The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-09-30
TIE IMPENDING CRISIS.
p11yS ron the EMPLOYMENT or
THE DESTITUTE room.


Tbe Battalion Of Criminals TINT will Fur
ri.b Leaders for the vicious Of the Tramp
Army Prison Reforms suggested,
Onthe 1st Of september there were in the
eing sing Prison l.3g, men aud l5 women. ON the
AN inst. there were In the Albany Penitentiary
go c,nyirts. on the l0.h inst. there were 5Ss
male convcts in the clinton Prison. On the 18th
Inst there were l.2ss male convicts In ;he Au-
burn Prison. The totals thus presented amount
10 4e,7 criminals, maintained at heavy cost to
,be state. and It must I've said that our prison
,,stem ia so far removed from both punishment
and reformation that neither the deterrent in
nuencc Of fear nor tho persuasive effect Of moral
lmprnvcment can he expected to initiate In any
perccptiblc degree against the general character
OF thc.c penal institutions colleges for tuition
and Advancement In the theories and practices
Of crime The graduating classes from these
Institutions during the next three months
will number 277, and la the two follow
lng months n stlll larger monthly pr"p"r-
ton will be turned out. Add to these the throng
Of petty criminals, not vet sunk TO the dcgrada-
ton " a state prison. but who are continually
being ianilarized with p,nal servtude on
Blackweirs leland, M the Kings County Peni-
tentiary and other similar merely local institu.
tons, In faLcied eXpiatiOn OF petty offences
against both person and property. From all these
sources not less than nfty to sixty men and
Youths bearing the prison stain upon them. will
be act free each week during the coming winter.
Set free, orwhat? To seek In vain for EN- ploy
ment should they experience spasmodlc pur-
pose of honesty;to beg in vain for food when work
"a not 10 bc had to perpctrate crime and return
toptison when all else fails them for a livelihood.
New YORK will have her full share Of the vast
army II tramps t. battle with the ex-cOnvicts
obt,inahle crusta, and TO rival them, in the
dire necessity Of the hour, in criminal endeavor
forthe proloneation OF existence. Many Of these
will doubtless he men Of dlssolute character,
many moro those who have fallen from an honest
and honor BILE estate TO vagabondage, and whose
moral perceptions have been sadly dimmed by
misery.
II is to be noted that there Is gradual
increase ~ offences against person and property
combined. presagng an excess OF this class Of
crime during the coming winter. II Is also APP
parent that the decentralization OF youth, through
the commission Of petty Offences is progressing
with fearful rapiiity.
In making these statements. there Is no
purpose to magnify no desire to put ANYTHING In
sensational light. The truth is bad enough,
and. having recognized It, all good citizens
should give the most serious thought to the
great rohlom of how 10 com bat the threaten
Ing evil so close at hand. Primarily, II will be
necessary to find some means for aGording en-
ployment during the winter months for those
who will work. To do this by Individual effort
IN the ordinary fields OF labor Will be- In the
present depressed condition Of all trade and
manufacture, simply Impossible. The relief
must be by municipal action. II the treasury
contains no money which can be so applied, II
might be advisable for the city TO issue bonds
for the raising Of the required fund, trusting to
tne Legislature at its next session to authorize
such action, in view OF the present extraurdinlry
emergency. These bonds could readily be tai en-
up ty our capitalists, who would indeed feel
themselves compelled 70 do so, did they realize
how Tar the safety OF their persons and property
depend upon some such provision. They need
not bear heavy Interest, the amount necessary
TO he issued need not he very large, and judi
ciousiy expended on the wharves, docks. and
street improvements, the moneys SO raised
would return full value TO the city, while dong
the work u charity and restraining the much
tobe dreaded growth OF crime. his Is but a
Offer. but whatever is to be done should be done
coNvIcrs EXPERIENCE.
There must also be. for the destitute who
unable to work. liberal eleemosN nary
aid, both uuhlic and private Injurious as Is the
prac Ice uf indi>cfimtnate almsElVing. cultlVat-
lux iazitess and sapuing the moral strength OF
sel-reance among the poor. the present is an
the side II cnarity. All who can work having
beeneiyen employment by the means suggested,
orsome other equally efficient there will still
remain great number OF women, old persons,
and the very young, who VIII have TO he pro-
vided for II We would not see them driit into
wee ana crime. concerning SheIlN IN thls
connection, We may well use the language which
euce to Juvenile education: " IL IL very costly,
but not dear We are not rich enough to let a
child grow up in ignorance, misery and crime.
T. become aitofward scourge 70 society anu
dis.rAce to himself" Where work IA not pro-
vided, oyerseers Of the poor should give due
weight TO that fact in prescribing the measure
OF their charities. The manner in viii h stu
pidity and stinginess initiates against the vel
fare u society Is well Illustrated by the expert
ence Of a convict recently returned for his see
ond term 10 Auburn prison. lie was a mere
boy VINO had 10y thoughtessness and eNil assoc
Citations been led into the commission of some
petty offence, In prison he was very good lad,
and seemed deeply penitent. When he WIS dis
htreed the chaplain advised him: Shun
crime and avoid bad companions. seek for
WORK. " YOU can IND no work, and are very
puch In need. go 20 the Overseers of the Poor
tor relief. 1ney will give you something to do,
out, YOU tramp" was his welcome at every
door. lie sought work for his board, in the
county where he had formerly lived. Clear
Out, Won jail bird" was the reply on every hand.
AZ length hungry, foot sore dlspirited, aud
Of the Poor and told his nitiiul story. Go
along, YOU lazy whelp. Try for work. and you'll
nnd II. IT. You want it. Go to -. II you want
C, but don't stay here" the KIND ofhcial re-
piled. the boy turned away with tears IN his
eyes and DESPAIR in his heart " Prison is bet
ter than thisl" thought he. hat night he
stole something; did y so as 10 get caught,
snu N three weeks rom the time the prison
ana new resolution Of honesty-they re-
otened To admit him, convict sent up Tor his
Whatever is to be done to give work and
eharl.y 10 these needy thousands, let our cApi-
forced t. learn what terror there is in the voice
of starving multitude.
The deserving poor thus provided for, there
will stlll remain to be dealt with the inherently
criminal class, the wilfully vicious and law, who
Will seize upon the accidental misery Of the
masses about them as an excuse Tor their yiult-
tious Of law under false plea Of necessity. For
them there should be no mercy, but IN outlin-
ing plan for Their repression the field Is 50
broad and the ch inges. OF rather REFORMS. III the
order Of existent things which would he adj
Vlsable, are 50 numerous and radical. that II Is
almost impossible, WITHIN the limits Of "A news
paper article, to a. once indicat' them ana adj
duce the arguments by which their advocacy
may be supported.
Generally speaking. these reforms nav be re-
ferfed TO three branches-frst, more rigorous
measures Tor the punishment and reurcsstOn Of
petty crimes; secondly, rcnOdelling Of our pres
ent ineffective and injurious prison sylem :
thirdly reformation of laws and practices Of
courts affecting crime.
THE WHIPPING POST.
Beginning with the beginning. The reG,tablish-
men. Of the whipping post in every county Jail
within the state would be good tning-nut to
be used for indlscrIninate punshinents. let IL
be wei understood, but 10 be resorted 70 nightly
Tor first offences Of larceny more sternly for
SECOND offences should IL be required; very
severely for all offences asai u peg-on
ana prOperty combined. The criminal, as a
rule. b. exceedingly tender of ms skin. lie does