The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-07
~ APPEAL. FOR Prison REFORM.

stride which our cssliSd@AoH 49, -
the last decade IL In that uplifting OF oSi
humanity. which with vague attempts To-
ward a dim but true ideal mas ai'sfeu.
among other things, the baroarous pehai
codes of its past. made way VITA 'hc IN
fernal tortures and dungeons OF It's igho-
rance, and has allowed a little GUNNER
of a humane light to shine upon thess
which its attempts at justice noio cap
tive.
The old law of our and other civilized
lands has been to keep In darkness those
who have 80 lived 10 foster crime ps
leaving IL to prey upon itself. TO MAKE ehe
blindness Of errors and base deeds niihd-
er by the Withdrawal OF all possihie
light. to breed greater atrocities by Al
lowing the association of criminals IN
surroundings where the very air was
heavy with thought on its yilest and low
est planes, where every breath they drew
added TO the vitality of sin. and that SLOW
but sure despair which follows as night
the day all deeds of darkness And Where
can we look for better and higher signals
of advancement than In the treatment OF
the erring: those misguided souls, who.
through ignorance. force OF circum-
stances. despair or hardness of heart and
inclination towards evil, have sinned
against the never altering and divine
laws OF a nature which. with constant
and appealing voice. strives ever - bear
us onward and upward amidst the noble
and lofty outgrowth of its progress
The evidence of our gain in the forward
movement OF humanity, in its dealings
with this unfortunate and unhappy body
of our brotherhood Is clear, but stand
we not still upon so low a plane that our
ideal is even now above us far as some
distant star In the armament? The APP
peal of the age is for further advance
ment out of a still ignoble mire Of error,
a deeper insight into this all serious pi CD
lem. for mankind has SO far awakened to
understand its past and now seemingly
objectionable ignorance in Its dealings
with crime and its strivings after suita-
BILE laws, awakened to understand that
perhaps unknown even to themselves
these fallen personalities are craving for
a higher justice apd a deeper considera-
ton. Awakened. above all, 10 the fact
that to suppress crime one need not at
the same time suppress In the criminal
any mental or moral faculties which.
however hidden under the garb OF brutal
ANy ht may PcSH~S7s - -
for these faculties that we must reach:
II Is to their growth that we must devote
ourselves, for. as Carlyle truly said.
"wouldst thou plant for eternity; then
plant into the deep infinite faculties OF
man" How will We find them. Is asked,
when only the brute and ungodIy are
manifest. and down the ages comes the
mournful but truthful answer. surely Tot
as we have deart with them heretofore.
We will only find these faculties IL we
take into consideration first OF all that
these creatures are human beings as well
as criminals. and that we owe II TO our
higher humanity to treat them as such.
giving them at least the benefit of the
doubt OF possessing mental and moral at
tributes which with proper training may
yet be brought to light. 1t is said that
to believe a man better than he appears
to be brings out the nobler In him: IL is
but the responding of the divine within
to the call for something better, and that
response il seldom wanting we will find,
IL We can only touch the spark which In
our ignorance and lack OF intuition we so
often believe is too deeply concealed TO
grapple with, or that II has no exist
ence.
II mankind will only go about Il In the
proper spirit, IL is within their power TO
form means OF Improvement and IL out
OF the thousands only hundreds rise to
something nobler is not the outcome OF
the attempt beyond all expectation OF
any advancement which the lark ages
may have dreamed in its dreams or seen
In It's visiops2
Due consideration should he given to
the wisdom OF at least n partial separa-
ton OF criminals, for improper associa-
tons naturally chain their minds 10 the
grooves in which they wander. The true
remedy OF reform must be in a great
measure in the displacement of this
thoght current; TO silence this
ciscordant harping upon evil so ia
miliar TO the mind which knows little
or naught Of other aspirat tons: 10 lreak
away the images which he IS onsc1ntly
picturing TO himself and others, and 10
do this We must strive to yihrate opposite
thoughts. to strike a spark from the la
tent but Innate good. We should, II we
would 20 20 work wisely. not allow him 10
look upon Us in the light or reforner;
II is In the aspect Of a friend, OF an unas-
suning companion alone, that we can
hope TO inspire In him better outlook OF
life. and raise an interest in self-im-
proyement through useful means. There
is nothing more healthful TO these tempo
rarity diseased minds than the ben ri ,tal
s,imuiant OF rightly applied labor. rightly
applied In each Individual case. and the
higher and more useful the character Of
the work the less tendency is there
OF drifting into error. 80 that through
self-suppori or support Of family the
man may be made TO feel ne is oeconainx
useful member Of society. this wiz
stimulate ambition and Viii power. end
with IT'S beneficial tendency w. may eie-
waite their lives and arouse creative men
tal energies ''and bring the invisible fun
into play"
From the leading up 20 and The s5cp-
;lon en- many lands % the aholisanasnt o.
capital punishment from the re 1al code,
we slowly begin 20 realize there are other
modes osschasttseuent wiser an more In
keeping With our growing IDEAS % sitting
Justice. and Is IS 20 T.. borne in ~nins that
In the wisdom o. our forms az punish
neHt lies much &C our hope OF ths sup
preston Of crime.
Scattered over our vas, str.teh q -e,--,-
Try are many prisons which do jus,ic.
to our ideals. hut among Us. too. are
others which are a blot aPon our Ian 4.
cgr civilization. and above all. uroz eur
humanity. let as strive % abolish such
and study TO MAKE them places o. re-
form. Improvement and elevation O,
character. paths 20 something better and
robIer, for true are ;ae words OF the
pet:
TIA; men rray rise or stepping stones
o. thesr dead selves % higher things"