The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1899-12-07

I
for what reason; amount Of money
earned and amount expended, aud for
what; how many times he has at.
tended church during the month, and
where; where his evenings have been
spent; how often he has been in a
saloon during the month.
"This report must be signed by the
paroled prisoner and approved Ivy his
employer. II this report is not re-
ceived by the warden or superin.
tendeut promptly, investigation is at
once started to find why the report
has not been received. If after in
vestigation, it is found that the pris.
oner has violated his parole, he is at
once returned to prison without trial
and compelled to serve out his maxi.
mum sontente.
During the two years the parole
law has been i'll operation at the State
prison we have paroled 1872 prisoners,
of which number six have been re-
turned for violation Of their parole
and two have failed to make their re.
ports, and at this time we do not
know where they are. This showing,
as compared with other institutions,
is remarkably good, only being frac-
ton over six per cent. of the prisoners
paroled who have violated the conf.
dence placed in them by the manage
ment. We now have eighty men on
parole who are making their reports
promptly, earning ali the way from So
to $40 per month and their board,
aud in many cases are caring for their
families that would otherwise be
public charge upon the township
where they live had the prisoner been
kept in confinement.
''The value and success OF this new
system OF prison management depends
upon the faithfulness with which it is
executed. All unworthy considera-
tions must be left out. The parole
must not be granted upon influence,
either political, religious or family,
but purely upon the record aud char
acter of the prisoner in question. The
ideal OF prison discipline which this
system involves is a high one. Itwould
be useless for the prison management,
where high ideals of life are unpopu-
lar, to attempt to carry out this law,
but such is not the case in the town
and country districts Of Indiana, for
our people are always foremost in
adopting and carrying cut ideas AMI
reforms looking to the betterment OF
all mankind, aud we believe the timo
is now here in which the people in the
different counties, townships aud cities
OF this State are ready aud willing to
assist the men who are worthy OF
parole in every possible way for them
to regain their social standing.
"While the parole law in Indiana is
yet an experiment, believe when the
law, as it now stands, Is fully under
stood there will be no desire on the
part OF the people-if, in fact, there
be any such desire at this time-to re-
turn to the principle of definite SEN
tences. There is now way open
whereby the habitual criminal can be
driven from the State or retained be.
hind the bars where he can no longer
prey on society. At the same tina,
the unfortunate person who, tenn
porarily crazed by intoxication OF la.
boring under some temporary derange-
ment, commits his first crime can be
saved. The principle of the parole
law is in accord with tho advanced
thought of the day, which believes
that there comes tins in the history
of those incarcerated in prison when
they can be reformed and placed on
the road to good citizenship. 70 all
such it says, 'Go, and sin no more
While for the habitual criminal il
writes over the prison doors, 'Aban-
don hope, all ye who enter here.