New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-31
WORK IN SIGHT.

The movement to secure work to keep the
corvicts in the Kings County Pententiary
from going crazy Is making progress. Park
Commissioner Dettmcr so far realizes the re-
sponsibility resting on all officers TO throw
aside teclinicatles and seek opportunities for
action. instead Of trying to avoid them. that he
las consented 10 consider the possibility of ac-
cepting the gift Of the prisoners labor to be
APPLIED to the Eas, Side Lands provided the
Charities Commissioners will make formal
statement of the emergency and ask his CO.
Operation. This the Charities commissioners
are willing 10 do. So the matter may be put
in practical form. Mr.. Dcttmer has gone into
the country until next Tuesday, so there can
be no consideration Of the question until that
day. but when he comes back IT is to be hoped
that speedy conclusion will be reached. to he
followed by speedy action. The only way a con
Wet takes a vacation is by being locked III
his CELL and that sort Of vacation Is rapidly
swelling the population of the insane asylnms.
Every day counts and brings some poor wretch
nearer insanity.
The objections which Mr.. Detmer was in
clined to believe stood in the way of convict
work on the East Side Lands we feel sure VIII
dsappea when he looks into the question The
point III the Civil Service law would pre-
vent the Park Department from using con-
victs who had not been examined ana pun on
eligible lists seems somewhat far-fetched' mas
much as the prisoners work for nothing ana
simply do the hard labor required by law. The
Park Department is authorized TO purchase the
results Of prison labor: Certainly 1t should he
able 10 take those results as gift in the form OF
walks and lawns. The point that the law Will
be broken II the prisoners are not kept in the
Penitentiary buildings is disposed of by univer
sal custom and venerable decisions. Prisoners
In this city and in Brooklyn are regularly loaned
for the public works Of other departments
Women here are sent TO help in Bellevue as
cleaners though the hospital is under the
Charities. while the prison is under the Correc-
tion Department In Kings County. though the
administration is concentrated the different In
situations make use Of convict helpers The
prisoners have made roads and done other out
side work on hospital and Penitentiary grounds
and there can be no reasonable objection TO
their doing similar work on other city property
where there's will there's a way" is
proyerb emphatically true Of such case as
this We are not disposed TO he captions In
criticism of the officials. They all doubtless
have excellent intentions and benevolent dispo-
sitions toward the convcts. The only trouble
has been in a failure to realize the difference
between official routine and the duty of crisis
Each official not definitely compelled by law to
take specific action has felt free TO Shirk the
responsibility and content himself with agree
ing TO do what the law required That Is
not a Unsuitable attitude now. The law is bad
II should be reformed. But till the reform can
he had there is nothing 10 do but make the best
of It, and every official should be willing to
stretch his authority little. If need he, for
humanty's sake. Through these officials and
through them alone can relief come. They
must not refuse to give it because each one in
divdualy can say it is not his business. As
the guardians of the public interests. whether
their particular sphere he dOg-catching or tree
planting il is the business of each one of them
to prevent the manufacture Of madmen by ma
chinery of government Happily. the DISPOSE
ton 10 do all that the law allows and not
simply what 1t cOmpels is now in the ascendant