The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1873-07-31

uc puUHC 10 my kDOWle0&e, ma
am an old man.
Have you evcs visited Peniteu-
tiary? If SO, what did you see-men
dressed in an uncouth uniform, labor.
ing under the supervision Of sskeep-
err; perhaps they were making boots
and shoes, or, fashioning with heavy
strokes some Of the coeSser forms Of
mechanism. Who do these men
work for? They work for A. B. or c..
companies that contract for the labor
of convicts with the State. Have
these men wives and children? Yes,
very likely Is many Is one-third Of
the number are married men. Who
cares for the mother or supports the
children while the husband and father
is laboring for the State? No one; of
course not, no one notices the wife
and children of . prisoner; he COM
mitted . crime, and they must be
trodden down; not only BY individu-
ais, or the community in which they
reside-but by the State. II, then,
this greater power can overlook the
rights Of the unfortunate relatives of
the offender against justice what end
will there be to the constant annoy.
ances and humiliating injuries which
narrow minded, would-be s.istocrstic
persons may heap upon their inno-
cent heads: Truly the Bible says,
"but it is not reasonable that mortals
should deputize themselves as aveng-
'ers,' however, "man's inhumanity to
man. has been oft quoted.
Thus, while the State is putting
money into the treasury vaults, and
robbing the wife and children of
needful help, of the means Of sustain
ing life it may be, there is not = word
of protest raised against the appro-
priation; and it is no rare sight to
behold the faithful but crushed spirit
Of the wife, driven to its last energies,
ply the weak body in = daily, yea.
nightly toll for bread and clothing to
keep her little family together until
the law shall release the rightful sup
porter.
He, upon the other hand, returns
to his dear ones, (for one fault does
not blot out the entire stock Of hu-
hanity's graces,) himself broken
down, and in measure unfit for work,
and observing the starving helpless
condition of these sufferers, whom
the law has neglected, and the com.
munity forgotten to provide for, 10
goaded to the last pitch Of despcra-
tion, and is often tempted for their
sakes to commit still farther crimes,
and we fiEd that in nine cases out Of
ten "he is returned to the prison
house of his despairw There to
work, or die, it matters little to him;
His wife and little ones sre starving
in christian land, the ban 10 upon
them, they are scorned by al they
meet, and the Penitentiary yields .
prolific income to the State.
And the State Of Iowa has money in
her vaults to-day that was bought by
the labor and bread that belong to
the "little barefoots" tramping . cold
Iowa soil, while the father is-who
knows, making boots and shoes at no
slow or low rate. Yet not his chill
dren, but politicians and ofice-seek-
ers, crowded around the State House,
shall reap the golden harvest; nor is
this all-some Of this compulsory
labor is now being expended upon
another prison" to serve the inter.
ests Of the State. Is it right? Why
has it not been brought to mind ere
this /; many persons seem busy looking
after the affair of the church, but no
one appears to know or care anything
about the unfortunate children or
broken-hearted wife of the prisoner.
Or, searching into causes instead Of
effects, let US see what it is which
sends these fathers, these sons of fwid-
owed mothers, these men upon whom
some feeble piece Of womanhood is
legally dependant, to the unattractive
in which they are Injured
for years, or for life.
Not long since / spent Sabbath
in small town in the western part
Of this State; in the afternoon / took
= walk and counted in my leisurely
survey of the place "twenty-two open
saloons for the sale of whiskey andA
beer. Yet this was the Lords day
the boy Of twelve, and the white
haired man Of seventy-the ages
most dreadful to contemplate, the one
on = world with untold cares
md duties open to encounter; the
other the uncertain tottering from the
brink of q career which has left re-
corded upon the book of fate some
sentence which shall be revealed in
he great Hereafter. Twas . pitiful
light to behold these beings in the
litferent stages of intoxication.
Who gives to the proprietors Of
hese dens "the right to sell to these
men and boys that which makes
Of them?" The State Of
course; more laborers are wanted to
ease out to bring money into the
State Treasury. Some one will say
they have no right to sell this poi
'on;" that is all nonsense; they have
! right so long as there is no impor-
tant penalty attached to the law. If
here is Ia " against selling whiskey
Why not put this law into execution,
arrest the men who break that law,
md make them work for the State"
instead of letting them rob the help
ess families of their bread. Let the
State give to the wife and children of
he criminal the labor which is prob
IDLY their only means of support: and
+ the earnings of the unmarried con-
victs are not sufficient to render their
places of confinement self-supporting
Institutions, let tax be levied upon
he property holders of the State to
supply the deficiency, and grant to
he already afflicted ones bowling be-
'eath weight Of disgrace the crea-
ure comforts, at least, to which they
re entitled. I feel that cannot do
he subject justice, but I pray that
rod may put it into the hearts of
hose who WELD an sbler pen than
nine, to take up the cause Of right
md bring about q speedy revolution
n what seems to me SO apparent q
nismanagement. EDMUND.