The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-01-19
MORE PRISON TALK.
An Ideal Attainment for Society o.
the Future.
A BRIGHTER AND BETTER DAY
BY-G. GRosvENoR DAVE.
Written for The Commonwealth.

BY u. GhOSt ENOh DANGs
Written for The Commonwealth.
A Prison Prophecy (second paper).-
Let us look the matter squarely in the
face. Society, the organized some
thing that holds us In check in so ma
ny different directions, has just three
reasons for shutting a man up-frst,
that society may snugIy take its rest
or 20 about its business undlsturbed
second, that tho wrong-doer shall re-
ceive punishment for the wrong that
he has committed against his fellows,
and third, that he shall be benefited
by his incarceration 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 peo-
pie outside prison walls are all good
and the people inside all bad. Any of
! us who think quietly know that there
are stalking frauds at large and that
law. the sacred bond of human crea-
lures, has often been called upon to do
injustice. So we will pass by the ease
loving tendency of society that makes
it Danish evildoers from its sight and
imagine that problems arc solved by
shutting the Eyes to them. The days
yet to come will show an improved or
der of humanity among whom crime
shall be regarded as phenomenon.
like disease to be studied and analysed
and understood and then battled with
lntelligently.
~
But we can though sighting the
first reason society gives for Its beha-
vlor towards criminals, give fuller at
tention to the second question and
ask whether punishment, as it is at
present meted out, is a condition that
will be allowed to continue indefi-
! n;tely. 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 connec-
ton 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 imprisonment only to
find that punishment has not ended
with the prison cell. The criminal in
the first place is almost always desti-
tute at discharge; next he finds that
the prison stigma-like the brand OF
Ca.n-is upon him wherever he is
known, and lastly that he is deferred
from honest work by the surveillance
of the police and the suspicious OF
those who with unreasoning and
horribly unjust bias argue "once a
criminal always a criminal" and so
hinder him in every direction from
earning a dollar on their premises
though perfectly willing to pass him
on to some one else to look after. So
ciety at present not only demands its
pound of flesh" from the woe BECOME
evii-doer, hut it takes in effect, the
precious life as we'll and Is guilty OF
wicked usury in compelling one mis-.
deed to so overspread mans life that
1t is permanently injured and darken-
ed even after he has paid his rightful
debt for the wrong that he has done.
Under the circumstances, so we'll I'm.
derstood by those who come in touch
with criminals, who is to blame fol-
the gloom and hopelessness and re.
vengeful spirit that fills thef souls OIL
those who are forced into the "don't
care" spirit? Society! Not the socl
ETY. OF distant town, nor the neigh
Dor over the way, but the society made
up OF the man who reads and hears
this and mods his bead in approval
So long as society in the abstract il
spoken of, we, you and ], are hard and
harsh we parade Pharisaically oul
superiority to these cringing creatures
who only ask for chance and in the
greet 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 vet tt
dawn after the hard hearts OF mer
have gradually melted down, will moi
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 ev.
er to be just-be accepted at his true
valuation as a man who has done
wrong but repented and suffered and
paid his debt to the full. The past
shall be past with him, and the iudg-
ment of him passed solely upon hi.
merits and his capacity in the present
Then shall there be fewer society-made
enemies of society.
+ -
The third Idea of present day socl
ETY. being reputsd to be-the improve.
ment Of the prisoner; We can see IL
many States still an absolute evasion
of this responsibility. A prison is
merely made box for safe seciuslor
instead of residence for a scientific
study and improvement. The men
toe, .often in charge except in some few
notable cases like that of the Mary
land State Penitentlary, are absolutely
unfit either by mental training or by
heart culture to understand the i'm
pulses OF the criminal or the ms anc
outs of his nature. They are merely {
superior class of turnkey, little higher
In price and costly at any price a.
managers OF institutions that nov
do produce a crop of human perver
sions but are capable under othe
management of sendipe forth reformed