The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-10-23

nave begged the wardens to find
something for them to do. The pris-
oners have declared that "they should
60 crazy in their cells with nothing
to occupy their time" At Sing Sing
as many as ten per week have at
tempted suicide. The wardens,
moreover, affirm that nothing causes
30 much Generalization among pris.
oners as idleness." The moral results
therefore are disastrous. The sani-
tary results are disastrous, and the
financial results are disastrous. In
stead of these satanic graduates from
this school of degrading inactivity,
the state might have sent into free
dom and thrift experts in domestic or
mechanical methods of livelihood,
when their penal terms expired. The
godly principles of industry would
enable the convicts to return to the
freedom of the commonwealth with
better bodies, better minds, better
morals, more industrious fingers, be-
sides relieving the taxation of honest
people for their support.
Well, the benefcent philosophy of
industry and the mischievous princi-
pies of idleness, apply to all condi-
tions and stages of life. Hence this
is good text, Nov therefore con.
slider what ye have to do" From the
cradle to the coffin happy is the per-
son that hath something to do, and
the strength and will to do it. More
the eightytwo thousand criminals
filled the United States jails in 1890.
Industrious, healthful daily labor is
one of the sacred blessings which in
alienably belong to them. The heart
of God sent forth no curse when his
lips declared six days shalt thou
labor and do all thy work" and I'm
the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat
bread" The right to labor is Gods
conferred right. God has given the
handsto feed the body. Economically
managed, these $1,000 prisoners
could earn their own bread, and keep
their families from starvation. 100000
human beings are affected by the in
generation of these $1,000. These
$1,000 human beings need indoor
labor and outdoor labor, summer and
winter. All the garments they wear,
most of the food which they consume
aud the needful tools which they use,
should be of their own production,
and something left for their depend
ents. And the highways of this great
Republic might be turned into ways
of pleasantness, provided our local
laws would treat these human beings
as wisely and we'll as they ought to
be treated. We should thus add to
the whole sum of prosperity and
happiness and take nothing from
them.
Now, while the moral rights of the
citizen are limited, the moral rights
of the state are also limited. The
state has no right to boycott SUBJ
ject's honesty. The state could not
prevent prisoner from paying his
own debts were he so willed and had
the money. The state has no right
to prevent even wicked father from
giving bread to his children in SO far
as he can do so in consistence with
his punishment. But the state
should make it consistent with pun
ishment that criminal might earn
his own bread and feed his perishing
family.
Morality has another law which
the state is bound to respect, to wit:
"Thou shalt not punish the innocent
with the guilty" If the state incar-
cerates the husband and father or the
widows son, then the state should
become the custodian of the mother
and of the destitute little ones. And
if the state is the custodian, then
who should become the bread winner
more justly than he who had promised
at the altar before God in the days of
his youth? The state is too short
sighted. In striving to do justice
between man and man at variance,
and to punish the guilty, it forgets
mercy to the associated parties. 1t
boycotts those made widows and
orphans, at leat for season, by it's
own act. Thou shalt neither Justify
the wicked nor clear the guilty. Thou
shalt also have mercy on those who
deserve mercy. Therefore, require
the imprisoned husband to win bread
for the wife and mother, and to pro-
vide meat and shelter for the chill
dren. Wisdom is justified of her
children, but not till they deal Justly
and love mercy. The state should
be more paternal. 1t should deprive
no hand of that virtuous labor which
will bless the body and help save the