The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-08
HEED OF PRISON REFORM.
EyDEAvORERs nENAND THE EDU-
CAT1OS OF COxvICTs.
Concerted Msve Unaer way fer The
Improvement - InDates - ths
state Penitenfiary-Petit to
Ne sent - the Legislature.

he sent % the LssiaAaturs.
A determined effort Is to be made by the
Christian Endeavor societies OF this state
to improve tho condition OF the inmates
OF the waIla waiA penitentiary. Rev.
Il. E. Ctx, Of Spokane, as superintendent
OF Christian eitizenship Tor che state chris
tan Endeavor union. - making ready 10
send out TO all the societies In this state
copies Of petition calling upon the iesfs-
larure to provide moral and intellectual
education for the convicts In the state
penitentsary. This petition 10 to be CIR
culated by the Endeavorers for signatures
and presented early in the coming session
at Olympia.
Mr.. Utx has also prepared tho following
statement a. to the need Of such q reform
In the management of the penitertiary:
zone class Of citizens that has much to
do with the peace and safety OF people
Is worthy Of much moro consideration
than IL receives. refer to criminals. Our
legislators give much time 20 the deflni-
ton, classification and penalty Of crime;
our courts ale jealous in finding and
Weighing the evider GO and are usually
just in the afnxinS OF penalty; but none
OF these functionardee gives much atten-
ton to the criminal, only to keep him
prisoner.
Students Of science and human nature
have long recognised that there are two
prime causes Of crime, criminal DISPOSE
ton and environment conducive to GRIM
inality. One or the other Of these Is usu-
ally dominant in each criminal act. In
all cases of imprisonment, the prime pGr-
pose should be to stop the crime. II the
cause be found in the disposition of the in
dividuai. his nature should BE- changed.
II in the environment, that should be
changed.
either case may be largely found in the
individual. II his nature predisposes him
to crimAnality. he must be educated with
such training and discipline as will over
come the evil disposition. If the difficulty
seems to be in his environments. IL viii
usually be found that it Is only relatively
that such an environment leads to crime.
THE environment may need to be rad
ically and wholly changed. and that by the
authority of the state. 1t IS mole likely
that he should be made more skillful in
some useful employment, and be led to
take a different view OF his relation to the
state. Whatever the cause may be, 1t
must be eliminated or else the crime must
continue, and the education OF the ind-
vidual II at least one important method by
which the elimination may be effected
and idle hands are the workmen who ex-
ecute the devils designs. Our penitsn-
tiary can be to the prisoner nothing but 4
school Of crime. HIS only companions are
fellow criminals. All restraining influences
are far removed. The honor Of the family
name, the personal pride and helpful com
partnerships have been broken. The gov
eminent OF the state leads the prisoner
to feel that the state is his enemy. .ex-
~ L.,
sion. He works and cells with men whose
crimes are worse than his own, He
leaves the prison at the end OF his sem
tence in no way better prepared to earn
an honest living and has nothing TO show
for the years of his bitter Imprisonment.
and feels that the state rightly owes him
for his time and work, and is embfttered
because society still considers him Grim
inal. The state has failed when 1t sends
a man from the prison walls with no less
ability and likelihood OF being q safe citi-
zen.
Most states furnish at least a little edu
cation Our state has not even a chapel or
chaplain. This may account for the other
sad fact that 80 per cent. of our prisoners
go from our prison only to again commit
crime and then return to prison life. some
even to the eleventh time The state Ger
tainiy has right and Is by duty bound to
tiles Of crime. 1t should also. for the safe
~ of the state and the good Of the prison
err hold him until the criminal tendency Is
destroyed.
The likelihood OF good citizenship
should be one of the conditions upon
which liberty Is granted. 1t is not suffi-
cient that friends and churches furnish a
little religious and moral teaching to the
convictS They are arrested by the state
frrI he tvtn
educated by the state. The prisoner should
be made to feel that the state is his friend
1t Is the exception when the punished is
benefited by 4 punishmen. that he thinks
has some other object than his own good
He should be made to feel that the COM
uonweaith in which he lives Is humane
and desires the good OF it's citizenship.
Otherwise he feels that the state is as
eriminous as he. and can have only the
respect for IL that one criminal has for an
other.
Perpetual imprisonment OF those who
persist in criminal tendency is the only
safety for state. Such educational facili-
ties should be offered as viii lead 10 n
permanent liberty ard make of the foe a
friend 10 society. Much OF crime comes
from ignorance of the principles OF life.
The state OF New York has led the IA
ton tn prison reforms. AT Elmira. the
state has a refornnatory, the purpose OF
which Is TO train the inmates in indus
try. Intelligence and self-control until
they who have shown themselves unsafe
shsH hecome reasonably safe TO 70 at
large II has been in operation Ear
twenty-five years and the results are mar
Feious IL has various courses OF study
and work together with gymnasium, ana
military exercises. Each inmate is caro-
fully examined and such course OF study
and WORK is marked out for him as 81 fs
Thought his peculiar weakness demands
The sentence TO this institution ia mot
for a certain length Of time bur ;,n.gi a
certain efficiency IS attained Every rsos
siete incentive is brought 30 bear ,fnnn
these nen ID secure the best results c,rjr,a
Is treated as disease thar needs a,s, 4.
capable OF cure. The idea is working its
way into many states Of the union Whv
should cur state he behnde'
The petition prepared by Mr.. III. il as
follows: " as
:, To the Honorable. the Members az the
sstNs4e ana House of Representatives NJ
4At safe oT Washington:
e the Undersigned residents Of
eoV9tts state Of Washington wytri5 20
sk~tEtui-y represent that no pro,is.s,,, 3