Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-11-03
JAIL, ALMsHOusE, FLOWER MISSION.

1t is hardly necessary to say that |
have nothing new to bring you. l feel
i have long ago, as far as / am able,
exhausted this subiects There is
nothing new that can be said, and
nothing new need be said, if men
would only act up to their convictions
of the right. Prison reform is not a
popular movement in Delaware. Our
people seem to regard it not only as
something unnecessary, but as a
proposition TO be rejected. Our argu-
ments are met with scowling faces,
and our petitions with sneer. 1t is
almost as if we sought to introduce
among the people some dangerous and
dreadful thing, rather than an insti-
tuition for their benefit and uplifting.
We are treated as enemies of the State
rather than friends, as people seeking
ask the State Of Delaware to do, is to
stand in line with her sister States in
this work. 1t is no wild and visionary
scheme. 1t is not "a thing of doubtful
results. 1t is a practical, we'll tested
truth. We have but TO look beyond
our borders to see it in all its bene-
fetal operation. But our Legislatures
thus far have declined to see. That Is
why have nothing new to bring you
By and by, when the bandage shall
fall from their eyes, and our prisons
shall no longer be, regarded as instru-
ments of revenge, then l may come to
you with a new story. But the time
Is not yet,
Our common iails are still cherished
by our people. They still continue to
be pest houses, where both sexes, of
all ages, and every degree of crime,
are huddled together indiscriminately.
Idle, neglected, despised, Stunned ex-
cept to be gazed4 at and commented
upon by the curious visitor-they sink
lower and lower, growing more and
more desperate as they plot and scheme
against society, which they very
naturally regard as their enemy. The
moment the heavy door is closed on
man, no matter how small the crime,
he is doomed. The weight of his dis
grace causes but momentary shudder,
he becomes defiant and finally loses
himself in desperation. You that
seldom visit our jails can scarcely
form any idea of how they are managed,
nor of the great need of better con-
ditions. Perhaps the most glaring and
outrageous defect is the enforced idle
ness to which the prisoners are sub
iected, for on this hangs all the others.
Employment is one of the very neces-
sary things to our moral as well as our
physical welfare. Idleness is the twin
sister Of vice. Voluntary idleness is a
sin. Enforced idleness is crime, and
of this unpublished crime the State of
Delaware is guilty every day. "By the
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat
BREAD" says the Bible, therefore IS
idleness violation of the law of God.
Some Of these prisoners in our jails
are sentenced to two, five and ten
years, and it very often happens that
these long term prisoners cannot read.
Is it not terrible to compel man to
sit in idleness for ten long years? The
moral sense Of the best citizens of the
State is shocked at this condition, and
they have petitioned and demonstrated
and urged that workhouse be built,
where labor. cleanliness and decency
can be enforced, instead of idleness,
filth and immortality.
Under the present conditions the
Jail system is a menace to our people.
Punishment does not stop crime; long
sentences do not prevent it, nor will
any Of these things reform men. There
must be something for them to do,
something that will divert theii
thoughts, giveto the mind healthier
tone, and make it more susceptible o.
good impressions. We want to gel
away from the idea, and we want The
prisoners to get away from it, thai
they are no, better, than animals cagec
up in menagerie. In our Jail il
Dover we have now about 80 able
bodied men, and twice that many ii
New Castle, with nothing in the worlt
to do, but to plan how to escape
Punishment for the offender is right
as far as it goes. Let every otfende
pay the full penalty of the law
Society must be protected, but is j
not better protected by reformin,
vicious men and women, than b,
turning them out again, more desperate
than ever? Scarcely week passes tina
the need of workhouse is not APP
parent. Very frequently there ar
arrested whose age bars them iron
the Ferris Industrial Reform Schoo
and kindred institutions, and the onl
avenue open to the court is to shi
them away to become burden o.
another community, or send them /
one of our jails to associate wit
criminals. In such instances our Jail
are but schools of crime Nor d
women fare better. Women arreste
for some petty offences are compelle
to consort with their sisters stepped il
crime, and the chances of reformatio
are utterly destroyed, To be forced t
associate day after day with those VIII
are thoroughly depraved is not fifth
school for these people, when littl
care might restore them to paths Q
rectitude. / brand the whole syster
as disgrace to our civilization, and i
the name of humanity, of morality, c
common decency, plead for the estat
lishment of a workhouse, or som
institution where these people coul
be cared for properly.
This has been our theme with legis
latures for years, and nothing thus ia
has come out of our efforts but th
stone pile, and that was never cor
Quoted in such manner as to secur
good results. Then came the stone
quarry scheme, but it amounted [
nothing. Afterwards came the propt
sition to establish workhouse, but
fell upon dull ears But for all TIL
the offenders of the law still wallow i
idleness in the three county iails, bot
in disgrace, and in expense upon til
) people. II other States can ernplc
their criminals so as to make the
self-supporting, and even bring
revenue to the State, surely such
system as theirs would not be burde
upon US. All we ask the Gener
Assembly to do, is to eliminate IL
vicious system that makes bad me
worse, and institute system th;
makes them better. By so doing Il
amount of crime is constantly beir
reduced, and a great saving to Il
State thereby produced. / never kno