The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-12-17

I1or ths Gaee City.
Are Ws Prepared 70 EssaAaas n = state
HcAsrm Scho0l I'm lowat
In answering the shove, two other ques-
tions arise, to-wit: First, does The number
OF juvenile delinquents Id the State demand
1t and, second, il so is the State able to
meet the demand? Al far a. regards the
first question, answer af6rnatively. The.
people OF this State many years ago believed
that . Penitentiary was very much needed,
and they took measures to have one estab-
lished; yet, upon examination, 1t 10 found
thatnsarly ons-third Of the whole number Of
oonvicts ever sent to that prison were boys
whose ages ranged from Ia to I'll years fur
thermore, that one fourth OF the number now
in our State prison are boys Of the above
named ages. Again, within the last two or
three years no less than fifty such boys have
been sentenced to eur Pententiary, and the
number within the past two years has in
creased in about q four-fold ratio. Besides
the number Of juvenile convicts now on hand,
there will be, before the close OF the coming
year, probably near double their number at
present. Those that are yet to come in have
not yet done their work but society will soon
be called upon to witness it's completion, in
the light Of their burning homes, or the gap
ing wounds Of their murdered friends. We
need not further enumerate instances. No
good citizen can 60 into our streets after
nightfall without feeling in most sickening
degree the need of school of moral reform
for the youth of our country.
But are We able to meet the expense of es-
tahlishing such an institution In other
words, will itpayi A certain eminent gen
tleman, in delivering lecture on this sub
ject, remarked, "Had oil the money spent in
the establishment Of schools of moral reform
resulted in the salvation of but one criminal,
1t would be money we'll laid out.' One Of
his auditors remarked to friend by his side,
Don't you think that an extravagant re-
mark 2" His friend replied, 81 should not
think 80 II the reformed criminal were NV
own sonl'' This was word ftly spoken,
and should find response in the breast Of
every good citizen.
This State bus already laid out, for simply
the maintenance of juvenile delinquents in
our State prison, between thirty and forty
thousand dollars, and has received nothing
in return, but has sent the convict out into
society in many instances worse than they
found him. Now it is proposed to establish
school of moral reform, in which the of
fender may be placed under such moral dis
cipline and restraint that thorough refor-
nation may be the result, and be restored to
society capable Of making amends for the
iniquitiss Of his previous career. We feel
ourselves able to prosecute, try, convict and
maintain in prison those who perpetrate out
RACES upon society, but when their brief term
expires they are among us again to ran the
same course. Now would il not be better to
pursue such policy toward such offenders
as shall largely remunerate society by pla.
cling among her Industrious, Trustworthy
Inenbers, a large majority of those who, up.
on our present system, will be the disturbers
OF peace and destroyers of property and life.
would not apologize for crime, nor would !
apologize for the practice Of destroying those
offenders "whom misery has stolen at their
BIRTH"
If, then, We are compelled from year ia
year to make heavy OUTLAWS for this class oil
persons, 1t need not be asked whether we are
able to direct the outlay 80 that it may re-
suit in their reformation and restoration to
society. Iowa cannot afford to offer upon
the altar of unmingled justice from Is to sc
young men annually, besides the heavy
amount necessary to defray the expense Of
such an injudicious practice.
Teiegraphfc News.
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