advocate;
j. Fred Staley. jury commissioner;
Hugh McGeever and J. w. Peinning-
ton, members of the board of revenue:
Louis Herzsbery, probate Judge of Eto-
wah Judge J. T. Shelton of Blount,
Judge J. j. Ray and Judge John Shep-
herd of Walker. Ernest Fite, state sem
ator rom Marion; J. w. Green. repre-
sentative from Dallas; John H. Wal
lace, Jr., fish and game commissioner
and candidate for governor; j. A.
Rountree, secretary of the good roads
association; j. l.. Clemo, secretary
treasurer of district No. 20, United
Mine Workers of America; Joe Hallier
former organizer of that local; George
H. Malone of Dothan, one of the I'm
derwood" delegates to the national con-
vention in Baltimore; DR.. George Eaves,
secretary of the nti-Tuberculosis as
sociation; w. f. Brown of ST. Clair,
well known politician; Mrs. Solon ia
cobs, state president of the league hav-
ing for it's object the securing Of votes
for women; Mrs. o. r. Hundley, presi-
dent of the Birmingham branch of that
organization; John Craft, chairman of
the state oyster commissioner. and of
the state oyster commission, and of
number of others.
Captain Whites Confession
Captain Whites opening address con-
sisted of a terrific arraignment of the
lease system. alleged evils of which
he pictured in lurid style. He gave
specific instances in which men have
been sent to the mines for the most
trivial offenses, severely beaten and
often killed. In conclusion he made
confession that he himself had failed
to assess his property for It's actual
value and that this neglect had played
It's part in making the revenue from
convict labor necessary for the upkeep
of the state.
Organization was then perfected as
outlined above and resolutions intro
duced. 1t then became apparent that
the meeting was moving under a
planned determination to work for its
object-that is. the abolition of the
lease system In Alabama-without con-
sideration of the cause or the system
to be substituted.
j. w. Green. Dallas countys repre-
sentative in the legislature, scored the
cruel mistreatment of convicts, but de-
clared that for all the evils that exist
the lease system Is not responsible. He
declared the fee system at the back
of the gross evil and made the mint