The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-30

more revenues are needed to properly ad- minister the affairs of the cousty. or more economy practiced. J. C. Green was designated by Sheriff Hartsfield to act as bailiff to the committee.
 BAR ASSOCIATION
 Judge J. T. Stokeley, president of the Birmingham Bar association, asked per mission for committee representing that association to appear before the commit tee on a matter of which the members O. the Jefferson county bar are interested. They will be given a hearing at 10 o'clock this morning. The first witness called was Probate Judge J. P. Stiles. He produced state nent showing the names and salaries of all deputies and clerks in his office, the aggregate salaries being sl460 a month for 16 deputies and clerks. He stated that under the fee system he had IS deputies and clerks, but the aggregate of their salaries was slightly less than that of the 16 now employed. The sala- ries have been raised, he said, because of the higher cost of living. Asked if the board of revenue had tried to interfere in the matter of em- ploying clerks for his office he replied 1 in the negative, stating that while he l had no personal knowledge of any effort i on the part of the board or any member | of it attempting to dictate in the matter I of his subordinates, one young man came I to him asking for a letter to certain firm, stating that he would be employed i in the probate judges office after cer- | tain time Asked who said he would be em ployed in the probate judges office. the young man replied that the board of revenue said so.
 l Judge Stiles stated that he informed
 the young man that he employed his own
 subordinates, and that ended the incl dent.
 DEPUTIES EARN SALARIES
 Replying to questions as to why certain
 deputies received specified salaries, which l n fight be deemed high, Judge Stiles stated 1 that everyone in his office earned all that he or she received, and that he pre- ferred to employ his own help; that were l it otherwise there might not be sym
 pathy and cooperation between himself and his employees.
 Tax Assessor D. E. McLendon and Tax I Collector James F. Hawkins, who fol-
 lowed Judge Stiles on the stand, made ] similar statements, both asserting that the salaries paid their subordinates were not excessive in view of the character and amount of work performed by them.
 At the afternoon session President Jerry l Gwin of the board of revenue and C1r- cult Clerk w. J. Waldrop were inter- | rogated.
 1 Mr Waldrop, answering questions. l stated that his office force was not too | large for the work required of them and that their salaries were reasonable. WOULD COMBINE DIVISIONS l He suggested abolition of the deputies | in charge of civil and criminal divisions and the combining of the work in these divisions with that of his office. He did not believe it feasible, however. to abol 1 ish the chancery court clerk and consol- ioate that office with his.
 l Under the present system the heads ot departments, that is, the officers elected by the people appoint their own office l assistants, but the board of revenue fiz I their salaries. These are fixed only or l recommendation of the officials. it was 1 stated, though in some instances the full I salary requested is not allowed. 1 President Gwin of the board of reve l nue. in discussing the working of con victs on the public roads stated that i l was more economical than free labor 1 that the cost per day per convict in 1917 | the last year for which figures were I available the cost was SLY day pei | convict against $2.50 day they are now 1 paying for free labor. The convicts 1 ork 10 hours a day and no task is re- quired of them.
 COST OF CONNECTS ;, The s117 cost Mr. Gwin stated, include. l salaries of superintendents, guards ant 1 clothes, food, medicine, doctors and al expenses connected with their care ant | safety He said the number of count, l convicts had decreased 40 per cent since | 1917, when there were 274 in the camps.
 MT. Gwin stated that the board asked l for bids for all supplies where any con l siderable sum was involved. and that tho | contract was let to the lowest bidder, ex l cept in the matter of automobile parts | 1-- ~sa nat h ntv,r \ would be gained in asking for competi l tive bids
 :, ..Is it profitable to build roads with l convicts?" asked Representative Flaw kins.
 Yes, under present conditions" re | piled MT. Gwin. And he explained tha | this was due to some extent to tht ] higher wages of free labor at present. l In 1917 the county expended $273.0O0 fol maintenance of roads and $74,000 for new construction: that the convicts averaged CT per cent efficiency; that is, the, 1 worked 67 per cent of full time durin: the year 1917.
 During the first six months of 1918 MT. Gwin said it cost 40 cents day tt feed a convict, and that calculated or | work days alone. their total labor cos
 was s1.So day. Calculated for the full l year. 265 days, the cost was reduced t. 1.20 day.
 In three years up to January l. 1918 out of a total of 1069 convicts, 257 es
 caped, 6S were recaptured. and lS9 re mained at large on January l.
 He said no case of cruel or inhumal treatment of a convict had come to hi attention. and that the health of the mel W orking on the roads was better thai
 that of convicts working in the mines. I ENGINEERING SERVICES
 The county pays $17.so0 a year for engi neering services. MT. Benners asked MT Gwin if this were not excessive.
 MT. Gwin did not think so. He ex