The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-22
Governor Fiferss Views.

best disciplined prisons in the United States.
Governor Fifer,s views.
In his message to the legislature of
Illinois Governor Fifer expresses himself as
follows upon the subject of prison reform:
have thus discussed the condition of the
Illinois prisons so far as concerns their fis-
cal and industrial relations. l cannot, how
ever, turn from this important topic with
out reminding you that there is another
and far higher phase of this subject of
prison MANAGEMENT. which should claim
your most humane consideration. To this
higher phase of the question will now, in
very general terms. invite your attention.
l am exceedingly unwilling that the
proud commonwealth of Illinois should in
any of its departments rest csntent with a
showing of progress that is merely material,
or which can be fully expressed and tabu.
lated in the report of the assessor and the
census taker. Proud as we have right to
be OF our material growth we should never
forget that all our tabulated wealth and
material pOtencies constitute no more than
broad foundation on which to organize
and securely found higher and better forms
of progress. Nor should we forget that op-
portunities for honorable achievement in
the moral world when unimprOved become
the badges of failure and disgrace.
In no department of state regulation and
police activity do the humanities, in my
judgment, find a wider field for intelligent
exercise than in the great movement toward
prison reform which now engages the at
tentOn of many of the first philanthrOpists
of the age. The character of the reforms
inaugurated and the results Of the work &C.
cOmplished in some sister states of the
Union are doubtless well-knOwn to most of
you and need not here be recited at length.
The fundamental error. which true prison
reform must correct, is that which treats
with indscrimlnate rigOr all who violate
the criminal code. and which, in the pro-
miscuity of common degradation, drives
every prisoner of state into a forced and
life long war against society. 1t is the bane
of our police regulations that they know
but two clasSes-thOse who break and those
who observe the cold letter of the law. OF
past opportunities, of moral capacity, of
the palliatiOnS of environment, of degrees
OF moral turpitude. our system takes no &C.
count whatever. We deliberately draw a
dead line, and he who crosses over. if de-
tected, falls at once into gulf as black and
bOttOmless as death. We refuse to reeog-
nize, in legal way. the patent fact that in
many cases those who step across this line
are not morally worse than many others who
daily along its edge and barely miss taking
the one fatal step. or who, taking that STEP
have the good fortune to do so when the
police are not on guard. We forget, too
that many of the most dangerous enemies
of society utter long prayers in the distant
and secure citadel of legal favor, and have
learned to avoid overt acts of recognized
criminality.
But am convinced that sentences of i'm
prisOnment should be indeterminate as to
the time of punishment. The question for
the trial court should simply be guilty or
not guilty of the crime charged in the in
dictment, and the judgment of the court
should record the result of fair trial upon
that question.
1t is to me source of regret that our
State Is now, as regards prison manage.
ment in state of transition, made neces.
sary by the recent constitutional amend
ment which may delay the trial of a system,
which. properly administered. would. l be-
lieve. prove salutary, and in the end be a
benefit to the State in financial as well as
moral way. 1 could not, however. for
give myself. holding the views l do, if l
failed in this first communication by mes
sage to the General Assembly to direct at.
tentiOn to this subject, compared with
which hold no other of greater impor-
lance. And do this in the desire that
whatever may be your opinion as to the
practicability of an immediate departure in
the direction pointed out you may at least do
nothing which will in the future prove in
consistent with an early adoption of salu-
tary reforms.
If reforms are not undertaken by the
present General Assembly recommend for
immediate action the good policy of so
changing the law as to invest the court in
stead of the jury with the power to fix pun
ishment in all cases. 1 am also convinced
that the statue making the compensation of
States Attorneys depend upon tie number
of convictions they are able to secure is not
wise. and should be modified so as to give
the public prosecutors liberal fixed salary.
thus placing them more nearly in judicial
attitude in tho discharge of their important
duties. I submit it is not fair to States
Attorney himself thus to make his pay con-
tingent on the securing of numerous convic-