Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-24
FRIDAY MORNING CLUB.
Penal Reform Discussed by Miss
Tupper.
Society, She Says, Has No Right to
Punish.
The Club Perfects Its Arrangements
for Incorporating soon-PaPers
That Are Promised for
Next Meeting.

1ne guests OF tno uay aJ tne Ell
day Morning club were: Mrs. A. W
Bishop, Colegrove; Mrs. M. II. Full
Ter, Boston; Rev. Mia Upper, Grand
Rapids; Mrs. K. L. Galpin, Los Angeles
Mrs. A. J. Wright, Oil City; Miss Jen'
ME E. Collier, South Riverside; Mrs.
Ann M. Hunt, st. Louis, and Mrs. T. d.
Bailey, Toledo.
The day was in charge of the reform
and philanthropy committee. Mrs. Jud.
son, as chairman, introduced Rev. Mia
f. Tupper of Grand Rapids, Mich, as the
speaker of the morning; the subject be-
ing Penal Reform. Miss Upper spoke
without notes, and was most magnetic
In her presentation OF the subject. !.
She said the most important principle
of all penal reform is, that society has
no right to punish. The penal machin-
cry being for the protection of society
and not for the dicipline OF offenders.
We cannot judge by deserts. Another
principle is the deterrent, by which the
aim of the penalty is to protect,
by deterring from crime, through its
severity. The chief principle however,
is the reformatory method. By this, it
is thought, that the only real protec-
ton of society is to reform the offenders.
One who does not come under the law,
may be the greater criminal than one
who does. Our attitude towards the
criminal class is heathenish. Our re-
spectability seems to depend upon the
condemnations we heap upon others.
Our great object should be reforma-
ton whereas our present penal system
tends to increase crime caused by ad-
verse circumstances and environments.
One of the most abominable systems in
vogue at present, is the feeling of officers
for arrests, which are often made on the
slightest suspicion.
The fining system is also deplorable,
thus discriminating between those who
can, and those who cannot pay fine.
The Elmira reformatory of New York is
an institution founded on a humane basis.
Superintendent Brockring, is apowerwith
a head and heart. Here prisoners are
classified, the young sifted from the
old, the innocent from the hardened.
The moral susceptibility of each one
who enters the building is tested--his
moral status taken before he is assigned
his place. Prisoners are classified,
graded, and careful average of their
workings kept in the three divisions
first, general conduct; second, manual
labor; third, educational activities.
Miss Tupper spoke at length on the ad-
vantsges of this institution, comparing
it with others and pointing out the ex-
cellent results of it's methods. She said,
in conclusion, the most important
things to work for were the abolition of
the feeling system, the indeterminable
sentence, the probation system, the
arrangement of the prisoners on a clas-
sified basis, and the methods of manual
industries put into these institutions.
We should cultivate public spirit of
tolerance; we should love virtue for its
own sake. Society needs reforming
quite as much as the criminal classes.
Our present attitude of censure will be-
come antiquated and heathenish, and
with public spirit of tolerance and
kindness, criminality will become i'm
possible.
Mrs. Croft presented very clear re-
port from the committee on incorpora-
ton. Different lots Tor the club building
had been looked up, estimates of build
ing taken and suggestions as to the
plans for the same, and for organization
also we're given.
A vote for Incorporating being taken,
resulted in general unanlmity in favor
of it from the club, and the plans for the
same will be completed during the
summer vacation.
Next week will be the last Friday
before adjourning for the summer. The
day is in the hands of the magazine
committee. Papers are promised from
w. D. Hornells, from Mrs. Margaret
Collier Graham, and upon The Short
Story from Mise Jennie E. Collier.
Saturday evening the art and litera-
ture committee give musicale in the
club rooms, to which the gentlemen
friends of the club will be invited.