Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1874-05-24
CARSON CITY
THE PRISON REFORM CONGRESS.

sO-css4lrN lEI>ou AseIOIiH congress Is 40
an intoxicating success. We sGIspec
that II IS largely made up of bis-eyed
Ions-hairel. hoi,ov-ehested, thin lipped
specialized, black-cOtton- gloved. umbcel
la-iucsing men and women of the ism
atieal variety. mixed with some real
hearty, practical plIilanthropists and ;
sprIuklins OF healthy, sound-.nlndied
e..rnes. and long experienced prison
managers We form this opinion 10y
looking over the names OF the members
IL the reported proceedings OF the sec
oni days session As he promised he
would do. Col. HyInan has sent Us a
copy Of the St. Louis Republican con-
tanning the report indicated. Looking
ovez the lis: of members, We find in al
Nos, al the delegations the names Of
ministers of the gospel and refornatory
females. Connecticut sends = Mrs
B4ne; Illinois IS represented In pant by
The Rev Frederick Wines. Mrs.. Nyra
Sras,we.l (the dame who tried 70 get to
practice law but failed to make the rifle }
and Mss LJttie Noore-wnJIn we see.
n our minds eye. Ho-a;io, calamity
escorted TO her seat BIZ the ever courte-
ocs Hyman. Indiana had :. Rev. SrIii-
v-n and t, Ms. Coffin among its Dele
gates. Professor Nee t-thy came all the
way from Iowa. Massachusetts, sent
two preachers, and nobody else. Ohio
had lis clercymeu and is females there.
mos admirable prison system in the
country, with. perhaps, the exception of
Naine-had strong. sensible, hard
working and har,l-headed delegation. rs
seems Wisconsin to have had also.
Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas were
the only Southern States represented:
AMI NV York and California sent no
delegates whomsoever, nor did Vermont
Hon. Richard Vaux was chosen Presi-
dent, and We find Col. Hyman's name
among the list of Vice Presidents, and
associated with Mrs. Myra B-adwell on
the Finance Committee. IL the after
nOen session great many speeches Were
made; and TO prove that We have grounds
FOR our not entire confidence in the
practical character OF the members Of
the Congress, We qaots as follows from
the report before Is. The Rev. NJ
Bradley OF Boston, having expressed
himself II favor Of treating convicts as
men and brethzren,'' and having de-
Lverel himself of sundry beautiful but
impractical sentiments concerning prison
lie and prison-,Eeatment, a c!ear-headed
delegate from Pennsylvania arose and
made some brief remarks which are re-
ported rs follows:
Mr.. Albrae stated that it WAS not his
opinion that any organization of this
Kind could WORK Il moral change in the
people of the country He had worked |
long IN these conventions, and had on |
several occasions been choked off in his |
expression of views. He had now come |
TO the conclusion that time spent in |
these conventions is wasted, and that |
he could do more good by personal eff
fort IN the locality in which he lives /
than by attending conventions of this |
kind These beng his views, he would
lot enter into any argument.
Mr.. E. c. Seaman followed in a speech
of like purport- All united in deplorins
the ssnseiess condition of affairs whit b
permits politics to interfere with, and
cause the dismissal of experienced and
Competent wardzns and superintendents
Mr.. Coffin of Indiana alluded to the fact
that in Belgium masks were given the
prisoners to hide their faces against Wis
:ors-thus relieving them of the shame
If painful recognition. Mr.. Mason of
Maine stated that in his State the county
ails we're provided with workshops, and
hat prison reform was making much
progress there. The Congress adjourned
.f,er speech by its President, whose
remarks are reported as follows by the ,
Republican,:
Mr. Vaux spoke favorably of the "si- !:
ent," or solitary" or individual
reatment" system, and attributed to it
he great success Of the prisons of his
,wn State. Every convict is taught a q
rade, Is taught to read and write, is re-
trained from conversation with his fel-
but is allowed to talk to 1
ny one who comes to see him. The S
urgeOn Is required to visit all prisoners q