Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-09

during bis confinement secured to him
marks for good conduct. He had to have so
many marks before he could advance to the
second-class prison, which is divided like a
college, into classes, through which the
prisoner must go and graduate before he
attalns the requisite good marks which take
him into the next. or graduating class. The
third prison is not like a prison. The pris-
oner has no prison garb; there are no
prison walls, no iron bars; guards are
about, but unarmed. Prisoners work about
the farm and are allowed to go out of sight
and on errands, and at the end of their time
less the subtraction for good marks. They
get their money which they have earned
during their whole term.
THE PRISON SCHOOL.
Very few attempted to escape, for they
knew their treatment was wise and generous
and that their recapture would set them far
back again. They had lectures and schools
to 90 to, and churches to attend on Sabbath;
so that, during their last term, they did not
feel as though the strong hand of the law
was holding them. They saw no evidences
and felt no restraint excepting that they
had to work, study and do certain things at
certain hours. This prison school was and
is conducted in the spirit of kindness. The
prisoners were constantly looking forward
TO their changes from one prison to the other;
to their accumulation of good marks, and to
the final release, with money In their
pockets.
Why could not this plan be tried here?
Our prisoners are as amenable to discipline
as any other criminals, and no doubt many,
strictly criminals, would be glad of the op-
portunity to redeem themselves and pass so
much of their time pleasantly, and by good
hi. =,
for release, while the tramp would feel very
savage if he was compelled to work all
winter in the workhouse, but his reward
would be there in the spring.
PROBLEMS FOR LABOR SOCIETIES.
There are things which laboring societies
should look into. They would not lose a
dollar, but would all gain from the falling
OF of the cost of sustaining all of our lazy
criminals. The own-nothings would be thus
doing some good for the householder Every
man in community would be made to bear
his share OF the burden and heat of the day,
and all people should know that the idle
class is a very dangerous class whether
they are behind the bars or not. 1t is
that branch of society which causes all cities
to keep up small armies OF police to control
them. That makes necessary multitudinous
courts, with their expensive Judges and Of
fcials, sheritfs, deputies, police stations,
wardens and matrons. fire tallyho's, horses,
drivers and guards-the Gamewell police
system.
The disorderly and criminal classes could
be in large measure restrained by hard labor
as a punishment, with the hopes of reward
by good behavior; by the ball and cnain
system with labor on public works; or by
the Delaware system of public fogging.
The latter is the most effective, for the de-
predator disappears and is hardly ever
known to get second hogging.
THE FINANCES OF THE PROBLEM.
1t is claimed that immigrants have
brought into this country during this cen-
tury in money about $500, 600, 900. And it
is also claimed that the Chinese are drain
ing the country by sending their money to
the Flowery Kingdom. A Chinaman is
rich with 500 and independent with 81 900.
II 900 Cinnamon should 60 home every
year with 81 900 each the country would be
drained out of S1.000,0 900 per year. But
look at the vast amount of WORK they &C
compllsh for the good of our Western
friends, especially to gain that amount OF
money.
How much of our money goes East? In
speech In Dublin abou. 1884 Archbishop
Welsh, in speaking of the generosity Of the
Irish people, said that in that year S45, ,000,-
600 had been sent to ireland by Its friends
in America-in one year. So that few
years of that drainage would wipe out all
that the in migrants from all nations have
brought here in three-quarters of a century.
All that comes over in that way goes back
again with moss on it. BUMBALo.