The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-10-22
The Prison CONGRESS,

The Prison Congress.
The twenty first annual congress of the
National Prison Association closed its la
bors on the evening of the 14th inst. and
the delegates. after thanking the cities of
Allegheny and Pittsburg for their courte
sizes, departed for their homes. About $50
delegates attended, and the work accom-
plished is said to have been very satisfac-
tory. In his annual address the president
of the association, Rutherford B. Hayes.
said, among other things:
1t is safe to say that large majority OF the
prisoners accused or convicted OF crime in the
United States dealt with IN defiance of just
and wise principles in these four vital particulars:
l. The young and the thOughtless, the beginners
in law.break,ng and the accidental criminals sus-
pected of guilt, arrested and lodged in city
prisons or county jails and there detained for
trial. huddled together with old and hardened
offenders to be educat ted and trained in the whole
art and mystery of or animal life.
2. Professional criminals are sentenced for short
terms, according to the supposed enormity of their
respective Crimes and at the end of their terms
are sent forth to prey again upon society.
3. Prisoners are discharged at the end OF their
terms under such circumstances that the lmmi'
nent chances of ex.convicts with all the world
against them, are that they will be compelled to
make a living by return to their evil ways.
4. Our prisons in many, if not most cases are
under wardens and other prison officers who hold
their places political appointments, liable to
be removed without regard to qualifications or
experience on merely partisan considerations.
These four pregnant facts, even il no other
causes were in operation, would sufficiently ex-
plain the increase of crime in the United States.
If the jails and lock.ups in our couptry-four or
five thousand in number-are in truth. as they
have been often APPLY termed in most cases, COM
pu sory schools of crime. maintained at the public
expense, we shall have from this quarter alone
an accession to the criminal classes in each de.
cade of perhaps forty thousand trained experts in
crime. Until the inmates of prisons can be clas-
sified it would be far better to cut down largely
the number of the arrests and committals OF the
young.
The professional criminal belongs in prison.
where he should be kept at work earning an hon.
est living until he is cured OF his criminal habits,
if it keeps him convict until the end OF his Iite
At Mondays session Supt. Gardiner
Tufts of Concord Junction. Mass, delivered
an address on 'HOw Shall the Children of
Vicious or Criminal Parents be Prevented
from Becoming Criminals?" His remarks
were followed by good deal of discussion.
Rev. Mr.. Green said that ignorance was re-
spOnsible more than idleness for the vast
amount of crime. and deplOred the lack of
the appreciation of educational advantages
| by parents. Judge Wayland said there
were two gospels, the gospel of Jesus
Christ and the gospel of Gush. Parents"
said he. ''are taught to spare the rod, but
in this doctrine we have what will populate
our future prisons. Take care of the chill
dren and the criminals will be easily cared
for"
Monday afternoon about $50 of the dele
i, gates visited the Western penitentiary
which they pronounced model prison. An
evening session was held at which the Ber-
tilliOn measurement system was discussed
by Joseph Nicholson. superintendent of the
| Of Prnf To
of the University of Pennsylvania said, in a
paper on criminal statistics, that foreign
born and negroes compose percentages in
excess of their proportions of the pOpula.
ton.
The most important subject at Tuesdays
meeting was the report of the committee or
police. consisting of c. FELTON, of Chicago
Benjamin Murphy of Jersey City, Joseph
Golden of Charleston and Maj. r. W. Nc
Claughry of Chicago. They agreed in
placing the chief detriment to efficient po
lice management to politics. licentiOusness
and gambling. Miss Kate F. Kimball, sec
rotary of the Chautauqua Literary anG
Scientific Circle, addressed the Chaplains
association on Chautauqua work in prisons
The parole system was taken up and dis
cussed by the wardenS and was generally
endorsed. 1t has worked satisfactorily ir
the penitentiaries of Ohio and New jersey
The only cause for complaint was the in
fluence of politics.
The following officers were elected-Na
tional association: president. Rutherford
B. Hayes, Fremont, Ohio; vice-president
Roeliff Brinkerhoff. Mansfield, Ohio; sec
rotary. Rev. John S. Milligan, Allegheny
Penn; treasurer. Charles w. Jessup. New
York city. Wardens' associations: presi-
dent. Joseph Nicholson; vice presidents. j
II. Patterson, New Jersey; James Massie
Ontario; R. S. Dawson. Alabama: E. s.
Wr;rht Damn cocrotorv w Nh