Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1873-09-28
ALASKA FOR A PENAL COLONY.

In place of building nsv prisons, why
should we not try exile-penal transpor-
tation. We have in Alaska an immense
territory, in almost every respect well
suited to be a scene OF penal colony.
be prevented; it is almost uninhabited;
il has chain of islands suitable for sep
. arate colonies; its climate on the coasts is
sufficiently mild. and yet not tropical,
but bracing and healthful; it offers few
or no temptations to vagrancy; and yet
it is country in which convicts who had
served ont their time, or earned their dis
charge, could live comfortably, and bnild
up a new and prosperous society.
At present Alaska is useless aud ex-
pensive possession. Two Federal artil.
iery companies hold possession; but it
lies too far out Of the way to tempt set
tiers. Used as penal colony. to which
the most hardened of our convicts might
at first be sent, it would offer clear
field for interesting and valuable expert.
ments in the management and reforma-
ton of criminals. 1t is not sickly, like
the French penal settlement of Cayenne;
nor has it, like Australia. climate SO
mild as to enable runaway convicts to
live vagrant life in the bush. 1t is a
country IN which industry and foresight
ara necessary to enable white man to
exist; aud thus the natural conditions of
life would help in disciplining the crimi-
nails sent thither. .
Being controlled by the Federal Gov.
ernment, it is probable that if Alaska be.
came a penal colony, West Point officers
\
these, who are, above all. strict disciplin-
ariaus, are admirably calculated to man.
age rightly convict population, which
needs, above all other things, to learn
obedience to authority, and to be SUBJ
jected to rigid discipline Of mind and
body. Moreover, the graduate of West
Point is. as rule. a man OF honor and
gentleman. He knows nothing about
contracts; he performs his duty; he is
honest and respectable; and under his
rule, at least. the convict would not CON.
monty have before him a pernicious ex.
ample of greed and other low forms of
vice. eco f fFH FT
There would be no lack OF work in
Alaska for a penal colony, however nu.
merous. The country has no roads; it
has no public buildings; it has no me-
chanic arts; it would need, if it had
population, artisans Of all kinds; and for
half century to come a pc nal colony in
Alaska rightly managed ought to be self. !
supporting with abundance of useful Ia.
for tor every convict.
The question OF penal transportation
has not come very prominently before
the people in recent years. II was not |
even discussed at the recent Prison Con- /
gress in London, though report was
read upon it by Count di. Foresta, Pro- |
curer General of Ancona. who said.
" transportation with compulsory labor
in colony approve as the best punish.
ment for great criminals. 1t seems to |
me to answer perfectly the double object !
OF all punishment-the protection of So 4
ciety, within the limits OF justice, and !
the reformation of the convict. 1t full |
fills the first Of these objects--the protcc- |
ton Of society-for the most dangerous
criminals are thus cast out from the bo- |
som of society; the grave inconvenience |
OF relapse are avoided and would.be |
criminals are deferred by the prospect of J
Punishment from their country and fam
ily. The second object is equally met |
that of moralizing these individuals, and |
giving them hope and the means OF be. |
coming again useful to themselves and |
society in another country. where, after
undergoing part of their punishment,
they can send for their families or found
new ones, thus beginning another exist
ence IN an entirely new atmosphere,
which will not seduce them into their
former errors.
This is the true point Ito so manage
the criminal that when he has suffered
his punishment, he may have, at least,
the chance to begin a new and better
HE, and to make even bis period OF pun
ishment as natural and healthful as is
consistent with lis seclusion from gen.
.ral society. Aud this can be best done
by exile or penal transportation. 1t is
not done at all under the State prison
system.
Two companies of artillery and two
revenue cutters now hold Alaska. This
force need be but very slightly increased
to be sufficiently strong, with proper
management, to control and keep under
discipline a. thousand convicts. The
Aleutian Isles, the island OF Kodiak, and
the long Alaska peninsula off-r them.
selves for isolated stations: and do not
doubt that our engineer officers could
elaborate plan of operations for a con-
wet colony which would make such
colony self supporting and heipful to the
reformation of the convicts, bearing in
mind always these words OF that most
successful manager of q penal colony,
captain Maconochie, under whose COM
mand that most terrible of English pris-
0nS, Norfolk Island vvso &ha .cav, ees -.