The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-18
THE SYSTEM CONDEMNED
Fir1. Annual Report Made by the
State Board Of Charities
and Reform.
They're Glad Montana Methods
and Institutions Arc AS Good
As They Are.
But Management OF Prisons, Asyiums and
Poor Farms BY Contract Considered
an Unwiss Policy.

The drst annual report OF the state board
Of charities and reform has been made %
the governor. The board consists Of Rev.
J.H. Croker. president Rev. W. w. Van
Orsdol and Mrs. Laura r. Howey, seore-
tsry. They we're appointed By the governor
under an act OF the lAat legislature. The
report states that the president and secfe'
tarv visited the state prison AZ Deer Lodge
on June last and says; 80 far AZ We
could see. our general conclusion was that
she prison was ss veil conducted as could be
expected under she ciTeumstsncea The ae-
commodations do not make u possible 30
conduct a model penal estAblishnent,b ut the
contractors are not responsible for the ae-
commodations. as they are furnished By tns
State. he low rate Of mortality and the
general good health-there we're no patients
in the hospital-pfoye that the sanitation
is GOOD ana ths food wholeaome. Great
sttention IL evidently paid 20 cleanliness
The discipline is strict and yet appAr-
emily not too severe. AZ present.
so far as We could discover, about two
thiids Of the oonvicts are employed she
whole or part Of she day. either upon The
new wall OF in duties about the prison. IL
Is eur Judgment that both for reform and
for punishment the work done is too little
rather than too much"
The board makes she following recon-
mendations: First that the prison school
be established as contemplated BY the code
of rules. and that future contracts be let
With this in view. Second. that q more
suitable room be provided for the hospital.
"a dispensary for the physician in charge
they say, "and an ofics for the chaplain,
could be arranged in connection with
hospital In the same building, which eOuld
be erected a. small expense Ihs Nould
alao give a suitable location for library,
which 40 present 10 does not have" Third.
that as soon ae possible Anothsr corridor
be erected OF the present ones enlarged 10
give proper quasters for the hundred In
mates now housed In the outside wooden
building. where the situation IL In no
respect what 10 ought 10 be. IA the pres
snt rate of increase" the report says. the
prison al Deer Lodge will soon be crowded
20 OVERLOOKING. a fact which points 20 the
necessity of the prison contemplated At
Billings. Aud this board would be glad 20
cooperate in making the plans OF this new
prison a. modern and efficient az possible.
We sincerely hope that some arrangements
may be made BY which thig new Institution
shall take a special class OF couvicts and at
tempt a more definitely rsformatory work. "
Fourth. that matfon be employed TO have
general charge of the female prisoners. of
whom there we're seven 81 the time Of the
boards visit. I'VE think 10 reasonable,
shey say, 10 insist that these women should
have the watohful care and association OF
some person Of their own sex. and upon
this point We would pat great emphasis"
On Jan. 4 last the board all met ~ Warn
Springs and examined carefully into tbs
condition OF the insane asylum. Here, v
they say, I'VE found a high degree OF clean
Illness. abundant food and vatohful care.
We saw all she inmates OF the Institution
quite a number of whom are very danger
Gus maniaes. and yet none az that tims
Wers subject TO severe mechanical restraint
The treatment seemed as humane as ths
facilities Of the Institution and the chaTac-
ters of the patients would permit. so fsl
as We could judge the persons there con
fined we're IS rule ordinarily OF low
grade OF intelligencs and belong TO tbs
pauper and criminal classes. This fact
gives a peculiar character 90 The institu-
tion. while u keeps the management Withir
narrow limits"
The board, collectively ana individually
visited the jails OF Lewis and Clarke Deer
Lodge, Valley and Cascade counties and
the school for the deaf and dumb a. Boul-
der. The Tep0rt says: The board are
unanimous in the opinion that great good
would be done II something more
could be accomplished IN separat-
ing and grading the inmates oil
our jails, not only with regard 30 age
but with reference 20 previous life. 10 does
not seem 90 Us TO be a wise policy 20 herd
together in the same cage persons awaiting
trial, persons detained as witnesses, and
PERSONS serving a sentence for minor
offsnses. The improvement suggested
would cost something. bnt nothing is so
cheap In the end e. justice and humanity.
The board found IN she asylum a boy-Hn
oTphan-about Is years years, who. so far
as We can discover. is imbecile rather than
insane Gin the common meaning Of tha
term). while We found In the Lewis aud
Clai ko county jail q boy Of II years OF age
serving a sentence OF sixty days. These
facts reveal an appalling state o. affairs.
10 say the least, and they put the strongest
possible emphasis on the Immediate need
of the reform school new IN process Of
erection.
I'VE realize that In a nav state like Mon.
tana 10 10 impossible as once 90 create char
liable and correctional Institutions OF Oh,
very highest order, they have 10 be tbs
growth Of years. In many Tespecta VI
have 20 rejoice that our methods anc insti
tutions are ~ efficient as they are. Bot II
is the opinion OF the board that the whole
syatom OF managing public institutions oil
this character Tor the pauper and insane
olassos) poor farms, prisons or asYlums-
BY contract. la al uRWiss policy. which ths
state ought 20 discontinue az tho earliest
possible moment For the state 90 make
merchandise OF tbs dependent, defective
aud criminal classes in this manner Il
neither wisdom nor economy. Ibis policy
has been abandoned ln nsary all the states.
Any man who takes such q contract enterl
into II TO make money. Il naturally and
riRhtlullT represents 90 him a business from
which he seeks profit. However just and
humane ho may be. he Is inevitably limited
b. this consideration. Moreover, IL Is an
iEnoble thing Tor great state 10 put tue
care 81 It's wares upon this commercial
lasia. In the visits already made 10 oar
institutions the board has bean made vsrv
forcibly aware % the unwIsiom Of this
policy. And we do not wish BY these re-
marks 10 cast any reproaeh upon the con
tractors Ia charge Of these Institutions;
they themselves see and feel the uuwisdom
OF she polior. Ihey understand Ierfeotly
that neediul things cannot be done beonuss
just tho conditions incident 10 such poll
Icy stand Ia she way
Ingal Llanke 81 this olioe.