The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-27
BROWER WILL.
FIGHT STATE
LEASE PLAN

ever lnlS NeTdrlOuS system
At Coming Session Of Law
makers"-GetS Data
walter Brewer, senator from Jef-
ferson county in the Alabama leg
islature Saturday morning said tho
work of abolishing the convict lease
system in this state will be the first
consideration he expects to take up
when the adjourned session of the
state lawmakers is resumed in July.
Mr.. Brewer expects other senator's
and representatives will be just as
much interested as he and looks for
a meeting to be held early in the ses-
sion when the proper machinery will
be set in motion to relieve the stata
of the opprobrium.
Brewers Statement
Discussing the convict lease sys-
tenn, Mr. Brewer said.
Il am profoundly interested in the
fight that is being directed at the
convict lease system in this state.
and / expect TO make as hard a fight
a | know how to make at the COM
ing session of the legislature to
abolish practice which not only is
blemish on the name of our state,
but modification to the whole
south.
Few people realize what an unen-
viable position Alabama couples in
regard TO its convicts. No state in
the union, other than this, leases its
cGnvicts. In Florida the lease sys-
tenn prevails only in three counties.
In Alabama not only does the state
lease out its eonvicts. but the indi-
vidual counties do likewise. To say
that the state does not lease its con-
victs, but contracts them out, is a
play upon words. Every lawyer
knows that a lease is contract.
and that the only method of leasing
convict to a private individual
would be to have that private individ-
ual enter into contract of lease
with the state or with the county.
To use the term contract as if there
were a distinction between that term
and the term lease, is merely beg
gng the question.
LAS a matter of fact. during the
session of the legislature in jan
uary I found no individual member
Of either house who was willing to
defend the convict lease system as a
matter Of principle, the only reasons
offered for the continuation of this
archaic system was financial expe-
diency. Many of the members would
admit frankly that they considered
the system wrong, that they were
opposed to it a S a matter Of prnci-
pie. but tolerated its continuance for
which was adopted at the January
session with reference to the lease
system which placed the date Of
the adjustment of the system in 1927,
simply did nothing more nor less than
pass over to another administra ton
the burden of the problem. When
a new administration goes into office
in January, 1927, it Will be but nat
ural for that administration to fol-
low in the footsteps of its predeces-
sors and pass the problem on to the
next administration. So that the
manner in which the situation Is
being handled at this time. means
its perpetuation in the state of Ala
bama.
Gives Personal Attitude.
For my own part I have never
been willing to support any law or
any form of government which con-
sidered wrong in principle. I am OPP
posed to the individual making his
living by wrong or unfair methods.
and it necessarily follows that I am
opposed to the collection of individ-
msnt living on wrong. immortality
and oppression. l do not want my
child educated by a convict. l do
not want my taxes paid by a con-
Wet. In short. l do not care to live
off the earnings OF convicted GRIM
inal and in that way enjoy. indirectly
at least, benefit from crime and
misery.
Followed to it's logical conclusion,
the OPPOSITION to the abolisrnent Of
the lease system is placed in this, It
seems to me. untenable position. That
because of the fact that there is reve-
nue. to be derived from criminals they
would be opposed to the adjustment