Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-09-19
The PRISON COMPRESSION AID ITS
CRITICS.

CRITICS.
II the critics who have found fault with
Che report of the Prison Investigating Com
mission had taken the trouble to compre.
bend the Limits Of the Commissions func.
lions, they would have avoided some
strange mistakes, and at the same time
would have been in position to interpret
The findings Of the report mere intelli-
gently to the public. The commonest of
all the critical blunders made in this con-
nection consists in a complaint that the
Commissioners have not been sufficiently
severe IN their Characterization Of the
laeIes ascribed to the Prison Directors and
Warden. 1t has not occurred to these
critics that the Commissioners had nothing
whatever to do with the implications of
what they discovered. Their duty began
and ended with the setting forth of the
facts as they existed. They were vested
with no judicial powers. It was rot re-
quired Of them that they should inform
the Governor exactly what this or that
reglect of duty or breach of law meant.
Their business was to find out just what
che Directors had done, and to
report their findings to the Governor.
But inasmuch as no Commission of the
kind could probably End 1t possible to
divest It's conclusions entirely of character
igslion, so it is apparent that the Prison
Commissioners have in many instances
pointed out very plainly the scope and
nature of the wrongs committed in the
administration of the State Prisons. Had
shey done nothing of this kind they would
have been altogether justified, and there
fars tie criticism directed against the re.
port is as unreasonable as il is captious.
But perhaps the most fragrant example of
this kind of Misrepresentation is afforded
by the Eramiaey, which in recent article
observes that cit is one of the curious
findings of the State Prison Commission
that stealing is trivial" Now the
foundation for this very gross and un-
pardonable libel upon the Commission con.
sists IN the statement by them that though
the amount of certain quasi-pilferings was
trivial, the principle governing the cases
could not recognize any such insignifcance
in this kind OF action. That is to say,
that the Commissioners really expressed the
precise opposite of the sentiment ascribea to
them by the Examiner. Whether the posi-.
ton of our contemporary be due to stu
pidity or malice We cannot undertake to de-
ternline, but whatever the motive il is
equally indefensible. As regards all these
criticisms. however, the remark applies
that they indicate a total and singular fail.
urs to comprehend the limits of the powers
conferred on the Commissioners. The lat
ter had no authority to do anything. They
could only point out what was wrong, and
this they have done with 3 thoroughness
and candor leaving nothing to be desired.
Ttremains for the Governor to take action
upon their report. He alone has the power
TO do SO at present. 1t is evident that ac-
ton is imperatively calledfor, butthat is not
The business of those who drew up the re-
port. They have shown wherein wrong
has been done, and how it can be remedied,
and if their recommendations are followed
we have no hesitation in asserting that the
result will be complete and lasting re-
form of the State Prison system.