The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-16
RACKWARD-MARCHI

Three groups Tn AldDaIna are 1QUeE- ested in the feeding of county pris- oners-sheriffs who supply and serve the food at public expense, prisoners who under the law of nature must have sufficient quantity of food to allay their hunger, and of proper quail ity to prevent disease, and the public which pays the costs and demands that the states unfortunate wards be treated as human beings. There is not a self-respecting man in Alabama who would treat his bird-dog as many county prisoners have in the past been treated for a little pickup money. Under the law in force up to 1920 county prisoners were subjected to hunger and disease, perhaps to star vation and death, because of insuf- ficient food furnished under the fee system whereby sheriffs' pockets bulged and prisoners stomachs shrank. Some sheriffs got rich from this sys- tenn of legalized graft in proportion to their helpless prisoners sufferings. l. was a process of slow starvation for the financial profit won therefrom.
 This outrage so aroused public sen timent that prison inspectors with first-hand facts condemned it in the strongest possible terms to Governors Jelks, Conner, Henderson and Kilby. Dr. Shirley Bragg in his official re- port pictured physical wrecks among prisoners as victims of sheriffs' and jailors' greed. Dr. F. c. Bush made similar report of wealth acquired by sheriffs on an investment in their fel- low mans hunger. Dr. William H, Oates denounced the fee system of feeding prisoners as "damnable." Dr. Glenn Andrews in his official report to Governor Kilby strongly condemned the system as an injustice to the sher- ifs themselves, an inhumane treat ment of the prisoners, and wholly un- fair to the people of the state.
 As result of the reports, sup ported by public sentiment founded on realization of the moral crimes committed, law was enacted provid- ing that ration reports be made to the state, and that such money as was not used for actual food be retained in the state treasury, the sheriffs being paid net per capita sum for the ser vice. Now the lower house of the legislature has passed a bill going straight backward to the old iniquitous fee system of feeding. If this bill be- comes law, many sheriffs will again feather their financial nests from the hunger and disease of their prisoners; scrambles for shrievalties by men seeking easy money regardless of its source will multiply; unfortunate wards will again be starved, and the public conscience will again be out ragged.
 The legislature has demonstrated in it's attitude towards the vicious con- vict lease system, as in the house ac- tion so far on what might properly be designated as the get-rich-from-help- less-hunger" bill, that it knows nothing of the modern theory and practice of penology and that many members of the body seem to care little for what the people of Alabama think or desire as regards the good name of the state. The legislature in this regard has gone backward and not forward. There is yet hope that the senate will refuse to indorse this piece of iniquity, or if it does, that Governor Brandon will not be content to rest this matter on 8 lower plane than his predecessor.