The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-01-24
. J. DUNIWAY, Secretary.
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.

Our brother Of the Oregonidn, who is |
fully entitled to all the encomiums for
ability, good Judgment and fairness of
which he has been the fortunate recip-
lent during the past few months, says
Of our Sunday evening lectures upon
Industrial Schools:
Mrs.. Duniway does not overstate the demand
Tor such an institution when she says that the
want OF il is costing the city more in money
Than its support would cost, 10 say nothing Of
the irreparable and incalculable loss Of so
many OF our youths that might be saved. The
extent of vagrancy and petty crime among the
boys Of the city is truly appalling, and the Sit
uation becomes more alarming day by day.
Abiding to the fact that we take the
position that the benefits of such an in
stitution should not be restricted to mi
nors, he adds:
We cannot aceede 10 the proposition of the
lecturer that the benefits of this Institution
ought not 10 be restricted 10 minors. II may
be true, as suggested, that a majority Of those
who most need the restraints and refining in
huences Of the reform school are over sixteen
years Old, many Of them even men and women
with families, whose regular attendance at the
Police Court proves their unfitneSs for Sell-goV-
emment and scl-prOtection. These persons
the lecturer contends, should be placed In an
Industrial school, rather than in the county
jail with common prisoners. They certainly
in what respect they are better than the mass
Of people who commit crime and are punished
lor II, and Therefore we think them entitled 10
the same treatment.
We are glad that our friend has thus
taken issue with our proposition, for
this is the very theme we are most anx-
ious TO discuss. Our whole system OF
government, municipal and political, is
hnflf apI
that vengeance, instead of, or at least
ahead of reformation, should be the aim
OF our administrators of law and justice
in dealing with criminals of whatever
degree. Now, this whole idea is radi-
cally wrong. In the first place, we fos-
ter institutions that i'm their turn create
and build up crime and vagrancy. We
foster these by the protective license
system, which makes the occupation of
crime-prOducing both remuneratiue and
respectable. And when the unfortunate
victim, who is enticed within these pet
institutions Of government, proves his
incapacity of physical or mental endur-
ance TO safely carry as much chain
lightning elixir as his companion can
sustain without staggering, retching or
unseemly yells, the same fostering
spirit of law arrests and casts him into
prison, where, if he or his friends have
money with which to replenish the city
Golfers, he pays a fine, thereby robbing
his wife and children Of their means of
sustenance, and placing them in the
way of temptation through physical
necessity, while he emerges from du-
rance vile disgraced ostracised, discour-
aged, desperate. Bat if the man have
very virtuous laws demands he must
abide a certain length of time i'm the
city Jail, while the city pays his board,
and his family trust to luck for food and
shelter. The whole idea that criminals
should be published for transgression is
wrong. You cannot punish humanity
without inflaming the brutal passions
and making the offender worse than be-
lore. But it is nevertheless necessary
10 restrain or confine offenders until
lhey give evidence of reformation suffi-
eieht TO warrant their release from Gus
touy' The public safety demands this,
Dut "hile the criminal is thus enduring
the restraint Of the law he should he
surrounded with hygienie, agreeable.
soul-instructing and brain-divortino =
circumstances, while at the same tin,e
he should have labor to perform for ths
State or municipality, for which him.
self or family should receive propercom.
pensation.
That our brother of the Oregonian ha,
a glimmer of the truth is evident from
the following, which it is pity that h,
marred by its last assertion:
It would be well no doubt, II practicable, Z
have separate place Of confinement for al
classes OF prisoners, 50 that the petty lareen,
thief who only pliers the trifiing matters Z