Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-28
TO HELP THE FALLEN.
THE PRISON ASSOCIATIONS INTER
EsTs PRESENTED LAST NIGHT.
Addresses by DIR. Hoec, Major stiles, and
Mayor Eiiyson-rhe Work ut
Home and Abroad.

Mayor EIlyson-Ihe Work NJ
Home and Abroad.
A meeting Of the Prison-Reform Associa-
ton of Virginia was held at the Young
Mems Christian Association Hall last
night.
The members Of the Evangelical Al
lance. who several weeks ago discussed
the subject of prison-reform, were present
by special invitation, as were also nume-
rous other ladies and gentlemen.
At $50 O'Clock Major Robert Stiles, pre-
sident of the association; Rev. DIR. Hoge,
and Mayor Ellyson appeared and were
seated on the stage.
DOUBLE APOLOGY.
Major Stiles said he was sorry 10 begin
the programme with a double apology.
The FIRST was that there was a mistake
made by the papers in announcing that
Leutenant-G Governor Tyler was to address
the meeting. and the other was that Gov
ernor Mckinney bad Just ''phoned him
that he was unexpectedly detained and
could not arrive until later. he would.
however, take pleasure IN presenting one
who never failed to be on hand when
wanted-the Rev. DR.. Hoge.
DIR. Hoge's Speech.
Thereverend gentleman began by stating
that il was lucky that they had called on
him TO open the meeting, as that was about
the only thing he could do. His remarks
would be nothing more than the tuning OF
the instrument and the music would not
begin until he sat down.
The world was undoubtedly growing
better. 1t might be that at some points
there Is retrogression, but q sweeping look
Al, L. 1,,ri fftI1 1chn fhat
gress in the direction of good is the order
Of the day.
The pictures of the worlds prisons. he
said, would make one of the blacklist pages
in history. The Doctor then reviewed the
various remarkable prisons and prisoners
from the time of jeremiah until that. OF
John Howard, who did so much to I'M
Prisoner of Chlllon. and the Bridge OF
Sighs were touched upon briefly.
wHAT CHRISTIANITY BIAS DoNF.
All great movements were based upon
Christianity. The Gospel did not scorn the
the fact that in heather countries these
great moves TO benefit the masses were un--
known. Roman art erected beautiful
arches in memory of great men, but these
were memorials of blood, of battle, and
no traces of philanthropic institutions
could be found. The Romans were
great men, but they never erected
hospitals for the diseased, homes for the
aged or reformatories for the wayward.
Greece was classic, but it had no compass
sion for the misera Die, so oil these great
movements must be due to Christianity.
Pity was to some extent more affecting
than love. Love expects some reward, but
pity does not.
ANCIENT PUNISHMENT.
The world never appreciated little chill
dren until the Babe of Bethlehem grew up
and went into the midst OF His disciples and told
the people that II they desired the hlngoom Oh
Heaven they must receive il as 1.-THE children.
The ancient idea Of Furnishing people was ter
rible II had been said that the very laws OF
England we're written In blood. poor girl stole
loaf OF bread, and, repenliDg, confessed her SIN
and was executed.
The first idea was the punishment Of crimi:
nails, tho noxt their reformation, and the best Of
all the prevention OF crime.
INVESTIGATES TXB CAUSE.
Several years ago there was epidemic Of
typhoid-fever at Princeton College. The stu
dents and doctors exhibited great devotion ana
self-sacrince In nursing the stcS. But the per-
son was better who investigated the cause ana
found IL was a contaminated well on the campus
and closed tup.
When the yellow-fever RACED IN the South It
was touching to see the nurses aud doctors
coming to the rescue from all over the country.
But the charity Of those who drained the
marshes was greater.
What is needed is 10 stop mp the fountain from
which tho evil comes rather than to remedy II
after IL il done.
In closing Dr. HcSe endorsed the kindergarten
svsteIn because IL cared for The good child as
Well as the bad one.
Major Robert stiles.
President Stiles at the conclusion OF Dr.
Hoge's remarks addressed the meeilng; he pc
gan by saying that 1t msttered little who spoke
after his distinguished and eloquent predeces-
sor. The esrly phisnthropists, the speaker
said, made the serious mistake OF repairing the
prison and not tho prisoner. But there Is q
reaction, and the Virginia Association real
ICES that the rights Of society dOmand the re-
formation OF those who are not OF II
The criminal is tho man who has made up hl:
mind TO live without work and prey upon what
other people have gotten by their efforts.
Several illustrations were given by the Major
OF the distorted coEditon OF the minds OF tho
criminal classes. One OF them was that wher
whether II was better TO beg or steal, replied
that a hundred years ago IL would have been
better 70 beg. for thief was confined In nllhy
prison. But nowadays II was better TO steal, for
the criminal would DO taken charge OF by the
prlson-reform people and educated. and when
be came out he would have 30 either stea! or
beg.
PHYSICAL CONDITION.
The speaker then went on TO tell that the
criminals physical formation -hair, head. ears,
face, and hands-was different from that OF
other people. The process OF reformation was
explained. Under the old regime % per cent OF
prisoners returned. Al the Rinira Reforma-
tory 30 per cent of the discharged make useful
members Of society, AND employers are glad to
give them work. After the separation OF the
durable aud incurable criminals the most I'M
portant thing was making them work.
The operation Of the Fassett law in New York
state was highly commended by the speaker
The men we're made 70 work not with the Idea
| OF producing shoes, but OF producing good man
when hiS time IL
Warden Brush, Of Sing Sing, had insisted that
! tho celebrity and severity OF punishment consu-
tuted its merit This had been controverted out
and out by Mr.. swinton and others. Tbs light
sentences and paternal action OF the judges in
| Great Britain did more TO keep down crime than
severe punishment
| form, Major Stiles cited the fact that half the
prisons OF Great Britain had been closed In the
! last ten years, while IN this country crime has
| Increased faster than the population.
PARENTS AREEsyD.
In England when a child commits o crime tho
father Is arrested, too, and confined with the
offender until the case Is passed upon. NO
| nobler brighter or more Christian mon than tho
ofllcials Of the English rotormntories and indus
trial schools had ever come within his obserVs-
tion. Children arc committed 10 these schools
for yagrancy aggravated truancy, or because
their parents are not the proper people 70 nave
charge OF them. From 90 to % per cent. OF the
children turn out well, and have taken their
places In tho British army and ministry.
Al one OF tho schools there was but one scratch
on tho paint in the whole building, and brush
hnd not been used on it for ten years Could
the same be said Of any school attended by gen.
tlsmens sons In Virginia7
Major Stiles in alluding 20 tho Bnglish pooplo
said that hs thought that the thoroughbred
Christian English gentleman OF tho middle or
higher classes was the noolest creation OF Goo.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
Tho speaker next explained what the Virginia
association has done. They have been given
two small tracts o. land In Honrco, but these
wsre not properly located. The association had
purohased ninety acres Of land near Laurel
Hungary ststionl and wanted TO put up a reform
school like Que OF those he had described.
BY the way, ne had neglected 10 state that the
English Government did not put up these build
iags, but the comm1nites. Governor Mckinney
hnd told him that tne man who built reforma-
tory for the youth OF Virginia would be the
greatest beBefactor In its history.
In concluding the Major asked that when the
effort was made 20 collect funds oil In the COM
munity would give es they have prospered. He
wanted all 10 help.