New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-28
NECESS1PY INTESTTEATION

The New York State Reformatory at Eliniia
stands today as one Of the representative pehai
institutions Of the void. 1t is the highest eA-
poncnt Of one of the most bcncfccnt moral el-
forts Of modern times Prisons and the IN
generation and other penalties suffered 'hefr'"
not so many decades ago represented only the
vindctve majesty Of the law, its PUNISHMENT
for wrongdoing. Such prisons rs the great one
at Elmira stand rather for the principle tii',
each particular prisoner IS not only crinihai
to be- punished for his individual CRIME as Pio-
lection to society but also possesses the MA
tcrial for good citizen under proper traiiiihS
and opportunity
For many years the experiment mas Dcen car
ricd on The people Of the state nave lci'
lust pride in the institution and in the good WORN
which they believed was being carr1en OH 'hei'
Year after year the reports or the STATE bo'iu
of Charities left no doubt that the experiment
was Il success and that under It's influehce 'le
criminal classes were being lessened in NUMBERS
and that younger priso lers. instead OF pcihb
confirmed i'm crime, as in the older penal neth
OILS were i'm thousands of instances Drought
back TO lives Of honesty and usefulness. But not
alone is the management now assailcd; the IN
torrity of thc system is also ut stake The state
BOARD Of Charities recently adopted as its own
and sent 10 the Legislature the report OF the
single survivor of its committee appolhteu iaS,
summer TO investigate charges made public
against it's management If the Statements
made I'm that report are true. then indecd N 'liS
great experiment a failure, ana the Legislature
should take speedy and radical steps 10 DrihS
TO an end the disgmccful history. If they are
not true Justice and the furthcrance or the pest
methods Of prison government demand INIT 'ne
fact shall he publicly disclosed
Dr. Wey and others of his associates upon inc
Board Of Managers are men Of wide reputation
and unblcmishcd character In the protest 'hey
have sent to the Legislature they assert the
falsity and gross in Justice OF the main part oi
that report. President Craig, Dr. Smlth anu
MIR. IitchGcld composed the committee original
" appointed by the State Board or Charl'leS.
The death Of DR.. Craig and the removal OF Dr'
Smith 10 another sphere Of activity LETT Mr.
Iitchfcld. the junior member, to carry on the
work alone 1t Is asserted by the managers
that he had prcjudgcd the case before he began
the taking of testimony; that he was ehtlfeiy
innxpcricnccd I'm the conduct of prisons; mat
no Is irasciblc unjudcial and untitled for the
work: that he denied the accused Superintend-
emf and managers the usual representation by
counsel: that he perverted facts to tell against
the accused and disregarClcd those in their
favor and that his findings Of misconduct. In
co,nnctcncc or neglect are entirely unsupported
by the evidence.
Az to which side Is in the right. II may well
be deemed impossible for the Legislature To de-
cido upon the facts presented before them But
that the truth should bc determined the pub
lie interests demand In no other way can IL
80 well be- established rs by legislative IN
uulry. Such investigation should De ihS'l'u''"
M once and prosecuted with promptncss' v'gor
and thoroughncSs Al It's conclusion III" L'gls-
lniurc will be- in the possession or "StahilSh"i
facts that will enable 1t 10 deal adv'S"ily WIN
the matter IL il Importance requires