The Portland daily press., 1882-03-17
NATIONAL CHARITIES.
Report Of Rev. j. K. Mason, Delegate to
the Conference


| TO the Governor and Council
Gentlemen:-I was requested in July last to
represent the State of Maine in the national
conference of Charities to be holden in Boston
on the 25th to 30th inst, inclusive. Without
time or opportunity to make any special prep
aration Immediately reported in person, on
the day of the opening session, in Representa-
tives' Hall in the State House of Massachus-
etts, and took such part in the deliberation as
circumstances seemed to demand Of your dele
gate. 1 was called upon for report of Names
institutions, penal and charitable, on the third
day of the session. had availed myself of
some notes I had preserved and some aids from
reports received from officers to whom 1 wrote
previously, and was to present the written
statement which tho committee of publication
were pleased to insert in full in the "book of
proceedings" which I had the pleasure of
sending to the Governor at Augusta imme-
diately on receipt from the committee 10 Bos-
ton. Said report may be found on page 205 in
''the proceedings While, in some aspects,
entirely unsatisfactory to myself, yet as COM
pared with reports from other states, in gen.
eral DETAIL honorable to our Commonwealth.
A copy of it was sent at once to the Bulletin
de la Societe Generate des Prisons Paris of
which association ] have the honor of being
member; and have the pleasure of saying
that IN the bi-monthly bulletin of that most
active association, touching all penal and re-
formatory institutions in Europe, Maine had
previously received favorable notice. That
france and large portion of Europe are thor
onghly awake to subjects so vital to the well
fare OF nation or state think ought to smu-
late our people to more practical and general
interest. Although Maine has record for
honorable Improvement during the last two de-
oades at least, in regard to her penal and chart
table institutions, perfection is not yet attain l.
Having gained some laures, and obtained
honorable mention abroad, it is no time to
sslacken and lie back with a feeling of satisfae-
ton. Other states are alive to the problems
involved, and are systematizing the work so
that every department shall receive its quota
of attention, and every feature be presented in
quarterly or annual synopses, easily intelligi-
BILE to the public. Some schemes are of ques- +,
tionable value, and they may fail; but the eff
fort is generally honest and earnest for greater
success. Two hundred and forty delegates
were present at the conference, representing IS
States and one territory, and the Dominion of
Canada, with their institutions, constituting a
body, think, as intelligent and as free from a
feeling of mere sentimentalism touching the
evils to be discussed and remedied, as could
well be assembled. This was manifest in the
elaborate papers read and discussed at length
as, dieu III tuo IOpOIto Guu DEtcAoI uiSCuSSlOnS
following.
Having been an active participant in several
of the prison and reformatory congresses, out
of which this more comprehensive conference
has grown, my conviction is clear and strong
that the whole ''trend" is toward a more
thorough and healthful organization, and
therefore, towards improvements that vitality
concern the public welfare. 1t IS proposed to
have every State and Territory represented by
official delegates and as many institutions as
possible, SO that each meeting will be confer
ence of the most loyal and hopeful character.
The next session will be- convened in the city
of Madison. Wisconsin, in July next, the date
to be fixed by the standing committee.
1t may be of interest to state that your dele
gate, who appears in this report was appoint
ed early on committee to make special re-
port of resolutions relating to the attempted"
assassination of President James A. Garfield,
and himself wrote the preamble and resolution
adopted, with no word of modification except
the personal clause introduced as an amend
ment, by Governor Long of Massachusetts,.
The convention was pleased to elect your
delegate as its Secretary for Maine the ensuing
year.
Thanking you for the honor of representing
our beloved Commonwealth in an assembly so
hoDorably composed, and having for its aim
the promotion of interests so humane and vital,
referring you to the copy of proceedings
herein named for details, most respectfully
submit the above statement
j.. X. MASON
FRYEBURG, Feb IS. 1882