Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-11

dpnr Of gratitude for his work of reform in
the prisons and hospitals of Europe. By his
efforts he nersistently exposed to the shud-
dering gaze OF mankind the barbarities and
loatbsome secrets of those dens of suffering
until an awakened people remedled the
lnonStrOuS wrongs.
Perhaps no other man ever lived who did
so much to mitigate the sutferings of the un-
fortunate portion of the human race. When
he died. 100 years ago, the poor serf the
abused sailor, the frlendless prisoner lost
friend and rather. In the grand achieve
mcnts of his life he left to the wol Id monu-
lnent bearing an inscription which bids each
one OF lis to remember the lmperishaDle
words, go and do likewise"
THE REVELATIONS OF JOHN HOWARD.
And so John Howard, though dead, yet
speaks TO the living: and inspired by his
iIIustriouS example, the philanthropic men
and women of this day and the benevolent
associations, such as yours, to which this
grand century has given birth, have taken
up the great work he laid down. On our
own continent the revelations of Howard
brought forth their earliest fruit
To Philadelphia, in our own Sta tie of Penn
sylvania belongs the honor OF hav ing or
gauized. in l776 the first Prison Reform As
sociation known TO the world. Although
This organization, known as THE Philadel-
phia Society for Assisting Distressed Pris-
onerS - was discontinued on the entrance of
the British army into that city in LII, it
WAS, in l7SI, revived again through the in
srrumentality of Benjamin Franklin. and
from that time until now it has, / believe
continued to prosecute its beneficent work.
The atrocious abuses of the city prison of
Philadelphia at the early dawn of the nine
reenth century, which were exposed and
corrected through the efforts of the society
TO which I have referred are matters of
history: and to those who dispute the ne
ceSSi-v or doubt the wisdom of such organ
izatious. would say, go and search the
records
The abolition of the branding-iron, the
pulory and the whipping-post, the ameli O.
ration Of the moral and physical condition II
Cf the prison and the introduction of labor
into the prison constituted some of the i'm
mediate results of the efforts of the Phila =
dclphia Society.
In the light OF the fact that these reforms
were effected long before the horrors of
NCwgate prison were revealed by Elizabeth
Fry. and a quarter of century before the
most enlightened nations across the sea had
even contemplated the enactment of reme-
early day Pennsylvania led the world in the
progressive movements touching the treat
ment and care Of prisoners.
GREAT PROGRESS ALREADY MADE
In the construction, discipline and manage
rnent Of prisons in this country, wonderful
progress has been made during the past ten
wears. There is, moreover, n growing senti-
ment not only in favor of such classified
tion of these institutions as shall afford
seperate confinement for young persons
convicted of their first offence, but also in
favor OF separate prisons for women, under
the management and control of women. The
wisdom of such policy is demonstrated by
the success OF the reforma tories at Elmira,
:. y. Concord, Mass, Huntingdon, Pa,
Mansfield. O., and the prisons for women at
indianapolis, Ind, and Sherborn. Mass.
Much has been accomplished in the past;
much remains vet to be done. How shall we
reclaim the criminal while we punish him?
On this all important question i have
neither the knowledge nor the experience
10 speak. And vet. l feel that there is way
by which tine great mass of those confined in
our iails and pcnitentiaries may be restored
to honorable manhood.
This great apostle OF temperance, John B.
Cough, once said: Away up Z great many
pair OF stairs, in a very remote corne.
easily passed by, thore is door, and on that
door Is written woman And so in the
heart Of the vile outcast, away up a great
many pair of stairs in a very remote corner
easily passed by, there is a door, on which is
written man."
NO Use TO STOP KNOCKING.
Here is our business, to find that door, 1t
may take time, but begin and knock. Don't