The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-13
PRONUNCIATION OF
 LEGISLATURE MARKS FIRST DAYS SESSION
tContinued from Page Five)

! enthusiastic delegates and visitors
 John w. ONeill, president of the Jeffer-
 son County Good Roads association.
 called the convention to order. The Rev.
 ]. w. Cary then offered prayer.
 Among the first speakers were pr.
 R. M. Cunningham, who extended well
 come to the delegates on behalf of the city of Birmingham. Assistant Post
 master Edward Norman then welcomed
 the delegates on behalf of the Jefferson l County Good Roads association J. E. ! Pierce of Huntsville, vice president of the state association. responded to MT. Norman's address. W. C. Radcliffe, sec retary of Chamber of Commerce, also spoke.
 At this point President John Craft was handed the gavel and the meeting then proceeded with him presiding. The f president read his annual address | Secretary ]. A. Rountree read his
 annual report following the presidents
 address and in his review of the work | of the year the first tinge of bitter ness at the conduct of the recent legis- | lature in regard to the convict ques- | tion was heard. MT. Rountrees com
 ments on the convict question follow:
 Roasts the Legislature
 'The Alabama Good Roads associa- | tion for the past 12 years has actively | and consistently advocated the work i ing of the convicts on the public roads | of this state. In accordance With the
 annual resolution that was passed by our association and after consultation with members of the executive com
 mittee the association actively adyo- cated and urged the passage of the | bill providing for the removal of the convicts from the mines and placing | them upon the public roads.
 "One of the hardest fought battles | in the history of legislation in Ala 1 bama was enacted in this fight. A most powerful lobby, composed of in | terested parties officeholders and po- | litical workers in the state were ar
 rayed against this measure. The office | of governor with all of it's power was | thrown in the breach to thwart the will | of the people in regard to this ques- tion. I make this statement advised | ly. from the fact that the Alabama l Good Roads association, through it's ! president and secretary, had on file | the pledges of 80 per cent of the mem- l bers of the legislature and senate | pledging themselves to vote and work | for the passage of the measure. The press. civic. labor and other bodies of 1 the state had indorsed the movement and when the real test came to carry out the will of the people strong | lobby and the governors influence was | brought to bear and men who had for ' take part in the movement.
 Senators and other officers who were pledged to vote for the working 1 of convicts upon the public roads gave | as their excuse that the movement was | impractical and that the state treas ury could not bear the cutting out of ! revenue for the same History was made in this fight. Men high in off cial life went back upon the pledges that they had made to the people ! through this measure and other organ izations.. so that one of the chief pledges and chief objects that we have been working for has been put to sleep"
 A. G. Batchelder. chairman of the executive committee of the American Automobile association, followed Sec retary Rountree and his remarks on How the Motor Vehicle Has Earned Its Place" was a rapid fire talk of | the really constructive work of the good road enthusiasts in recent years He pleaded for the sacrifice of local sentiment in favor of patriotism for the state.
 White TumultuOusly Greeted Former United States Senator Frank | g. White followed Mr. Batchelder and 1 thrilled his audience through and through with a fierce denunciation of | the present system of leasing convicts | in the mines and In turpentlne camps. Senator White was greeted with tu- multous applause which frequently in l corrupted his address He said in Mrt: | Tn Alabama, we are forcing our fel- | low man to degradation worse than | any slavery; the Creek galley slave faced far better conditions than those | imposed upon the convicts of Alabama" | said Senator White. Tn our mines con victs are being worked until as late as n at y,ip n TO ed to ! do as much work as three able-bodied | free miners and if they do not get out the tonnage required they are punished with lash Convict labor is being worked in mines where free abor refuses to work Bend 1 ing over, crouching, suffering untold anguish these human beings, many of them convicted, of minor offenses are suffering the torturings. of the damned in the expiating of their sentences. Alabama has risen in protest. Delega-
 tions from laboring men, from business