The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-22

are in the mines now just as they
were in 1915. The lash is said to be
abolished; l said: said to be-
No Expense For Leasing.
Judge William E. Fort of the JEFF
ferson county circuit court, was the
next speaker. He said: Our re-
cent governor is more to be honored
for the introduction of his human
itarian methods for convicts than for
any of his other good deeds, but no
matter how their condition may have
been improved, there is no excuse in
| this day and time for leasing con-
victs.
If you could sit with me in court
and hear lawyer after lawyer plead
with his heart and soul to juries to
spare some accused man of the hor-
rors of the mines, where they are
sent for the states profit, you would
honor the juryman who, despite
VIII It he may believe. hesitates to
send a fellow human to such places
to endure what the convict in the
mines endures.
The penitentiary of today is a
place for rebuilding. Mankind has at
last realized that punishment alone
is not the only desert of the man
found guilty. Hard labor, yes. but
labor in the safety to which the
prisoner is entitled. Many Of tho
men whom society, by it's laws.
Furnishes, is the victim of circum
stances, of environment, is the pro-
duct of the conditions which you and
| allow to exist. Ignorance. disease
do their part, yet they are human be-
ings like us, Gods children. 1t is
our duty to right the wrongs society
has done to them. to rebuild them, to
give them an opportunity.
THE state needs money. yes. but
not from human misery, not from the
human beings entrusted by law to
our care. There has been talk of
sending them to work on the lands
of the university. Do not place un>
der our school system a foundation
for human misery. We must recog-
nize that these convicts are cut off
by law, given to us to lead to
better life"
Judge Fort read from a copy of
convict lease of recent date in which
the following classification was set
out:
Glass A convicts, 500 and fraction
per month. The price dropped ten
dollars a month for each of the
lower classifications, to 500, and
fraction dollars a month for Glass d
convicts. This classification, he
said, was based on the price of free
labor at 10 mines. plus the expense of
keeping up the convicts.
The speaker said the free worker
trained as miner. went to work in
the mines of his own choice. The
Aconvlct, totally unframed, is sent to
1.-THE mines, his freedom taken away,
sent on a contract made by the state,
Ito do work he has never seen done
fbefore, terror to the man who has
not before entered a mine
But" continued Judge Fort, 1.-The
convict department is the most prof
table, and the state must have
hnr
that though the convict Is under the
supervision of a warden employed by
the state, he is turned over to guards
employed by the mine. and from
them goes on to the check runner,
who Is held responsible for the work
done.
Under Hard Taskmaster.
"A class A task, Judge Fort said,
lis 200 pounds over six tons, more
than six and a half tons a day, and
the work Is done under hard task
master, chosen because he can get
results. The warden may pay visits,
but there are many men working in
the mines, he cannot be with them
all. IF the convict fails to meet the
coinage requirements of his classifi-
cation. they may wait a time to
! make it up but If that is not done
the check runner is asked about it
ner punishment is inflicted. Is the
state supervising that? Yes, the
Governor appoints them, on recon-
mendations, strong recommendations
he receives. all that he has to be
guided by. Small salaries are paid
the wardens they must get results
to be reappointed. The temptation
to make good is strong, reappoint-
ment may lead to an even better job
with the mine. Would the mines
want them were they not profitable?
Justice included the administra-
ton of justice. Are we subjecting
these men to great a temptation?
right thinking people throughout
the world The system must be
changed. 1t is the wrong principle.
God moves through consciences.
said Judge Fort, thank God we have
the interest of the good women who
bless them for it. God speed the
governors judgment for justice.
Rid the state of this awful system.
1t has no place in Christian land
Enslc Submits Report.
Irwin Engle, lawyer. member of the
Junior Chamber of Commerce, gave
statistics which the committee of his
organization has secured He said
the committee had found that the
fault was not so much with placing
a convict in the Mines but leasing
them under any conditions, and so
subjecting him to the abuse of men
and institutions that worked the pris
oner for gain. The working of con-
victs on the roads and farms led to
escapes, and without set task to do
it is hard to tell whether the con-
Wet is really working or not.
He advocated using the convicts in
mills owned by the state where the