The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-22
Wants Candidates for Legis-
lature Committed Against
the Lease System
SUCCESS DEPENDS ON
WORK IN JEFFERSON
Executive Committee Will Convene
Here Today and Outline Plans
for the Present Cam
paign in State

The Alabama Good Roads association.
the executive committee of which Will
convene in Birmingham today, is de-
termined that there shall be an end to
the convict lease system in Alabama.
1t is the intention of the association
to elect, if possible, members of the
legislature committed to the idea of
taking convicts out of the mines and
putting them to labor ON the highways
of the state.
As to whether or not the association
is successful depends in great meas
ure, on the result of the experiment
in jefferson county. Unless the ex-
pertinent proves to be successful in
financial as we'll as other regards. 1t
is considered certain that the people
will hesitate to adopt an amendment
to the constitution which. were it sue
cessful, would lop. off at one fell blow
the second greatest revenue producing
arm of the state government.
The experiment in jefferson county.
therefore. is being watched from all
sections of the state with consuming
interest.
Cost Not Estimated
The members of the good roads as
sociation have been unable up to the
present time to secure all data relat :
inc to the experiment in jefferson.
They have learned that the convicts
are being we'll kept, we'll guarded in
chains and cages, and that their work.
as whole, is good. That there has
been an Improvement in county roads,
they have learned to be true, and they
know of their own knowledge that the
coalition of the highways is bound to
improve from year to year until the
roads of jefferson are as good as the
roads of Montgomery.
But they have been unable UP to the
present time to ascertain the cost of
the experiment. This is true because
the board of revenue has not made a
public statement of finances in regard
TO the innovation,
The board has hesitated to furnish the
cold figures because the members feel
that the experiment has not been under
way long enough to permit an accurate
and just estimate of what the perma-
nent future cost will be. In equippng
the camps a large sum of money has been
expended which will not have to be ex-
members of the board contend, should
not be included in arriving at the general
cost per month, or at any rate until a
sufficient time has elapsed to permit the
heavy expense incurred in the beginning
and the small expense of ordinary opera
tion To combine and form a respectable
average.
Expense Will Increase
In the matter of revenue lost as a re-
suit of the revocation of the convict lease
system i'm jefferson county. the sum will
be forever on the increase For as no
moro convicts are being sent to the
mines, the present number of revenue pro-
ducers Will, a result of sentences
ser ed, be reduced. on the other hand
the expense of the innovation will be for
ever ON the increase because of the per-
petual increase In the number of convicts
on the road who must be fed, clothed,
protected and guarded
The chief effect which has been pro-
duced on the finances of the county has
been felt in the fine and forfeiture fund
out of which witnesses are remunerated
for their services. At the present time
the fund is not only very low, but is run
ming behind at the rate of $35 900 per
annum. and script paid to witnesses in
lieu of cash is being redeemed at the
hands of script buyers at between 10 and
% cents on the dollar.
To Reconcile Witnesses
A movement is on foot to remedy by
legislative enactment the present system
CT remuner1ting witnesses. 1t is contend
ed tba' a witness who serves is as much
entitled to his money for service as a
juror The condition of the fine and for
feiture FUND is considered doubly unfor-
tunate in jefferson because the imposs-
biity of witnesses receiving their money
and the necessity confronting them of re-
deerning their script for inconsequential
sums is making the system of convicts
on the roads undeservedly unpopular.
The advocates of the new system. how
ever. are eminently pleased. They con-
tend that they never thought the system
would be a paying system and that in
other regards, the trial has met their
every expectation. They point to good
roads of the future. And they hold that
it is now humane to work convicts where
as under the old system, 1t was not hu-
name.
And they say that it will be shown that
the per capita cost of maintenance will
in the end be proved small.
Is Amendment Necessary?
The executive committee of the Ala
bama Good Roads association, at its meet
ing today, will take up the matter of
prospective members of the legislature
that they will do their best to abolish the
lease system in Alabama. This matter
is destined to prove a live issue of the
future The people wills be moved to
abolish the system for certain reasons.
And they will probably hesitate when they
consider the serious step which If taken
would cut off the second greatest revenue
producing department of the state gov
eminent.
John H. Wallace, Jr., candidate for gov
ernor, contends In his platform that the
lease system can be abolished without
an amendment to the constitution. Emil
nent attorneys, however, have taken
contrary view. If il is found to be neces
sary to secure an amendment to the CON
stitution before the lease system can be
abolished the good roads association Will,
it is generally believed, have hard nut
to crack.
The members realize this. but are op-
timistic and are rallying to the apparent
necessity of real battle.