Evening journal., 1899-02-27
WANTS A WORKHOUSE.
REV. a. T. 8owsER PREACHED ON
THAT SUBJECT YESTERDAY.

HE sPOKE OF TINE BILLS NOW BE
FOR THE LEGISLATURE AND
DOUBTS IF THEY PASS
Rev. Alexander n. B.wser preached
an interesting sermon at Unitarian
Chuloh yesterday On the necessity Of
a worNhcuee In part ne said;
In considering dhe relations OF so
c.siy TO the prisoner, the first inquiry
should be regarding uhe object Of pun
.ztinlerl.. Why should the state PUN
.sh its orimlnal members? The oidI
answer was a very simple one: An
eye fcr an eye, and tooth for a
tooth. According to its ideal the only
end in view was vengeance; and there
are many good people in this commu-
nifty who think the laws Of Moses ap-
ply to prison discipline better than the
principles Of uhe Gospel. But the spirit
of Chrlstlana lcve and human sym
pathy Is at work even in Delaware
bringing public opinion up 10 the high
outlook Of st. Paul, from which we are
beginning TO see that the relation be-
tween society and the criminal Is that
of the .bcdy % It's members: II one
member suifer, an the members suffer
with it, We are gradually coming TO
understand that the true object Of pun
ishment rs not vengeance at all, but
Jhe protection OF The state-the body OF
which all are members; amid that this
can only be done by curing a member
who b weak and sick morally and spir-
.1ually-cuIlng hlm by reforming him,
and restoring him to his proper place
In society
"N-w, is the State oi Delaware doing
ths? Under it's present system OF
prison management each county has a
J Jail In which are confined al classes
CT criminals, young and Old, male and
female; prisoners who are too poor to
pay fine, and are only imprisoned for
a few weeks or months, and those who
! are under Life sentence. Moreover,
such persons as are detained on ellspi-
E cion and unable to obtain bail, persons
who may be entirely innocent of any
! crime whatever, but must be held for
j tria., are imprisoned in company with
r az those others, sometimes enduring
{ months cf the most degrading confne-
! ment whioh thought can imagine or
J words describe.
But what is to DE done about 90?
I Wherein can we help to bring about
this greatly needed reformation?
As doubtless you are all aware, tor
q the third time in three consecutive ses-
p sions, a bill has been prepared and
; brought before our Legislature, to pro-
p vide for the building Of a wOrkhcusC
r On tie pan now in vogue IN several
= c-aiaes; an industrial prison, built and
d managed in accordance with the -awf
b ot both moral and physical health
c where all prisoners shall be Obliged
e TO labor fer the state several hours {
= day, with Jhe privilege Of working ex
d ira time fer their own benefit, or fc,
r the support of their families.
"Four yeaIs ago, you remainder, I
similar bia passed the House unani
p mous.y, and was defeated in the senat
l. by a single vote. There are some WITH
= fear a ike failure this Winter, ans
a prorhesy that Delaware Will remall
rs the one state in this great republic 4
( disregard and defy both religious senni
ment and moral principles in It's treat
ment OF its PRISONERS. Blrt such re
0f suit should not be thought CT for on
r n'omont. Confidence Is half victory
8: Our COMMONWEALTH must take its stan
n now on the side Of modern civiliza
e ion and the higher ideals II mora
n ieform and public duty. A mighty e
H. ort must be made this week to COZ
o. ince the honorable lawmakers at ID
I'd yer that the principles Of religion an
e. morals and political expediency a
y. unite in demanding the ammedia'
r. passage Of this bill, and that the wa
he be opened at once for prison reforr
he No stone should remain unturned, I
ny legitimate influence fail Of direct pre-
be sure, in this effort to assure the men
on bers Of our state government that nc
ot is the time for action, and that the
M constituents expect them to take SUI
th action as shall make this worlzh,u
bill the law of THE state"
$50 One Ct John NJ. Soiomon's &C
~ wagona wns struck hN q New Cast