Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-01-30
THE MODEL PRISON.
What 10 Ought TO be-Some Valuable
Suggestions Given.

Suggestions Given.
George w. Cables striking essay on
"The Convict Lease System in the
Southern States" is printed in the Feb
ruary Century. He introduces his
powerful array of facts with the follow.
ing clever statement of what a prison
ought to be: "Here and there in the
United States q penal institution may
be found that fairly earns the pride with
which it is pointed out by the surround
ing community. In the whole country
there may be four or five such. The
visitor to them admires the fitness of
their architecture.
"tYes,' the warden replies; this is
not house ofpleasure, and 80 We have,
not made it pretty. 1t is not an abode
of cripe, and so We have not made it
ugly. 1t is not plscs where men seek
Justice, and therefore we have not made
il grandiose and majestic. But it is the
house of chastisement-of Christening
punishment-snds so it is made solemn,
severe and calm
"The visitor praises the grave and
silent decency of all the Internal APP
| pointments.
"'Yes,' responds the warden; the
peace and dignity of the State are here
| asserting themselves over the person OF
| the prisoner who has violated them;
| there is no more room here for merrl'
| ment and confusion than for strife
"'Yes,' said the warden; when the
! criminal was free and his life at his own
| disposal, he took no such care OF 1t as
| this. He probably lived u sort OF daily
| suicide. Ii he shortened his days, the
| state was, presumably, not to blame.
| But if we by malice or neglect shorten
| his days here, where he is oar captive,
we bring upon the State both blame aud
| shame. For his life is in our custody,
| lust as the clothing is with which he
came here; the State, through its courts,
has distinctly declined to tamper with
| ii, and holds its subject to be returned
| to his own keeping, at the expiration OF
| his confinement, in as good order as
| that in which ii was received, the in
| evitable wear and tear Of time alone
excepted. Can q State maintain its
peace and dignity as it should, that
commits breaches Of trust in its very
"The visitor remarks that wise be-
neyolence is necessary even toward bad
men.
"tBut,' says the other, lit is not
merely benevolence to bad men that
nut i'm these elaborate sanitary appli-
| anees; it is he necessity OF UNFOLDING
the integrity and honor of the State.
"The visitor shows his surprise at the
absence of all the traditional appliances
for the correction of the refractory.
| yet be certain is the rejoinder, a dis
| cipline, sure, prompt and effectual meets
every infraetiou of rules. How else
could we have this perfection Of order?
But it is 8 discipline whose punistlments
are free from brutalizing tendencies, in
creasing dispassionately as the culprit's
passions increase, and relenting only
when he has repented.'
MThe visitor is impressed with the ed
ucative value ofthe labor performed oy
the inmates.
"iYes,, saws the warden, send man
out from here with knowledge OF
trade, and maybe he will come back,
but the chances are he will not. SEM
him away without trade, and maybe
he will not come back, but the chances
are he will. So for soeiety's sake-ln
the community's interest and for us
safety-these men are taught certain
trades that they cannot turn to bad ac-
count. We do not teach burglars lock-
smithiDg.'
"Yet the visitor takes a momentary
| alarm.
"'You put the housebresker and , the
| robber, the sneakthief and the PICK.
rocket into open competition with honest
| men in the community around tnem.
Exactly responds the other; Try,
| ing TO live without competing Id tue
| fields of productive labor Is Just tae es-
senee of the crimes for which they were
sent there. We make short emu OIL
| that 81 1900, ;,,.,-
est at thestalistleal records OF the CLERKS
Office. s,,,, do,s
without these is the wafaens re-
snonse. 'Thse are the keys 70 the STUDY
~ the cause and prevention OF crime.
Nv these we weigh our own results. 10y
these we uncover BOT only the consiys
! and his crime, but society's ana states
own sins of omission; whose Huits arc
thss, crimes; and these criminals
HTAIter all,, at length the VISITOR says,
stoIl me one thing more. here Is
nr;soner safe from fire ana Plague
and oppression ana tsmPJbt
| and evil companionshlp, anu - tausn ~
ad t and skill, and only to submit 70 %
;nstice and obey right ruieS "ner5
Sjs punishment? How s tnS pun''n
ment st alp .tss answer with
ana ' FOR question: Had you . de.
question o ,ot And AN iron mold made to
formed .UUs n and press 1t into sym,
@eslicai shape and hold snI + r. Tse s USn.
ihment here Is the I pSp Into SUPERFICIAL
nat + !. 'p sss iais shs'
synms;ts J E to unrestraint; that subord u
nsiaio nation sDe 1I passion and inofdinase