Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-01-11
Food for Reflection.

To the Editor of tho New Mexican.
Albuquerque, Jan. lO.-In addition to
the proud boast that each and every one
of Us of the male persuasion in this land
of the free is an "American sovereign"
think we may add as sort of corollary
that we are great suggesters. Some of Us
who are forever at that kind of business
are called cranks. But the ball of reform
is frequently set rolling by this class, and
you may call them what you will. 1t de-
ponds largely on the point of view, or on
the degree of success achieved, whether a
man be- a crank, hero, "a dispenser of
light" or benefactor of his country.
When the Las Vegas Optic was sending
needed legislation, I did not get chance
to "ride my hobby" but think it just
as fue "horse" as any Of the very good
ones which were put through their PAGES"
between the column rules of the OPTIC. l
therefore ask space in the New MEXICAN
for my suggestion" to the lawmakers,
knowing that, if there Is any merit in it,
the paper which is continually hammer
ing away for the good of New Mexico
will be glad to stand rs its sponsor.
The wisest statesmen, it seems to me,
are those who seek to prevent a threat
ened IT. jury to society rather than to ad
minister drastic medicine for the cure
of evils after they have taken firm hold
on the body politic. Penitentiaries and
penal laws are no doubt necessary, but
49, a. &c 90 al,
cept in few instances. We need to be-
gin farther hack than that and to endeav-
or to prevent crime, as far as we are able,
in order that we may have to punish few
or criminals.
AS long step in this direction 1 be-
lieve the present legislature could do an
act of far-resching benefit to the people
by the establishment of a reformatory
for juvenile delinquents. would not
name it a s'reform" school, because of the
possible odium attaching to the pupils
from the name, but an industrial or man
ual training school, and would make it an
institution to which many of the male
youth of our territory, who are now roam
ing truants from school. ready to be led
into all sorts of petty crimes through
lulcuceby anu ~ iulC way W OoCOul0
hardened criminals, mighu be- sent for
correcti n, discipline and healthy edu-
cation of head and hand. Anyone who
has taken any interest in our school sys-
TEN n Just have observed that many boys
have gone beyond the control of teachers
and even of parents. They need to be
forced to receivea discipline which they
have refused to sucoumb to at home. At
the same time they can he started on the
road which will lead them to the haven of
self. pect,ng citizenship instead of that
of vagabondry or worse. Give these boys
chance to earn money BY equipping
them for work at a trade and compara-
lively few will go wrong. This can be
done by means of the industrial school,
where they can be taught to use their
heads and hands to earn an honest liviL z
as soon as they are free. That freedom
they can " ,rk out by good conduct and
application to their studies, an easily de-
vised system Of daily registered merits
or dement's shortening or lengthening
the detention according to their conduct
Nearly all of the states and one of the
territories have found such institutions
to be great aid to good government.
They save, too, the expenses Of many
criminal trials and the maintenance of con.
victs in penitentaries, which fully equal
the co.t of maintaining the school. These
considerations are enough to recommend
the establishment of such institutions, to
say nothing of the characterization of
+ reclaiming those who are IN danger of
becoming menace to the state.
Such Il school could be started in New
Mexico without great outlay Of public
funds. A judicious curtail,ng Of appro-
priations and expenses would establish
and maintain il without placing addi-
ti0nal burdens on the taxpayers. Ger
tainlv our university, agricultural college,
military institute, normal schools, hos
pitfalls and charitable institutions might
spare few hundreds each Of their usual
appropriations for so good an object.
We might even get along without our
sometimes useless and often non-orna-
mental county school superintendents in
order to provide the necessary fund. We
have the substan tial school of mines
building standing idle at Socorro. That
might be easily utilized for sunshine.
lands industrial training school. Or if