The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-06
BILL ID ABOLISH . CONVICT LEASE
 SYSTEM |NDORSED
Legislators and Executive Committee Favor Taking Convicts Out of Mines
 and Bond Issue

and Bond Issue
 Several members of the legislature were present at a meeting of the executive committee of the Alabama Highway Improvement association, which met al 1a :aD o'clock yesterday at luncheon Tn the clubrooms of the Civic assoviatlon. Ihe feature of the meeting was the passage if two resolutions which were drawn up ;ndorsinp both the bill abolishing the convict lease system and the $25,ooooW bend issue which is to be raised TOT 'i' benefit of the state trunk highways
 practicalIv all of the executive com ittees and the following representatives were present: Thomas E. Orr, author or +be convict bill; W. L. Harrison, J. C, t~noId and Capt. Frank s. White, all of whom made brief addresses Mrs, So,on Jacobs ably presented the cialinS of Alabama women for equal sullrase'
 representative Orr spoke on hls pro ,osed bill which abolishes the conNiee lease system. He stated that lFiNeslisa t.on Throughout the state showed that the worst cOnQlIlOIS tAi'eNN regard to health and the treatment oi the men,
 BANKRUPT STATE
 7 .I+ has been stated" said MT. orr "that without the convict lease ss the state would become bankrupt | have endeavored to overcome lnis @t ment by providing plan that tnls t Ga not nossiblv happen. My plan IS thal' sfter delivery of convicts to the state llirhwav commission by the convict de- lnartnoent. the highway department sha nav to the convict department TOT 9 convict labor an amount equal to 1he Then current price for labor of the same kind. the said price to be oeteriiiineu by the governor. .,5 +h. c.nt frank S. White described the ar,t svstem of leasing convicts, stat ing that the treatment Of slaves oulhie tbe days of slavery was "a God bless. ;ng compared to the present system oi ieas sine conyicts" and that we haVe baan doing that which we condemned ana destroyed over 50 years ago.
 PEOPLE BEHIND MOVEMENT
 nraren+ative Harrison, president of +ba American Federation of Labor, mace
 sbort address. in which he stated that be was heartily in favor of the olil, anu +hat ha felt that the majority ol 'iio neople were behind the movement.
 Representative Arnold said: Tt mas 1een ascertafned by the inVestlgalion tlis summer that the able-oodled cois had been and are being sor'eu out - tha nbvsicians and sent to the coal mlheS .ie as,,ing the crippled and feeble co1' ,-icts together with the negro wonieh to he worked on the farms ana Ill lns cotton mills at Speigner, and yet the he aarnings per capita by the crlppieo anu female convicts were greater than .iio ,,a+ earnings per capita of those Worhihs in the mines" na The resolutions, as drawn up sn' adopted by the assembled committee io' low:
 RESOLUTION NO. l
 fn Whereas. the Alabama Good Roaos 2 association has actively advocated as each annual meeting for the past IL and in the press the changing or the state constitution to issue Soo'"''o" II, bonds to build system or nlgnway , ano' Whereas. the good roads and cohVlcl committee of the Alabama lesi ' has submitted and recommenoeu the s,,ing of s25 900 bonds, therefore, be It
 pesolved That the board or dlrectofs ot the Alabama Good Roads assoclatloii i,,dorsa the recommendation ana 1olh Ill tba urging of the Alabama legislature to s,1b,nit this amendment to the peoP'e hoi their approval
 RESOLUTION NO. 2
 posolved secondly, That committee of seven be appointed for the purpose oI selecting a campaign committee ol w nersons from the Alabama Good Hoaus ',sosciation. Alabama Federation or La nor. Farmers union, commercial anu automobile clubs to conduct the caii- saign before the legislature ana oeIoi he people of the state, said committee
 havo fu1l mower to do all things neces- arv for the passage and adoption ol aid amendment. T.
 ..Resolyed. That we, the board or di- actors of the Alabama Good Roads as aciation, in meeting assembled, unqual,
 Av and unequivocally condemn no'
 the present convict lease system ol
 aama hut also the working of con -s It's in the coal mines by the state or ps ts authority of the state, and urge tns lAsent state administration to enact leg
 Aon abolishing said lease system, ane a A-ee that no steps be taken looking <, the working of convicts in coal mines W the state or it's authoriy.
 we furher recommend that all aoi' odied convicts at the earliest pracuca lie time be taken from the mines ahs lrned over to the state highway de
 lrtment to be worked on the trunf ighvays of the state, and that all O ae female, infirm, and disabled convict
 hich cannot be profitably employed D.
 .e state be placed at the disposal O
 ie said state highway department to D.
 ed by it in the production of food O
 nployed to maintain the convicts s
 nployed on such highways
 ITO accomplish this end, we recon $ end the passage of the bill by the pres dat legislature prepared by the Hon
 1omas F. Orr, a member of the leg1s ture.
 We further urge all the friends o
 pod roads in the state to exercise tnei
 fllence in having said bill passed b