The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-01-19

aud THAR minds suitably a6seted b. moral
and religious culture separ1eed from the
and influence Of hardened fslons--
in the useful arts, and trained TO
habits Of industry. Manifold ara the arSu.
ments 10 favor Of such institutions, Of which
Legislative bodies ars not insennible.
Agreeable TO your request ~ heve snna
expressed our general opinioa upon ehis -.
portant subject, leaving the nere eeeaaled
history Of juvenile crime, intended 20 e. enc.
tied By your interrogatoTiSe, q the Ussncs
Judges, Prosecuting Attorneys, %.
r. P. Lows,
Jxo. F. D1ELoH,
g. C. cox,
Gro. G. WRIsHr.
OF the other letters, Ne viii only publish
this ftom Judge Springer Of this District.
CoLuaBus CIR, Iowa. Dec. 26, 1857.
DrAa STA: have receiyeda copy Of your
e;rcular on the subject Of reform school
for juvenile offender. Without undertaking
to answer categorically the questions Jon
inropound, allow me, IN aid Of -FOUR noble
work, to add my testimony to the necessity
Of such an institution in Iowa. The WONDER
i that our State, foremost in I'll good WORKS,
cannot now class among her insfitntlons = ne
form School ] cannot permit mysoitto donot,
now that the war is over AND the nnancial
condition OF our State is 30 satisfactory, that
the General Assembly now about TO assemble,
vii redeem her character from this apparent
reproach BY making adequate provision TOR
The establishment off, Reform School that
shall be credit to them, and . blessing %
society a. well as to that portion Of the youth
of our State, who, from bad association aud
want Of proper moral and mental training,
are led to violate it's laws.
have been upon the bench ia this district
some nine years. Each YEARS. experience
has but deepened my impression OF the I'M
portance and necessity, growing with the IN
crease Of our population, of such An 'nstitu-
tiol.
Our penitentisry, however well i may be
kept, aud admit that ours under its popular
and efficient Warden is we'll kept, is not ht
place for children. Our county jails are not
much better-perhaps worse, because Of the
absence of employment-and only better be-
ess,.e Of the Ices desfes Of signs which ~
tArhes 10 their iumatss.- Th1 rad fact re-
mains that both penitentiary and jails are
alike destitu.e Of Any reformatpry influence
upoa their prisoners. Indeed. they may Be
said TO be schools Of vice, educating their
FpapiIs in the art of committing cr3& | 80
strong and general Is this opinidn Of our ex-
,sting prisons. among those connected With
the administration OF our criminal jurispry-
'dence, that juvenile offenders against The
laws are convicted and punished with great
reluctance. Grand Jnries will indict only
when they can't heIp it-,rial jpries VII con-
Wet only when they can find in the evidence
no excuse for acqaiiting judges viii
only rs last necessity and as choice OF
evils, send young offenders to confinement
alongside Of grown up, hardened criminals
Hence the great want that exists Of an indie
pendent establishment for the treatment of
Youthful criminals, where, while they are re
strained from the commission OF further
crime, they may be tenderiy cared for
trained in hablts of industry, and receive
proper mental and moral education.
As an economical measure, such an instjtu-
ton will pay, as the Rev. Thomas +. Cork
hill, in his recent excellent articles, has
shcsu As patriotic and christian meas
ure, it is demanded by the frst considera-
tons of craftsmanship, and by the stern re-
quirements Of duty.
Wishing you much success in your praises
worthy effort, am truly yours,
FRAseis SPRINGER.
To w. A. Benlis, Chairman OF the Commit
tee Of the State Teachers Association, Da-
venport. Iowa