Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-22
The Refuge of Vicious LOafers.

Judge Miller voiced the sentiment of the
community when he said that the sending
of muscular and healthy criminals to jail
where they are not required TO labor-is q
real wrong. 1t is remarkable that the law
abiding should provide a haven of rest for
criminals; a place where arts tOcracy of
misbehavior is practically encouraged.
Minor offenders are sent to the workhouse,
whera, matter what their age or sex,
they have some sort of TASK to perform
each secular day; generally sufficient to
cultivate an appetite even for workhouse
fare. But people whose offendings are of
higher grade than mere misdenelnors are
sent to the Jail. where the fare is better
and the cell accommodations infinitely SUI
perior, and where there is no work for idle
hands to do save that provided by the
father of evil For some reason or other
or perhaps for no reason al all, this I'M
fair distinction between the Jail and the
workhouse has been maintained and as
result il is a common practice for habitua
criminals-home-made and imported-to
avoid the workhouse by doing some illegal
act which will earn a jail senten :e. Super
hcially the jail sentence has the appearance
of severity, but as a matter of fact the
severity is a sham; the jail prisoner has
only to keep his cell clean and eat his
meals.
This condition should not he permitted to
exist 1t encourages the vicious who are
also lazy. 1t provides food and shelter for
all who. when the Indictment season ap-
pToaches, desire a resting place where they
will be infinitely better cared for than are
millions of honest and Industrious People.
1t was shown in court yesteriay-as it
has been shown there and elsewhere on
previous occasions-that the idleness of jail
prisoners can easily be cured. The remedy
is in the keeping of the Supreme Court of
the District. says section 1886 of the Re-
vised Statutes, which reals:
Persons sentenced to Imprisonment in
the Jail may be employed at such labor,
and under such regulations as may be
prescribed by the Supreme Court of the
District, and the proceeds thereof applied
to defray the expenses of the trial and con-
y1ction of any such person.
In little while the members of the ST.
preme Court of the District will be away
enjoying their respective vacations. At
times their thoughts will turn without eff
fort to the duties imposed upon them by
law. Is it asking too much of the court to
suggest that by the opening Of the next
term there should be in active existence
such regulations as will take the Jail out of
the category of soft snaps" and make 1t
just what il ought to be-a place of punish
ment?
Care would, of course. be taken to avoid
the application of the now unused forces to
lines of industry that would compete SER
iously with the products of free labor
Among men and women who work to live
there Is reasonable antipathy to COMPETE
ton with convicts-the contest abounds in
inequalities there is practically unani-
nous sympathy with honest labor. If the
justices should reach the improbable con-
clusion that there Is absolutely no form of
productive work at which the prisoners can
equitahly be put, the establishment of
treadmill. or some similar device would
seem to be preferable to support of the
prisoners in absolute idleness. There would
be an equal waste of energy but the ele-
ment OF punishment in Imprisonment would
be emphasized. and The Jail might cease to
De popular winter resort for the idle and
vicious.