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THE WEATHER. Fair tonight and Friday. Tem peratures Thursday: 7 a. m., 73 degrees; 10 a. m„ 77 degrees; 12 noon. 73 degrees; 2 p. m. 70 de grees. The Atlanta Georgian AND NEWS SPOT COTTJ!'. Atlanfn, ■tmuly; 11%. Liverpool. steady; 6.28. New Orleans, quiet and steady; lie. New York, quiet; 11.20. Savannah, dull; 10%. Augusta. Many: 11%. Galveston, quiet; lie. Mobile, quiet; lie. Charles* ton, quiet; 11c. Wilmington, quiet; 11c. VOL. VI. NO. 290. ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, JULY 9,1908. PPTflC*. * n Atlanta..TWO CKN'TH. L JUL/CjJ od Trains..FIVE CENTS. DEMOCRACrS FLAG-BEARER WILL BE CHOSEN THURSDA Y am in tuner m II WIIIIIII! \ How Our Convict System Advertises Georgia to the World The following 1 article by Charles Edward Russell is reprint ed from Everybody’s Magazine for June with the permission of its publishers. Everybody’s is one of the most widely circulated magazines in the world, going to every corner of the earth—and The Geor gian reproduces the article in - our series of exposures of Georgia’s convict system, not only because the horrible story told by so re liable a writer is deserving of our immediate attention, but also in order that our own people may see Georgia ns others see her. Nobody is more ashamed of these facts than The Georgian, but we print them in the belief that publicity is our only remedy. A BURGLAR IN THE MAKING IDITOH'S NOTE. ••This terrlble story of lilt Is a Georgia convicts' camp wes related to Mr. Hassell bye one-time criminal, tow a mat reformed and regenerated. For apparent reasons, the man's Identity mast be carefully gaarded here: bat all the essentials of the narrative are eaactly as recited. Many ot them Mr. Has* sell has been able tn verity Irom his own observations: the ethers can be accepted upon tallh. They reveal clearly the shamelel system by which the State of Georgia surrenders lor profits the solemn duty el correcting her wrong-doers, and thereby Insures day alter day the perpetuation ot evils that result in the Murder ol souls and the making ot hardened and desperate criminals. There Is a broader application of the momentous lesson ot these tacts than to the State of Georgia. In a way that you have never suspected, but Is here made plain, the convicts' camp In Georgia Is but a symbol or type ot conditions enisling In every part of United States. TO THE GEORGIAN Bf BILL HI TO CUT “There Is No Authority Higher Than Us,” Says Turner. He had stolen the 8300,' there was no doubt about Jhat, and now hp eat In the .Aflihffr^t^ffTroom and listened while hi* lawyer pleaded in hls-bahalLurglng his youth and Inexperience and pre vious good record, since there was so little else to urge, and trying to break or mitigate In some way the force of the cold, pitiless. Indubitable testimony that had bound chains upon him while he eat there. Young he was, true enough; his look still Ingenuous, his face fair and fresh and boyish. You could well understand that, ns the lawyer said, droning on In. terminably and hopelessly, his ante cedents and training had been good; he Mas no familiar and hardened criminal. But he had stolen the 8800; and In a place of trust. His employer's cash drawer had been In his change, he had become fAscIn&ted with that devil’s owi game that Is called playing the races he had stolen again and again, with open eyes he had broken the law*, now upon his head were to fall the conse quences. At last the droning lawyers ceased to drone; the Judge charged briefly and In curt, keen sentences, each a slash at the young man’s frail hopes; the Jury retired. The young man sat there very pale, his dry lips apart, his pulses beating visibly In his neck, his Angers fumbling Incessantly on his hat brim. He had not long to wait—the Jurors’ retirement was merely for form’s sake; they gave the expected verdict, and the young man stood there, shivering, to take his sentence. Four years. With obvious hopelessness the lawyer made the usual dilatory motions. T appeared that the young man was with out friends or funds, his parents were dead, the court had been obliged to ap point counsel for his defense, there was for him ho stay, no appeal, no arrest of Judgment. The sheriff’s officer put his band upon the young man’s shoulder and led him gently away. He walked like one In a dream. That afternoon they started for the firm, near Mtlledgevllle. that the state < t Georgia provides for the reception of ts convicted law-breakers, for It has •io penitentiary nor prison. The next day shaved and shorn and clothed In the stripes that are the badge of the convicted wrong-doer, he found himself •landing In a long line of other similarly clad, black men end white men. placed on exhibition, while an asrent for the contractors passed along arid appraised their muscles and esti mated their worth. He was making selections, thla man, for the forces to be drafted to a con victs* camp, where the contractor should have his will of them. For the stf te of Georgia, having no penlten- tUr y nor prison nor other means of taring for Its offenders, practices upon them a very strange device. It sells [hem for the. terms of their sentences mtn the hands of private and Irre sponsible persons, and It was for these Persons that the man was now going up and down the line, selecting the likeliest and choicest. Fifty years before, on another spot near at hand, another man had gone similarly up and down an- Jther line, making similar selections *°r service. But ihe service of fifty J’*ars ago had been called slavery, and the service of this day was called con tract labor, and with this difference of harnea a great and splendid state had managed In some way to salve Its con science. A Burglar Eager to Reform. But the man did not choose George, tne new-made thief from Atlanta; not wo* 0, who wa * th,n and "eak and hoA n: 1,01 George, whom the doctor naq < ertlffed to have a valvular disease th« e . heart: therefore he went back to Plain, rough sleeping quarters and iG . Plain, simple duties of the farm. He poor In quality and scanty ."quantity, but he lived and not being ««!T ,tn#d nor *ullen. he reflected at LVTupon the huge folly that had 1,1 m t0 this situation and the toiV# bio fact that he had wrought his •auforuuM upon himself. He reflected \ • E upon these things and had no disposi tion to complain othts L lot;, hut he did wish, with a yearning'that was at flrst a wholly novel sensation and gradually a' passfffn. that' fir some way he could obliterate the past and forget It. In the Jail bark In Atlanta some kind of missionary or chaplain or Salvation Army worker, he knew not what, had talked with him and told him that, with his youth and his capabilities, he had every chance to reform his life and re deem his errors and recover the world's respect. At the time he had pushed aside the suggestion, because In his misery and chill terror It had been but as a senseless drumming In his ears; but now he recalled It, and it bo«*nn to form some vague sense of hope or promise In his heart. Perhaps he could stnrt over again. The man In the next cell at Atlanta had told him that he would always be a criminal; that, once a man got down, the world was leagued to keep him down; that police and courts and law would hedge him In and compel him to add crime upon crime. He had cared little then, because some how a vague Idea of being an outcast and defying everybody rather appealed to him so long ns the man talked, and seemed romantic, and like the brave spirits he had admired In books he had read and plays he had seen; but out here at the convict fnrm the thing looked very different. He saw day by day drift by him the battered old hulks of professional criminals, and the sight Inevitably revolted him and shook the spirit of bravado. He did not wont to end like these tr.«*n, and after awhile he made up his mind that when he got out he would try the missionary's advice. He lad still a chance. In the world And then one day an older man. and one whose business was to say to him any thing else from able in words rather than this, came to him, leering, and said: “You’re Big Bill’s pal. ain’t you? You're In the bank-sneak line, ain't you? George said: “I never heard of Big Bill, and I’m not in any line.” Aw, go on." said the man, “don’t give me none of that. Think I ain’t fly? I seen you pinched many’s the time. Think you can fool anybody here? I guess not. You'je smooth all r!?Ht enough, but you needn’t play them games here: we're on to you." A few days later the same man came upon George sitting with his head in his hands, thinking. “Framin’ up a yeggman s Job? asKed the man. In the Power of Crook Makers. I was* thinking what I can do to keep straight when I gel out of here.” said George. • The man croaked with evil laughter. Keep straight! You won’t keep straight. Do you suppose anybody ever came In here and kept straight after wards? You're a crook now. If you never were before, and a crook you’ll stay till the end of your days. There ain't power enough In all this country to make you anything else.” George could write, and very many of his fellow prisoners could not, for 39.10 per cent of the convicts In Georgia are Illiterate (the state apparently preferring chaingangs to schools), so he fell Into the way of writing letters home for the others. They told him what they wanted to say and he said It. He had no idea what became of these letters, and If never occurred to him that he was In any way responsible for the sentiments that he transcribed at dictation. One dav he wrote for a prisoner a letter wherein some complaint was made about the food and other matters at the farm, not necessary* to go Into here. The next day a prison officer, holding In his hand this letter, stalked angrily “You wrote that, didn't you?" he said. The Georgia prison commission on Wednesday refused point blank to an swer requests for Information submit ted verbally by representatives of The Georgian. Chairman Joo Sid Turner, In the presence and with the Implied ap proval of Commissioners Tom Eason and C. A. Evans, steadily blocked every effort of this paper to obtain facts dur ing the Interview, stating that the com mission would require all such requests In writing In formal manner, and fur thermore, he laid down the principle that citizens of the state who pay taxes to support the prison commission had no right to request access to the books and records of the office. Mr. F. L. Seely, publisher of The Georgian, accompanied by a reporter, had called at the office of the prison commission In the capitol to verify disprove by the records cer tains allegations of cruelty convict camps. He opened the Inter view with a request for a report oh a matter he had submitted the previous afternoon, and Chairman - Turner In formed him that the commission had report or any information whatever on the subject, altho the matter Involved the alleged death of a convict under peculiar circumstances. “The commission has no record of a convict dying on the date mentioned in the camp in question." declared Mr. Turner. This could be obtained, that relative* ot tfrr ronrlrt tn question had reported to The Georgian that he hud died on a certain date In a certain camp as the result of either a beating or overw ork. “Judge Turner,” Mr. Seely then said, “will the commission give me a permit to visit the catnps where convicts are worked by lessees or contractors?” “You will have to submit the request In writing, and state the purpose for which you wish to visit the camp,” the chairman replied. “In view of tne at titude The Georgian has assumed In this matter, the commission has de cided thnt all requests from you must be formal. In waiting, and the commis sion will then pass upon them.” “Tell the commission what you want to do In the camps," Commissioner Evans suggested. "The legislature Inspects those camps, Mr. Seely,’ exclaimed Commis sioner Enson. Evidently It did not occur to the com missioners that their attitude would suggest to the public mind that they were blocking a free and fair Investi gation of the grave charges that have from time to time been publicly made ngninst .their administration, such as the charge that their chief warden and deputy wardens had been paid money by contractors and brokers to look after other Interests than of the state which employed them “Do I understand you to take the po sition that I am making an Improper request?” Mr. Seely then asked Chair man Turner. The chairman evaded the question by stating that citizens generally would not have the right to permits for vis iting the camps. After several plain questions along the same line had been asked by Mr. Seely, In order to make clear his position as a citizen and tax payer seeking access to the records and to the camps for a personal tnspec. tlon, all of which the chairman met with the same evasive answers, or with HE BROKER Convict System To Be Cleared of “Mid dle Man.” At an adjourned meeting of the pen itentiary committees of the house and senate Thursday afternoon a bill pro viding for a new system of leasing state convicts, the principal feature being the elimination of the convict broker, will be presented by the sub-committee ap pointed to draft the bill. 8enator Brock, chairman of the Joint committee, outlined the proposed bill at the committee meeting Wednesday afternoon. On the table before him lay the latest Issue of The Georgian, bear ing the headline, “Shall the Convict Broker Bo Perpetuated?" and nearly every member In the room had read the article with Interest. When Senator Brock stated that the bill had a clause providing that convicts be leased by the prison commission direct to the contractors who would use them, elim inating the middle man, there was a hum of Interest In the committee, room. .”$ne,of the provisions*of thisf blit,” all the Infartafttloa' Ttf&t Mid‘Barter. Brock "prepo.o,. to cut lined. In eplte of the fact , c ,? n ^ e * broker. — - The btll hee heen drafted by Mr. Jonee, of Meriwether, one of tho sub committee, with the aenletance of Chairman Holder, of the houee commit tee; Chairman Brock, of the senate committee, and othera of the aub-com- inlttee named for that purpose. Sen ator Brock stated Wednesday afternoon that the bill still lacked the finishing touches, but outlined Ita principal pro visions as follows: Provisions of Bill. All women to be tnken from the mle. demeanor camps and sent to the state farm at Mllledgcvllle, In the discretion of the trial Judges. Counties to have flrat call upon serv ices of their convicts. Thoae not need, ed for public work In counties to be leased by the prison commission a, for merly. the counties to receive pro rata share of returns. To eliminate the convict broker, by providing that the commission lease convicts ‘only to contractors who will actually use them, and prohibiting the re-leasing or sub-leasing by any les see. In case any lessee can not use convicts secured by him. he must re turn them to the prison commission to he leased to some other parties, and If any loss la suffered by a lower bid, the flrst lessee la to be responsible for the difference, protecting the state against loss. To correct abuses found upon In vestlgatlon by prohibiting state em ployees from receiving any pay or val uabte gift from lessees of convicts. The bill will make thla a misdemeanor. It proposes to Increase the pay of guards from the present 125 to not more than 140 a month. The bill will set a minimum price at which convicts may be leased. This will be flxed later, as the eub-commlt- lee did not feel competent, as yet, NOMINEE OF POPULISTS Officials Were in No Hurry to Start Convention. HON. THOMAS E. WATSON. He delivered address before Georgia Populist convention Thursday morning and will accept nomination Thursday night. Continued on Page Five. ing. Mr. Seely askt “Is there any authority to which I can ao for this permit?” “There is no authority higher than the commission,” stated the chairman, “You refuse, then, to accept verbal requests and written memoranda on the subject of Information I am after?” Mr. Seely asked “We do," said the chairman. "We want it In writing, formally.” "Then I will submit It thru my at torneys," said Mr. Seely. "I will be Just as formal as you are.” "Very well,” the chairman replied. Whereupon Mr. Seely and the re porter withdrew*. * This statement of the Interview Is published to show the public the diffi culties under which any Investigation of the convict lease system must be prosecuted. Instead of offering all as sistance In Its power to throw publicity on the system that a member of the legislature has said "smells to heaven,” the state’s commission seems disposed to throw every obstacle In the way of those who would bring the conditions to light. WHAT LEGISLATURE § DID ON THURSDAY | OQ<X>OO0OOOOOOOOOOOOO09OOO« The senate opened at 10 o’clock. Reconsidered action on bill of Sena tor Been. Spent nearly two hours dlacuaalng Whaley’s new county bill. Adjourned until Friday at 10 o'clock. The house met at 9 o'clock. Argument on Western and Atlantic bill continued. Several local bills Introduced. Adjourned at 1 o'clock to 9 o'clock Friday morning. POPULISTS HISS BRYAN AND CHEER ROOSEVELT UNDER WATSON’S SPELL State Convention Hears Leader of the Party. In spite of a heavy rain that threat ened all kinds of serious complications for the many decorations that made attractive the big Ponce DeLeon skat ing rink, the Populist state convention convened Thursday In the midst of a heavy thunder storm and much enthu siasm. Either owing to the storm or for some other reason, the convention, which w*as billed for opening at 10 o'clock, was almost an hour late. This was princi pally due to the absence of Hon. Thom as E. Watson, Georglnn and Populist candidate for president. No one seemed to know’ or be able to give any expla nation of his absence. Apparently this 1s quite as much of j/h a one-man convention as the Denver, gathering promises to be, or as the j Chicago convention proved to be. At any rate, none of the Populists present cared to assume the Initiative and call the big assemblage together. During the wait, trolley cars loaded with delegates and admiring friends of the "Man from McDuffie" continued to unload their burdens. From the trolley to the big amphitheater proved to be a dash thru the rain. But every one came up the long flight of steps smiling and there was not the least semblance of Jealousy or bitterness on their faces, such as has characterised so many oth er political gatherings. In spite of the downpour, the great hall filled rapidly. There were many ladles fn the audience and while breezes swept across the assembled guests the closing of the sides on account rain left the place warm. Judge what the value of labor would be by the time the law goes Into effect next March. The committee will meet Thursday afternoon nt 4:30 o’clock to discuss the adoption of the bill as drafted. At the Wednesday meeting Governor W. J. Northen appeared to speak In be half of a better system of caring for the convicts, dwelling upon the abuses of the present "school for crime," os he termed the present system. W. 8. Wltham spoke briefly for the new Ju venile separation system, as did Craw ford Jackson. Georgia Refuses To Indorse Bryan DENVER, July 9^-At a caucus of the Getggla delegation at 9 o’clock this morning, Thomas W. Loyless, delegate from the state at large, offered a reso lution that since the nomination of Wil liam J. Bryan seemd Inevitable, he hav ing more than the two-thirds necessary for a choice, the 282 votes of Georgia be caat for the Nebraskan. The resolu tion was tabled by a vote of 22 to 4. Those voting for Bryan were Loy less, Hill, Johnson and Little. Georgia Vote Stands—For Gray 21, Bryan 4, Johnson 1. CQOOOOOOOOOOOOOOQOGOQOOCH90 a O Mr. Watson Arrives. O For More Denver Nows, see Pages Oi Much, has been said In the news- 0 3,4 and 14. 91 papers of the 25-mlnute burst of en- O 0|thuslasm for Roosevelt and 88-minute P0W99WWW999W9W9 buret fur Bryan at Denver—they were J. E. BODENHAMER. nothing ns compnred with the acclaim accorded the "Mnn from McDuffie." Veterans were there In hundreds and they led the cheering with the “old yell" In battalions such as were absent at Chicago and are not mobilized In Denver in any such strength as at Ponce DeLeon. Beautiful Decorations. One of the great features of the dec orations wan the artistic profusion of flowers supplied by well-known At lanta gentlewomen. These wlfl be f the'shipped to Mrs. Watson nt the hand- i re-j some home of the Watsons. The mag- suit, many of the gentlemen present nlflcent hunches of blossoms were sup- removed their coats and In a way the piled the convention by the following hall resembled the bleachers of a base- prominent ladles ball game. It wai evident, in spite of their smiling faces and the pervading atmosphere of harmony, that they were here for business. Crist for Watson. From time to time cries of "Watson! Watson!” could be heard even above the Impromptu concert of the big or chestrion and the heavy peals of thun der that shook the hall. As the storm Increased In severity, the noise of the falling rain on the roof threatened to make difficult the hearing of the speak, ers. Then the arches, dotted with tiny Incandescent lamps, were extinguished and a soft twilight spread over the waiting throng. But tne good spirits of the crowd never wavered, and the only cause of Impatience appeared to be the absence of their leader. There were several false announcements of his arrival, which only ended In dis appointment. There were also calls for General Cutty. Finally at 10:50 o'clock the presi dent^! candidate actually arrived. Henry 8. Johnson, Miss Nell O’Donnelly, Mrs. Daniel O. Dougherty, Mr. and Mrs. James R. Little. Mrs. Joseph Jacobs, Mrs. Arthur II. Van _ _ Dyke, Mrs. Xytn, McCullough, _ Mrs. j voice and knows how to preside. ‘ had said "Fellow Democrats." when ha was Interupted by the presentation of a huge bouquet of roses and then three By W. G. F. PRICE. 8pecial Correspondent Hears! News Service. DENVER, Col., July 9r-After the storm came the calm. The cyclone of yesterday was suc ceeded at this morning’* session Qf tho Democratic conventlo»~by a refreshing period of quiet which enabled the dele gates to recuperate and get ready for the Anal hurrah which may come to night, or at the latest, tomorrow. This morning the program, or at least thme first part of It, Included the perfecting of the organization of tho convention by the adoption of the re port of the committee on permanent or ganization which makes Congressman Clayton, of Alabama, the presiding of ficer Instead of Bell, of California, and changes the other convention officials’ status from temporary to that of per manent officials. The balance of the nt>dfcran> was devoted to: th* platform committee. Wheii the "convention w*as called to order thnt committee was wrestling with the antl-InJunctlon plank. If they succeed In straightening this out In time the platform will be presented and the only business ahead of tho presidential nomination will have been cleared away. As the delegates gathered this morn ing the news quickly spread that Newr York had Anally decided In caucus to * cast her seventy-eight votes for Bryan and the report gained currency that the names of neither Johnson or Gray would be submitted to the convention, and that Bryan's nomination w*ould be unanimous. : w The report could be traced to no au thoritative source, but It Is consid ered by no means improbable that this will be done. Delegates came In slow, i Iy this morning, and the news from the platform committee was learned. The officials were In no hurry to open the ; i#oceedIngs. The band played pretty steadily from 10:30 until Chairman Bell's gavel fell. This Is a nice band, and when things look like they are get- ‘ ling dull they start on "Dixie" and "My, i Maryland," and this Is sure to raise a ! yell. Chairman Bell presented Permanent I Chairman Clayton amid wild cheers, f Chairman Clayton was presented . with a big bouquet of roses by several little girls, wrapped In flags, who kiss ed him. Mr Clayton then spoke, i After waiting five minutes the chalr- ; man got the sergeant-at-arms busy, ' and while they were clearing the aisles ; and Inducing the delegates to be seated, • ho went Into u little conference with j some of what the Tammany men call i the "high brows" on the speaker's stand. He finished at 11:30 and then started i in to get order In earnest and got It so , quick that It was startling. Senator McCreary, of Kentucky, was recognized and presented the report of the credentials committee naming H. B. Clayton, of Alabama, as permanent chairman and making the temporary officers permanent. \ Retiring Chairman Bell thanked the convention, the sub-committee of the national committee and the national committee for choosing him as tempor ary chairman und the convention es pecially /or Its courtesy, earnestness and attention. Ills selection, he de clared, was a compliment to the Pa cific coast. He was given an ovation which well attested the apparent fact that the young Californian had w*on the good will of the convention. Mr. Bell took this honor coolly. For the last time he called out: "The convention will come to order.” Then he named Senators McCreary, of Kentucky: Nixon, of New* York, and Baker, of California, a committee of three to escort Permanent Chairman Clayton to the stand, which duty they performed with due skill and dignity. When Judge Clayton was presented there was a wild yell for the popular Alabaman, led by his fellow* statesmen. Clayton has a fine presence, a good Fmnk C. Davis, Mrs. William A. Speer. Mrs. Benjamin M. Blackburn. J. J. Holloway, chairman of the state executive committee, called the con vention to order at 11 o’clock. Intro ducing Rev. Dr. John E. White. This well-known -Atlanta divine Invoked the blessing of the Almighty and then It was that In a most eloquent and short address that well-known orator, Fred Wlmberlee, introduced the man for whom the crowd had waited. 1 Again the cheering that refused to be quieted. Thomas E. Watson, Populist candi date for president, was at his best. Ir. spltd of the roar of the rain on the metal roof, his piercing voice carried throughout the great nudltorluir and each and every one present accorded him the attention such as Is accorded to but few speakers. Interesperslng his address with nar ratives, bursts of eloquencer. and all of Continued on Pago Three, beautiful little girls, dresed In rod, white and blue, were stood upon tho platform beside him. This caught the crowd and it cheered loudly. Mr. Clayton knew whet the dele gates wanted and his flrst utterance: "This is a Democratic year,’’ started the crowd going. The fact that Mr. Clayton read his speech in great part while It deprived him of some applause , did not detract from the close attention given to the delivery. It Is tn fact one of the noticeable features of this con vention that the most remarkable or der prevailed during the delivery of all speeches and the proceedings as well. This may be due to the fact that every word uttered In an ordinary platform voice can be plainly heard. This is In marked contrast to the re cent Republican convention. Mr. Clayton's excoriation of Roose velt and his characterization of Taft and Roosevelt were applauded. ,