The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-08-31
Many ConUicts Fall Prey
 To Tuberculosis While At
 Work i1 Mines, States Orr
Marshall County Representative Declares 80 Per Cent of Those Afflicted Contract Disease While Serving State-90 Per Cent of
 Cripples Wounded in Mines
By VIM. l.. GORMLEY

Montgomery, August s0.-(S -(Special) ) Eighty per cent of all convicts in the state prisons. convict camps and coal mines afflicted with tuberculosis con- tracted the disease while serving the state in the mines, accordng to a statement of Thomas Orr. representa- tive in the legislature from Marshall county and a memebr of the committee that investigated the conditions sur rounding the convicts in coal mines. He also makes the claim that 90 per cent of all the cripples in the mines received their wounds in the mines. Before being sent to the coal mines. Representative Orr says, the prisoners are examined, and none with tubercu- losis are sent under the ground. Hcw- ever. many contract the disease in a short time, his statement says.
 MT. Orr is the author of the bill which is now before the senate and which will abolish the convict lease system in Alabama, placing the ccn- victs in the care and control of the state highway department. The meas ure went through the house by large majority several days ago Opponents intimated that Governor Kilby. would veto the bill because he wants Ae con- {victs to work in state-owned mines at the University of Alabama
 s The statement of MT. Orr follows;
 This bill presents one of the livest issues which is before the Alabama legislature today. Twenty-Five years ago this subject of leasing out the states convicts to individuals and coz porations for a sum of money and per- hitting these taskmasters to drive theEt to their task under thN lash and at the point of shotgun loaded with buckshot with no interest in them save the amount of money they could earn was commanding the attention of the people and the legislators Many years ago the system met with the severest criticism and condemnation of a large majority of the people of Alabama. During the past 15 years this question has been an issue in every state political campaign that has been waged in Alabama Politicians seeking office at the hands of the vot- ing public have most always taken pains to make this one of the blanks Tn their platform and standing on it have condemned the system in vitriolic terms and made eloquent appeals and promises for the betterment of the conditions of these poor unfortunate creatures, many of whom are not crian- inals at heart
 Not only has the lease system been condemned in Alabama, but in fact it has met the same fate in practically all the states in the union, until to- day it is universally regarded as a relic of barbarism and has been abol- ished in all but two states in the unions Alabama being one of this number. During the past several years there has been great deal of agila- ton in Alabama over the question of abolishing the convict lease system and placing, the convicts on the public highways of the state. On this sub ject great deal has been said and much more has been written. It is estimated that fully 80 per cent of the senators and representatives at Mont gomery today are pledged to this prop osition and they governor also led the people to believe during his campaign that he was in hearty sympathy with this undertaking. Heretofore when former legislatures have approached this subject the special interests en- toying the fruits of this cheap labor have come forward as guardians of the state treasury and made the house and senate believe that the state could not possibly do without the revenue derived from leasing convicts, and the result is that legislature after legis- lature elected and pledged to this re- form has met and adjourned and left the system unchanged.
 The bill was drafted during the re- cess and was submitted to practically every organization in the state which has for its purpose the upbuildins of the state, better roads and better con- ditions in general. The Civic associa- ton of Birmingham was so impressed with the bill that they had 2000 copies r,rj m la and it seems that the best authorities agree that the bill is practical and can be put in operation in Alabama