St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-20
CHARlTYS DOMAIN.
The DelinQuents and Dependents of
the County-HoW to do for
Them the Great
Question.
interesting Addresses by DR.. Dana and
Secretary Hart of the State
Board of Charities.

One half of the world does not know how
the other half is faring; especially is it true
that we forget or overlook too commonly
those confined for crime or misfortune. the
dependents and delinquents who are charge
on the charities of the state and individuals
That unseen part of humanity living in
penitentiaries, asylums or reformatories con-
s1tute an army, as to members and need
Tar beyond what we suspect conference
like the national one held last week in St.
Louis, which surveys the whole field of hu-
man wretchedness and want, is one of great
public utility, and to its deliberations we owe
the progress making in caring for the I'M
fortunate and Grimm 81 in our land. The most
earnest philanthroplsts, the ablest specialists,
and the most advanced students of charity
administration and methods of dealing with
penury and those defective and helpless are
brought together in this conference. The
state is its debtor for suggestions as to better
ways of exercising economic oversight, as
those who through crime or misfortune be-
come its wards. Society also learns from
this body what more it can do to save the
tempted and vicious, and how more wisely
to minister to those whom friendship and
personal assistance can keep from sinking
into pauperism. 1t is now an opinion in
social science that that is the best help
which helps the helpless to do for themselves,
and that charity is only harmful which
qucnches self respect and gives, without
obtaining from the recipient any equiv
alent.
pass before you tonight those classes of
which we need to know more, and for which
We must learn how to do with a kindlier,
wiser spirit and with the hope OF retaining
and lettering them.
THE VOICE FROM TIE PRISONS OF THE
COUNTRY.
This is one which issues not altogether
from hardened criminals, but from those
who for the protection of society have been
put in confinement. We have just begun to
'ealizc that that protection is best secured
Then the criminal is reformed. For if he
comes forth from confinement hardened and
smbittered, he continues to prey on society
and swells the class who live only to commit
crime. So eager, however, is the state to
make the penitentiary a source of revenue,
that all efforts to reform the inmates is sacri-
feed to that of making them productive.
Hence the states prison is largely place OF
confinement and hard labor, wherein little
or nothing can be done to make those sent
to them for crimes. in character better.
In penitentlarles are to-day. 3O,659
In county Jalls. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1857
In work houses, city prisons, etc........ 1898
total in penal institutions of...... SIS, sos
OF these S,270 are between 16 and 20
years OF age, and 90, 704 between 20 and 80
years of years.
1t may be said that the county Jail and
city prison are schools of crime, because the
inmates are not classified and mingle to-
gether, the older and hardened contaminate
the younger. 1t is the verdict of the best
specialists in the department, that both these
institutions ought 10 be abolished for they
are Il disgrace to our civilization, and the
city prison be used only for the detention of
those accused OF crime, and ali convicted of
crime and misdemeanors be sent to district
warehouses.
THE VOICE FROM REFORMAToRIEs.
Hence comes the voice of juvenile delin-
lucnts, those for whom efforts in the way of
reformation are being made. Every one of
these youths won back to virtue and upright
ness saves society an untold amount. zone
sinner destroyeth much good,' and for
economical as well as moral purposes, is it
worth all it costs TO devise methods of confine-
mcnt and treatment calculated to reform those
sentenced for first and minor offences and
whose very youth gives hope Of restoring
them to an honest life.
These delinquents number. ,46S
The average age of these. ..13H yrs
For this class the state has accom- plished
much and the results of the reformgtory svs-
tenn is gratifying. 1t may, however, sadden
and surprise us to know that from 20 to 30
per cent. of these came from good, well-to-do
homes. The major portion of the youths
who go astray are from
families, wherein no such losses,
humanity speaking, should have occurred,
and 1t constitutes serious impeachment Of
the household training of the present.
VOICE FROM AsYLUMs.
Now we hear the shrieks and rawlings, or
silly chattering Of the insane, that ever pitt
able class, who have suffered so much from
brutal treatment in other DAYS, but now are
being kindly and skillfully cared for; these
number 81, $50. Not all of them are in state
or private institutions, for some are found
yet whence every regard for humanity de-
mauds they be removed, viz: Aims houses
of the counties, for in them they cannot be
properly provided for, and often are shame
fully neglected.
Imbeciles, saddest of all creatures, and
only in comparatively recent times consid-
cred worthy of being cared for and trained
in institutions, number as, S95. But think
how little the state or society appreciates the
rights of these, and the imperative necessity
ri protecting and schooling them, when
.cll you there are in institu-
tons of all kinds only 1862.
The rest, $1,000 are in the homes their adj
vent have made sad, and where they entail
understandable care on weary mothers, or they
grow up in communities unprotected and
abused, and even propagate their kind, and
6.S31 are in poor-houses where they cannot
safely be left. II may he said that all of this
unfortunate class are improvable. Many are
rendered able TO maintain themselves, Others
TO be useful in their homes, aud the best au-
thority says this class if neglected become
the prolific source OF criminals. We have no
Institution more deserving Of enlargement
fostering care by the state than our imbecile
school ut Faribault, presided over BY dev-
otec TO these needy and dependent creatures,
DIR. Geo. Knight. Further we hear from the
inmates of deaf and dumb and blind asy-
lums.
This class numbers. Observation-Disclosures. So. SOC
Blind. Observation-Disclosures. As, g2S
Deaf and Dumb. Observation-Disclosures. Ss,ssS
or the former there are in institutions
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 2,sos
in aims houses, the receptacle for all I'M
fortunates ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1850
At home, often where they can't he
taught and enabled TO do for them
selves Observation-Disclosures. 4s,6Ss
The deaf and dumb in insti tutions.... 5,S46
In poor houses. Observation-Disclosures. 5II
At home. Observation-Disclosures. 1898