The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-20
are but handful Of women in our higher

are put a nandful or women in our n1gner
penal Institutions, only thirty-six out of a
total of 1,064, while they are continually pres
ent in large numbers in our Jails and work.
houses. They would be there to a greater
degree, were 1t not that many of the judges
of the lower courts feel that the imprsoning
of the older girls and women not altogether
hardened, in jails and warehouses;, for SEN
tences ranging from thirty to ninety days,
would work to their harm in greater de-
gree than allowing them their freedom for
the same length of time. This should not
reflect many of the jails and workhouses,
which are as well cared for and managed as
their opportunities will allow, but male and
female offenders should never be sentenced
to the same institution, for the rules and
buildings which would be suitable to one
sex would only be applicable to the other, in
a limited degree.
Strive as faithfully as many of the So
called observers may, to establish the eQuali-
ty and similarity Of the sexes, and to show
what is eficacious for one is correspondingly
so for the other the laws Of nature rises up
against them and prove their labors vain.
Fundamentally and through all ages men
have been stronger more aggressive and
passionate, showing a tendency to overt acts.
These characteristics have been a necessity
for the advancement Of the race, and the
progress of civilization. Women, on the 9TH
er hand have quieter, more abiding power
They work at lower tension and accom-
plish their equally important work, by more
persistent endeavor and less forceful means.
For this reason they are more restless IN
small matters, given to outcries rather than
der restraint, and yet not ready, either alone
or in combinations. with others, to attempt
escape from uncongenial surroundings.
These peculiarities of women, which have
no time to discuss with the fullness their
Importance deserves, are at once the sources
Of her greatest usefulness and OF her un-
doubted failure The emotionality which
makes her blessing as an understanding
mother to the trusting child, and a help to
her less demonstrative husband, becomes
when misdirected and unrestrained source
0f
whom she is brought in contact.
The crimes of man are usually for SEEM
ing good to himself, and directly to the dis
advantage of another so with them murder,
theft and arson are frequent, While those or
women tend to be of a personal nature, where
she herself is the greatest sufferer. or this
she is in an unreasoning way conscious. and
so in unnumbered cases, spends her lie In
passing on to others the deep moral injury
that she has herself received.
For these reasons dealing with criminal
women has always been surrounded with
peculiar difficulties but it would seem that
in the reformatories already established we
least, of the trouble. Too much praise can
not be accorded to the purely charitable
and religious organizations, which have for
centuries done noble work IN the direction
of restraining and reforming these unfortu-
mates. and while in many cases the fact
that they are not legally confined Is help
towards self-restraint, in others it would
seem better to add this to the other in
fuences brought to bear upon them.
There is in every human being, however
degraded, some spark OF good or desire for
better things, and 1t would seem that with
women in particular the sooner she can be
put under restraint after criminal act the
better. For this reason the more promptly
sentence can be justly passed the less Hkeli-
hood of there intervening demoraliZing in
hueEces and the greater the hope for refor
nation. From the moment Of arrest, through
the trial and removal to the specified insti
tuition, and in her life there, every influence
should be such as would lead her to see the
value of a better way, and that her refor
nation rather than her punishment is sought.
For this reason the laws which have been
so framed that mother can keep her child
until it is eighteen months old, and longer
if it seems best. or suitable arrangements for
its care can not be made, are wise. Mother
love is one Of the strongest influences in
the world for truth and right, and should
be cherished rather than repressed. Strange
ly often comes the plant, Ohi-if my baby
had only lived or If l could have kept my
baby, l should not be here now.
1t is often claimed that female criminals
are generally the victims of some great wrong
which has shattered them and forced upon
them a hated life, but a careful study of
them both as individuals and classes shows
that this is In a great measure an erroneous
idea. Pitiable they are indeed, and more
deeply so than If this were correct view.
for then there would be a background of
have been to give encouragement for the fu-
ture. What in reality is the condition we
must face, In order to aid understandingly,
for sentiment is a blind guide, but sympathy
WllC0 at It's DSSL must arise from L0o Clear
est conception of the needs of another must
be the light to lead US on our way. Each
human being receives as his birthright GER
tain tendencies which he has inherited from
unnumbered generations, and which, of nee
essity, must influence his future life, modi-
fed indeed by external circumstances, but
through all either a force to raise him to
higher level or a chain to hold him to the
earth, or perchance TO drag him to a lower
level. Almost equally powerful is the force
of circumstances which surround the mind
during its forming years. When nature and
condition are at war the result of necessity
is in doubt, but where, as in the majority OF
instances, both agree as to type, there is
for the higher a great gain and for the
lower an almost inevitable and lower fab.
This would seem q hopeless condition were it
not that there Is always an upward tendency
in the human race, and the eternal justice
which makes the forces Of evil Of less power
than those Of good. Penologists are gener-
ally agreed that indeterminate sentences, with
the system of grading and parole, offer the
greatest inducements to Improvement and
self-control, and wherever they have been
intelligently carried cut have tended to bet
ter habits of mind and body. The larger
proportion of offenders much prefer the
definite sentence, and feel less irksome the
simple physical restraint. The necessity of
arousing an inward force to meet an exist
harmony with a better and higher type, is
more painful than can be easily understood
by one who has lived an orderly sober life.
Let US study the organization OF such an in
stitution as 1 have suggested and see how
it would meet the demands which would be
placed upon 1t. Fortunately this need not
be ideal, but has proved itself to be already
an accomplished fact.
Placed far enough from city life not to be
contaminated by it's influence and yet allow
of abundant grounds. yet sufficiently near to
be easily accessible and make possible proper
sanitary conditions and suitable service.
Work should also be secured for the inmates
so that while habits OF industry are inculcated
the institution might in part be gelf-support-
ing.
At the outset one Of the characteristics of
women would make the establishment of re-
expense. for there would be no necessity for
stone walls, heavily grated windows and
gates, and armed sentries. In no instance SC
far have they been needed, a high board
fence, perhaps, reinforced by a barbed wire
having proved all that was necessary to insure
the safe-keeping of the inmates.
1t is universally the rule to place pris-
orers in an intermediate grade and allow
them to- rise or fall on their own merits
great care being taken to discriminate be-
tween the restlessness arising from the nov
city of the WEAKNESS of the life on an excit-
able temperament, and the deliberate wrong
doing of self-contained. but more danger
Gus, character.
The forced regard for personal neatness
and the perfect order and cleanliness are oft
en- revelation. and at times an unwelcome
one to the inmate, but it Is surprising how
soon they are accepted, and the careless wom-
an becomes really proud Of her own room
or corner of the dormitory
knowledge of housework, plain cooking
laundry work in all its branches hand sew
ing or the use of the sewing and knitting ma
chimes give the discharged woman real
value in the different fields of labor There
are always those who enjoy an out-of-door life
ana gardening and no one who has watched
the success of our market women, can doubt
but that their labors could materially lessen
the cost of living in such an institution
OF necessity, considering their course of life
considerable percentage Of those entering
would be in physical condition REQUIRING
care and one of the greatest advanta ges
OF me place and indeterminate sentences