The record-union., 1899-01-22
be about fortysthree miles long. and
start from Aosta.
PRESENT fDAY. THOUGHTS.
BY &. Grosvenor Dave.

Let US look the matter squarely in the
face. Society. the organized something
that holds us in check in so many diff
fererlt directions, has just three rea-
sons for shutting a man up-irst, that
society may snugly take its rest or go
about it's business undisturbed; second,
that the wrong doer shall receive pun
ishment for the wrong he has commit
ted against his fellows; and, third, that
he shall be benefited by his incarcera-
ton and restored to the walks of life
an improved creature.
1t is not worth while at this time to
indulge in much sarcasm against the
perverted condition of mind that makes
some of us think that the people out
side prison walls are all good and the
people inside an bad. Any of US who
think quietly know that there are stalk
ing frauds at large and that law, the
sacred bond of human creatures, has
often been called upon to do injustice.
So we will pass by the ease loving ten
dency of society that makes it Danish
evil doers from it's sight, and imag gine
that problems are solved by shutting
the eyes to them. The days yet to
humanity among whom crime shall be
regarded as phenomenon like disease
to be studied and analyxed apd under
stood and then battled with intelli-
gently.
, But we can, though sighting the first
, reason society gives for it's behavior to-
, ward criminals, give fuller attention to
Il,
| punishment, as it is ait present meted
out, is a condition that will be allowed
| to continue Indefinitely The idea OF
; Furnishing for wrong doing is probably
right as it permeates all law and all
: hearts ancient and modern; but the
facts in connection with punishment
are too often wrong. At present in
most cases the lad or the man or the
woman who has been in jail comes
forth at the. end of the term of impris-
onment only to find that punishment
has not ended with the prison cell. The
criminal in the first place is almost
always destitute at discharge; next he
finds that the prison stigma-like the
brand of Cain-is upon him wherever
he is known, and lastly that he is de-
tered from honest work by the surveil-
lance of the police and the suspicious
of those who with unreasoning and hor-
ribly unjust bias argue "once a Grim
inal always criminal" and so hinder
him in every direction from earning a
dollar on their premises, though per-
fectly willing to pass him on to some
one else to look after. Society at pres
ent not only demands its pound OF
flesh from the wee begone evil doer,
but it takes, in effect, the precious life
as well and is guilty of wicked usury
in compelling one misdeed to so over
spread mans life that it is perma-
nently injured and darkened even after
he has paid his rightful debt for the
wrong that he has DONE. Under the
circumstances so we'll understood by
those who come in touch with criminals
who is to blame for the gloom and
hopelessness and revengeful spirit that
; fills the souls of these who are forced
into the don't care" spirit? Society
Not the society of distant town, mol
= the neighbor over the way, but the So
ciety made up of the man who reads
; and hears this and mods his head in
approval. So long as society in the
, abstract is spoken of, we, you and l.
are hard and harsh; we parade Phari-
saically our superiority to these cring-
ing creatures who only ask for a
chance; and in the great scales of the
all wise our souls weigh less than those
. who do aspire and would rise if we
only permitted them. But society in
: the day yet 10 dawn after the hard
hearts of men have gradually melted
down. will not thus act. Punishment
will cease when the term prescribed has
ended; and the criminal will claim the
right to be regarded no longer in the
light of his past-and the claim will be
granted. He will-if humanity is ever
to be just-be accepted at his true valu-
alton as man who has done wrong
but repented and suffered and paid his
3 debt to the full. The past shah be past
with him. and the judgment of him
passed solely upon his merits and his
capacity in the present. Then shall
there be fewer society made enemies OF
society.
The third idea of present day society
being required to be--the improvement
Of the prisoner; we can see in many
States still an absolute evasion of this
responsibility. A prison is merely made
a box for safe seclusion instead Of a
: residence for scientific study and i'm
: provement. The men, too often in
: charge, except in some few notable
; cases, like that of the Maryland State
Penitentiary, are absolutely unfit either
: by mental training or by heart culture
{ to understand the impulses of the Grim
inal or the ins and outs of his nature
They are merely superior class o
= turnkey, a little higher in price and
costly at any price as managers o1
institutions that now do produce a croI
; of human perversions, but that are ca
{ pable under other management of. send
ing forth reformed men and women. The
new day will see this all changed, de-
voutly foretel. The leaven is already
at work in prison associations and ir
visiting boards that are alert, and war
!, !. dens that are progressive.
: The economy of it-for after all it is
t money that talks loudest-will be thai
r some day society will be burdened nc
S longer with criminals that are hardened
e and confirmed within prison walls, mol
s with the descendants of the moral per
e verts who have hitherto been merely
< treated as ordinary prisoners. That day
f will mean fewer 'repeaters" at the
, oountry's expense, and greater economy
d in the management of the interiors o.
prisons, and grander results after the
air of freedom is breathed again.
i ~; 1,a Infa ~