Evening journal., 1896-12-04

nNAAitMAAaa ONNA fNNNf eAN N"+-a 49,
compelled TO work for their support.
the net daily cost for each prisoner,
for provisions, clothing. fire, light,
water. shoes. medicines. incidentals,
wages. house and cell furniture and to-
bacco is only $40 cents per day,
s3O29 per year This would make the
cost for 2l0 prisoners for one year
81. .360 90,or about one-third the amount
which we pay for provisions alone,
viz: S18, 500. BY this rule we are pay
ing s12.l3910 over the cost Of keeping
prisoners
In West Chester Jail, with only forty
prisoners the net cost for like articles
Is cents per day, $3.50 per year
which would be for 210 prisoners for
one year S5,365.50. less than one-third /
of what the provisions alone cost us,
viz: S1S.500 by this measure we are
paying $13, 1880 more than the actual
cost of keeping them.
The discrepancy would be much |
more marked If we take the total cost
OF maintaining the prisoners under our
present system. Such aggregate cost I
| being in excess of $4,000 yearly.
These are startling facts and figures. /
/ We are paying more than three times
as much for provisions alone, as our
sister state under the wOrkhouse sys-
tenn pays for the entire support of each
prisoner Examination OF the results
/ i'm other states in the Union shows
that these figures are about an aver
age It would be an insult to assume
that I'm the lines of economy Delaware
cannot do what other states arc doing
daily
Let us apply these results to our
workhouse plan. We propose that the
state shall borrow $4,000 to build and
equip her workhouse. on bonds rum
ming thirty years redeemable at ten
at the option of the state. This sum
can readily be borrowed at 4 per cent.
interest. a yearly interest of $4,000.
Provisions alone for our 210 pris-
oners are costing us yearly S1S,500.
: Take from this the actual cost at
) very liberal estimate, $4,000, and also
the $4,000 interest above named, and
you will have every year an excess Of
$4,000, which, turned over to a sinking
. fund. even at the rate of 4 per cent
interest. would i'm thirty years, amount
TO $236.7JG Enough to pay the entire
{ cost OF your building and plant, and
81 leave a surplus of about S36 1855. Surely
before this cold array Of facts the ar
, gument of a burden TO the state either
of debt or taxation dissOlvea In thin
q air. Measured on the low plane Of
d dollars and cents it would be mani
+ lestly wise economy to adopt this sys-
tenn promptly. No argument or obiec-
tiOn can be presented against the eco
nomic feature of this measure that
II cannot be promptly and satisfactorily
'- met
h But there are broader and nober
!. reasons for the passage of this bill and
u the inception of this reform.
AT present, young and old, men and
, women practically form one company
b Confined together they associate in
d idleness and allnaturally tend immoral
a. tone, to the level of the most hardened
70 and degraded of their number. who
naturally becomes their hero and ex-
emplar Such are the obvious and as
certained results of promiscuous crimi-
rs nal association both in and outside o
L. prison walls. The devil uses the idle
oi brain and the criminally cunning hanl
k as his most choice instruments of evil
I'd The now enforced idleness and con
7; flnement within prison walls enfeeble
10 the body. turns the mind i'm upon itsel
D. to brood over it's own weakness, per
te haps to gloat over the past and plan
m for future depredatOns on society
m with the aid of all such confederates a
te prison association may bring to hi
be aid Turned loose at the end of tn
It, term OF imprisonment, enervated il
Oi body and mind. unfit for work, gravi
m tation back to prison life again is nat
x ural 10 the released convict Ever
he association and every habit acquire
i'm your ialls to-day unfit for useful
e. ness hereafter A felon once you
,r. system tends TO make and keep him
ye fclon always.
be How different. on the other hand
the outcome of the worlShouse system
an Wise classification removes the q,
ne PRAYED from those who wish to r'
.r- form. Daily labor occupies the min,
az strengthens the body The hope {
n- speedy release from confinement an
on toll begets obedience 60 the rules an
.c- regulations. The accumulation frol
he CVcrwork induces economy and ado
20 the comfort of the prisoner or tho
ed dependent upon him. Every associatio
he and habit Of his prison life tends
nd the development of manhood and sci
ed reliance and gives promise Of futul
usefulness The system would he
zee lift a prisoner up to a plane of high
ot liie It's tendency would be to elm
ma nate crime. while our present pli
i'm breeds criminals and perpetrates az
.en intensifes crime.
nd Every consideration Of economy, h
he manity-may I fall so low as to s.
.en state pride?- demands that we sh;
place ourselves abreast of our sist
,od states in prison reform. Let the TX
Nv ten system Of the past 80. Stop c
extravagant and oOrrupting waste
ras money which now prevails, and let o
penal methods tend to prevent Grill
,o, and help the offender to a better Ii
and not curse him with habits and 81
bo roundings that must brand him "a
II, ever drag and keep him down.
This speech made votes. Il did Il
ma stop at the sentimental side of
by question. but went into facts and
mt uras demonstratiye OF the economy
lbe plan proposed for the ameiiorati
~ ol The condition Of the criminal cl'
his in our state The borrowing OF $50
aen 600 on the credit of the state IS me