The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1880-12-16
SYSTEM.

',otittN - 50 hlutll OUT Oh JOINT, over
turned and rotten, the dangers which
threaten it are 81 imminent, that the
most conservative see the necessity of
immediate reform.
Hon. &. T.. Faulkner, a member of
the last State Legislature, in an article
written for the Topeka Commonwealth,
and reproduced by the Saline County
JOURNAL of Nov 18th, advocates some
reforms i'm penitentiaries, and says !:
"He trusts that from his article, may
be gathered enough To interest Others
in the discussion of this important
problem" This is step forward i'm
the right way, and regret that time
and my limited knowledge of the Off
cial language of the country, don't per-
nit me to undertake the discussion of
this truly important subject. l will
only point to some passages, which
especially attracted my attention, AS
worthy of remarks.
The fact that during the past five
years, the ratio of increase Of criminals
in Kansas, is greater than the ratio of
population. The duty of the State to
society may be defined rs follows:
l. To prevent crime; Il complete sys-
TEN of reformatory schools.
Very well! The writer wants some
thing more, but we won't quarrel with
him over that. He cannot pump the
slough at once. We agree with Mr..
Faulkner on some points, while we
differ with him on others. As for in
stance, when he makes it n crime for n
man Ia ignore all the obligations TO
the laws of God. Makes crime to a
man because he ignores the laws of
God. OF what God? For the benefit
of those who will investigate or discuss
this important question, | will give
the summary of the discussion of the
same question at the Universal Con-
grcss, which took place last August, at
Brussels. Belgium.
DIR. l.. Buchner. the learned pro TESS
or of Zena, author of Force and Mat
ter, says: That every being is the pro-
duet of "a long evolution of beings of
his species.
Mr.. Schlaegcr believes As Guetelet,
that society is responsible for the indi-
vidual crimes
Mrs. a. Besant says: That, if peo-
pie admit To a Creator, God il is him
who must be responsible. III people
deny the existence of God, the respon-
sibility falls on society. Criminals
are victims of the surroundings in
which they are born and live. We
must destroy the causes of crime and
not the criminals. These causes are
poverty, war, ignorance and scarcity.
The Belgium Prisons.
Physa'n DIR. Boeas. who ought To be
competent in the matter, says: Peo-
pie must substitute the social respon-
sibility for the moral responsibility.
The claims of reform in penitentiaries
ought Ia toe changed to reforms in and
establishment of educational depart
meats.
II. Denis, Professor at the Brussels
University. admits that the character
and will are the result of heredity and
surroundings, but he expects to see
those influences overbalanced by edu-
cation.
DIR. G. De Paepe says: Based upon
facts and numerous statistic docu-
ments, that there IL no crimes nsr cul-
pability, and so there can be no punish
ment
There l. but one kind Of crime for
which suppression and punishment
l. needed more and more-the politi-
cal crime. We want ts improve man
by education. Let " improve the in
dividual and We improve the species
and society. Let me now quote n few
words from an old American, who
has been 80 enthu sias;ically appiauded
at New York, by a highly and appre-
ciatiye audience, Professor Denton.
who says: Not one murderer out OF \
hunarei ever sees the inside Of Jail,
THIEVES put in prison are the lame
one- the law can catch the smart |
thieves get out Of sight while the law |
i putting on its boots We can not |
make men viTtIOu- by laws. and the |
les law j. compelled 10 NEEDLE with |
people the better.
Dr. W L. Bell, another American.
says: Man il the product Of inheri- |
lance and surroundings. and all legi.- |
Iaiion which overiooks this fact, IL
aud immoral.
JOSEPH HENRY.
-alina. Dec. :. ls-t.
i. S-The principle OF treating lu- |
matte. long -iucc in vogI. at Gheel, In /
Belgium. has been extensively adopt |
a in scotland They are boarded out |
lmong sane people in the village. !
reats-l with great s-ntlene~-. and sub
ec,e,l to a. little restraint - possible. |
Tae plan should b. tined here Had II
zen in practioc at ~ Peters, MINI.
he unfortunate victims Of the fire /
xouli not have been locked up and /
burnst.