The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-17

with their fellow men calls for our
heartfelt sympathy and every care
should be taken to give them as far
as possible a chance in life and re-
move as nearly as we can their in
firmities.
This institution Is doing a noble
work and l commend it to your care
and earnest consideration. 1t must
be properly maintained and sup
ported, and the best possible advan-
tages given to these unfortunates.
state Health Department
Next TO an educated citizenship
comes a healthy people 1t is the
states duty tC eradicate disease, TO
provide sanitation for its people and
make living conditions the best pos
sible. Alabama, perhaps, has made
more rapid strides along health lines
than any southern state; more has
been accomplished In the last few
years than ever before in our history
! A great program has been prepared
by the state health officer and We
should carefully study its provisions
and aid as far as possible to the end
that our people may be safe from the
scourges of preventable diseases and
our children be reared under condi-
tions conducive to good health.
am firm believer in county health
! officers for each county, and a care
full watch kept for preventing dis
ease and stamping out causes.
Child Welfare
Perhaps no department of govern
ment Is doing more service for the
state than this departing under the
able management of Mrs. L. B. Bush.
Health reformation and caro- of the
youth are essential. All matters of
welfare of the children of this state
should be under the control OF this
department This IS one of the
states greatest problems, and we
have made some progress in it's sclu-
ton. In Mrs. Bush this state is for
tunate in having one who has a
vision and is developing rapidly this
important work. After the educa-
| tional interests have been cared for,
1 commend this and the health OF
our people to your serious considera-
ton. The plans outlined by the head
of this department meet my heartiest
approval, as far as the treasury will
| permit. And / invoke your aid and
operation in an effort to care for
our child life.
Convict Department
The convict system of any govern
ment is of vital Importance. 1 have
endeavored to- get such information
as possible in order to make a def
mite recommendation. Great i'm
provements have been made in this
system during the term of my prede-
cessor. The prison at Speigner has
been rebuilt, and is now ready for
occupancy. The old penitentiary at
| Wetumpka has been remodeled, and
these prisons are now models of
cleanliness and sanitation. Perhaps
the most commodious and best
equipped prison in the south is at
Kilby. Through the kindness Of my
! predecessor, 1 visited with him these
| institutions. The state has invested
more than a million sdollars at Kilby
| prison. The investment has been
made; we must, therefore, utilize 1t
to the best interest of the state.
am not familiar enough at this time
with the system to make definite
recommendations. 1 believe. however
| that in time the lease system should
be abolished and prisoners should be
| taken from the mines. This can only
be done when the state has otherwise
made provision for the convicts where
they will not be a liability On the
state. / am not convinced that such
time has arrived and would. there
fore recommend that the time be
extended for taking the prisoners
out of the mines until such time as
I the governor and sconvict board de-
termine that 1t could be done with
out liability to the state for their
upkeep and maintenance, and until
| provision could be made for their
proper employment and confinement
Whether the present situation would
enable US to do this or not, I am I'M
able to say, but / am convinced be-
! yond question that it could not be
done at this time without enormous
expense to the state and loss of reve-
nue. to the treasury. The demands
on the state are so great, in our vision
| for education, the health and the well
| fare of those who are not convicts
| that we are unwilling to take from a
treasury that is now unable to meet
these demands and thus aid in pre-
| venting crime. and transfer 1t to
the convict to be merely ward of
the state and receive no punishment
other than confinement.
The convict should be kept busy
and his labor should bring some
revenue to the state, and I would
favor part Ct his earnings. if he
| left destitute family, to go I, them,
| that they might not be a burden 10
the tax paying public and an object
of charity dependents upon the state
and COUNTY whose laws the convict
has violated. 1 would favor and dc
| now favor the abandonment of the
lease system soon as practicable.
but not having had an opportunity
| for proper and careful investigation,
| cannot offer definite plan for the
solution of this question. Until such
investigation and plan can be In
diligently worked out without en-
| barrassment to the state treasury
and the demands of the taxpayers,
ask that you at least continue tho
| present system until we can evolve
plan and have it ready for opera
| tiGn when such lease system does
terminate. For that reason, l make
the recommendation above set out.
will endeavor at your second ses-
sion to make further recommends
lions. l further recommend the APP
pointment Of a special committee
from your body to inspect these in
| stitutions, investigate thoroughly,
and with the governor make recon-
mendatfons at the adjourned session.
/ Taxation
In order to carry on government,
revenue is necessary. and the de-
mands on the state are greater than
| ever before. The people have been
promised a relief from excessive tax
burdens. Property now on the tax
books has been carrying the burden
| for years, and some plan must be
adopted by which the taxes on prop
erty presently taxed can be reduced.
In order that this can be done GER
tain exempted property should be
placed on the tax books and required
to share its part of the burden.
| Equality in taxation is fl1Dda-
mental, and while much has been
done in this line, much remains to be
done. A careful study of tax assess
] meuis for the current wear .rilI si.o...