Evening journal., 1895-01-25
rha state workhouse RIll.

and IN the near lubufe Will W hbAVuASou
In the General Assembly.
1t Is intended that a large delegation
from this city, comprising business men,
clergyman and others interested in the
bill. viii appear before the Senate and
House and advocate the passage Of the
measure.
The bill was drafted by Hon J. Frank
Ball, and Is the outcome OF considerable
study and experience Under the
present system a premium is put on
crime and idleness.
The young men who are convicted In
the Municipal Court Of minor offenses,
and sentenced to serve short terms IN
the county ails, are thrown Into close
companionship with hardened criminals,
crooks who have become masters In
their line. and outcasts from decent
society.
Not being employed in any labor, and
having the time hanging heavily on their
hands. they learn much which is serious
detrlment to them in after life On being
released they. In majority Of instances,
at once resume their lives Of crime, and
soon End themselves in the hands Of the
law, this time for more serious offenses
frequently felony.
The testimony Of criminals who have
been convicted Of burglary, larceny and
kindred violations OF the law, is very
frequently TO the effect that5their devia
tions from the paths OF honesty are due
to influences to which they were sub
iected and lessons they learned In the
county .jails, aud from men older IN
crime
The bill. while It provides for the in
generation Of every person convicted Of
violation Of this statutes, no matter
whether sent from the Municipal or
Superior Courts, also provides for the
classification and separation Of prisoners
This would place those guilty Of mis-
demeanor and who are not as yet hard
ened in crime, away from those whose
crimes are Of serious nature and who
are old at the work
II also provides for a merit system II
prisoner behaves himself or herself,
conforms to the rules and shows an In
clinstion to reform, q reward In the
shape Of reduction in time is given A
year term prisoner under this system
could gain, say two months Ia other
states this prevails and the effect Is a
good one.
In place of allowing the prisoner tC
eat the bread OF idleness each ons will b
compelled TO work at such labor as shall
be determined upon by the commissioners
who number nine, three from each
county. one Of each three being woman
and all chosen irrespective Of party o.
religious belief, the only qualification
being citizenship aud capability Thii
labor will be Of q nature that win no
compete with outside, paid labor.
On the ground of economy the bill is
good one. At present Ii costs thi
county 20 cents day for each prisoner
for food alone Under this bill this wi
lie reduced to 8 cents per head, and eve
this can be reduced still further
At the Eastern Penitsntiary ia Phus
delphia, 1t costs for fael, light and foo
together, total Of 10 cents for eac
prisoner The return from labor done
II cents per prisoner. In the WEI
Chester jail the actual cost less lab,
return is but cents head Here It
20 cents for food alone In tho sta
workhouse the food. fuel, etc, would
furnished on contract, and each coun
would be assessed according to the pri
oners sent.
It is estimated that even at cents p
prisoner there would be saving
Now Castle county alone OF IS, 600, whi
it can be demonstrated Is sufficient
pay interest on the bonds for the err
tlon Of the workhouse, and leave ne
surplus to apply on the debt. This is
important item and one which should
taken into consideration
The general sentiment Of the psoI
who lave given the matter thought
favorable to the movement The Far
ers Alliance has placsd itself on recc
as desirous OF seeing such an institute
founded and has promised support to
bill.
A well-known member Of the Gene
Assembly from the lower part Of
state said the other Gay that the iai
his county had several prisoners q
Wintsr who secured comfortable {
warm home and plenty 10 eat at
expense Of the tax payers They wo
commit same petty mIsdsmeanor WI
would compel the authorities TO s
them to jail and repeat the
until warm weather came again
This seems q most favorable time
the passsge of such a bill The nj
and economical advantages are sucl
will strike every one favorably.
responsibility is divided between
two grest political parties and there
be no better time for both 10 show I
interest IN the publis than by giving
question their lnott careful attention
There are three somen in the Colo
legislature and il is said they know !
they are at