The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-11
VISIT TO REFORMATORY
Is DESCRIBED BY REV. j. CUMMING
SMITH At THE TABERNACLE.
He Found Many Things of Interest at
the state NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
at Grace Cathedral.

The Rev. ]. Cumming Smith delivered an
interesting sermon at the Tabernacle
Church last evening on 1.-THE Hope Of Our
Race" In part he said:
"A visit to the various humane institu-
tions of our State affords in itself the ele-
ments OF a liberal education, not alone be-
cause Of what is seen. but what is sug-
gested. BY the invitation of the genial and
gifted president L enjoyed days visit at
our State Reformatory at Jacksonville,
and was profoundly impressed with the
thorough excellence of the management.
In some respects these institutions eclipse
even the church in man-lifting power. Close
on to one thousand men are confined there
because of crimes committed by them, the
crimes covering most varieties of violation
Of law. The distinguishing feature is the
absence Of men matured in crime. These
are incarcerated in Michigan City. Jeffer-
sonville Reformatory is more for young.
daring youth whose warm blood may have
urged them on to acts of passion, but who
may not have base instincts and certainly
not fixed habits of error. 1 confess that
when / saw them march into the dining
hall with the guards, who carry no weap-
ons, or when saw them file into the chap
ell, I was impressed with the number of
bright, beaming. frank faces. Most Of the
prisoners gave every reason by their looks
and bearing for the hope of their restora-
ton. The methods of the institution, while
precise and even military, are still of
very encouraging character The young
man, is made to feel that he has every
chance to regain his virtue and reassume
the dignity of manhood. The whole genius
Of the spot is an optimistic discipline.
CRAMPED FOR CELL ROOM.
'They are cramped for cell room, but
new building is in course of erection. which
will remove the long-borne inconvenience.
More space will also allow the managers
to classify men according to their conduct,
and in this way introduce competition of
pride. Indeed, these men are far from lost
to pride, and by costume and grades the
better-behaved are taught to respect them
selves and to frown on the unmannerly.
They have their aristocracieS within those
walls as we'll as elsewhere. Trades are
taught. Here and there thought discov-
cred sleeping mutiny on some sullen
faces. But for the most part they were
busy at their work like free men in fac
tory. Recently the idea of educating them
has materialized so far that an able grad
uate of our State University has been APP
pointed to teach them. He told me that he
was delighted at the eager response of
| many of the men to culture. Every man
must work and draw his wages, and thrift
is encouraged in these wage-earners. The
two most striking phases of this humane
enterprise were, to my mind, the conditions
OF their entrance to and OF their dismissal
| from 1t.
Men proved gulity before our courts land
there exactly as sick people at the hospital.
In the one case, the trouble is in the body
and in the other is In the mind, but in
hOth thn iIAa ic 70 and Loft
them go free when they are cured. In
other words, the theory Of the indetermin-
ate sentence is carried out as far as posi-
BILE. If a boy steals a loaf from a bakery
or a youth stabS a chum, both are sent
through the courts to lodge in this place,
but the one idea is to root out their dis
ease and the boy who on;y stole the loaf
might remain longer than the hot youth
who used the knife. 1t remains with the
| board of managers to determine when an
inmate should be intrusted with freedom
once more. In this connection 1 was i'm
pressed with the caution OF the board In
reaching their decisions. No unbiased per-
son could infer that candidates for liberty
were liable to any sort of mushroom soft
ness. The board vigorously searched each
mans record and ancestry, his age and hab-
| its, his demeanor during Incarceration be-
| fore passing sentence either to liberate him
or prolong his Imprisonment. AT all events
the board acts on the hopefuf principle that
| every criminal Is retrievable. and that
young criminals are especially durable, If
| nursed into correct habits, and deserve
| freedom when they are cured, no matter
| how grave their crimes.
Then the utmost care is exercised on
| those set free. The first rule is that they
| cannot leave the Reformatory unless they
have made record for good conduct with
| in its walls the second precautionary rule
! is that they cannot leave until engaged as
! employees by some outside firm. This saves
| them from the chance of drifting back into
| old haunts while hunting for work The
4 their haI
| monthly reports to the warden as to their
| progress In other words. while out on
parole they are followed by vigilant kind.
| ness for which 1 can find scarce a parallel
in any church or school,
| 1T is A COMMUNITY
1.-THE Reformatory is a community within
itself. with hospital and college and fac
tories and savings banks and printing
house and church and an equipment of
| very competent officers. Austere as its
rules are. the rainbow of hope arches it;
the working idea is that every blight on
young manhood can be changed into self
command by a process of kindly discipline;
and in not few particulars it has more
than sustained the reputation Of our Indi-
ana in taking the lead in organized benevo-
| lence.
THE grading OF the men according to
their conduct is, beyond all question, one
| VI the IhoSt WhoieSOme OF the regulations
/ III Is an appeal to ambition and self-respect
| which dies in the breast only when the
man is dead to all hope. If in the world
| outside social opinion could be an infiexible
| tribunal, If the decent ana honorable mem
| bers OF society could make others feel a
| loss of manhood when they plunge into
! excuses, perhaps our American life might
stand on higher plane; only such an at
| titude would Lose its influence if mixed UT
| with any pharisaical scorn. at all events
ciassiiication that springs from the mer
themselves is stimulating to them Hard.
ened criminals should never be permitted
| 10 mingle with youthful criminals and in.
prits. Ano punishment In all cases. mus,
now be viewed expression of a low
vindictive Justice which only infiames the
worst passion In the vicious. but as RENE.
dial and medicinal. Every man who has
fallen must know that God and man Will
give him every chance 20 rise again."