The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-20
WOME NC PROTEST IGNORED BY HOUSE ON LEASE SYSTEM
Vote Favors Retention of Con- ViCt Lease System Until 1927--Giv Discretion to
 Governor
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU l
 THE AGE-HERAI4D : Montgomery. An Jan. 10

Over the protest of women's or- ganization, the administration bill extending | . convict lease system until Jant z ] 1927, was passed by the house presentatives Friday afternoon'".4l @4s amended on the floor so as to give the governor the right to discontinue the system at Any time hs bs'fieved the findncial condition of the state will permit and the state has provided other facilities for the care of the conyicts who will be taken from the mines.
 This bill brought the second big fight of the day in the mousse; the first came when Representative j.. Lee Long of Butler made a motion to take from the adverse calendar his bill providing a sentence of six months and a fine of $l 900 for every state official drawing IS much as 5000 a year who attempts to lobby with members of the legislature re- garding any matter pending. MT. Longs motion was defeated, 6l to 39.
 Grent Interest shown
 Greater interest cannot be shown during the short session of the legis- lature in any subject than was shown on the bill extending the convict lease system. With the exception of Representative Howze of Jefferson, all members from the mineral dis trict voted against d continuation of the system. However, administration forces were strong enough to furnish good majority for the bill.
 Friends of Governor Brandon throughout the debate urged the me embers to pass the bill without de- lay. declaring that 1t is necessary that the convict lease system be maintained until more adequate pro- vision has been made for the care of the convict. However, through out the debate, much uncertainty eX isted as to whether or not the gover nor favored the bill which was intro duced by Representa- tive Walton of Chambers. chairman of the commit tee on penitentiary and criminal ad- ministration.
 Opponents of the bill charged that Governor Brandon had not proposed an extension of the system until January 1. 1927. and had only sug gested that 1t be extended until such time as the governor Is able to make other arrangements for the care of the convicts. Proponents of the bill insisted that Governor Brandon fla vored the bill and that 1t was n- troduced in the house al the request of the governor.
 Governor Has Authority
 The amendment providing that the governor should have authority to end the system at any time satisfied many of those who were opposing the bill which reduced the opposi- ton vote. His amendment provides that the governor may remove con- victs at his discretion and In such numbers as he may care for in other employment. The bill as accepted by the house requires the abandon ment of the lease system January l, 1921 or Is days before Governor Brandon retires from office. This that the present administra- tion must make the readjustment which will be necessary and means that if the bill now written becomes a law and the governor finds it will not be possible to end the system January i. 1927, an extra session of the legislature will be necessary for further extension, It is probable that before the bill becomes a law it will be amended again so as to remove any time limit and to make the law effective entirely at the will of the governor.
 SOIlie Opens Debate
 Representative Mike Sollie of Dale opened the debate on the bill, con tending that the proposal was not in line with the suggestion of Gov ernor Brandon and not satisfactory to the administration. He also de- clared the measure was unfair to the convicts because 1t did not pro- vlGe for the abandonment of the lease system as soon as the state conditions would permit. He pro posed that the bill be amended so as to make the matter discretionary with the governor and later wrote CT amendment to the effect which was offered by Representative Ash craft of Lauderdale and was written into the bill.
 Representative J. R. T. Rives of Jefferson declared that the people
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