The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-13
herewith to submit our report.

/ y
such investigation as could be mado
by seeing Il reformatory at work. AT
Elmira,, New York, the largest and
most successful in tho United States,
is situated, and almost all the i'm
prcss,ons received have come, from
that institution. The Superintend,
ont, Mr.. Il. r. Brockway, is most
remarkable man, scholarly and digni-
fled, and took much pains to show
marked attention to our messenger,
and to supply us with n goodly guam
tity of literature, which we are will.
ing to put at tho disposal Of any
body of gentlemen who may be call
cd upon to study the question with
the Wow Of setting up such an insti
tuition IN this State.
Having now had the matter in
mind for some time, and having conf8
into possession Of many fucts con
corning the practical workings of ro
formatory methods, we do not hest
tato to recommend that stops be
taken to set up ono in this State.
But we believe that, for tho present,
, the institution should bo run only in
the interest of youthful negro criml.
, nails. Our reasons for assuming this
position are easily given:
, |. Trcrc are very few white youth
ful criminals in our Pcnitentiary--
, not enough to furnish Inmates even
t to II very small institution, and we
t believe that tho fow who aro sent
o there conld be provided for at tho
$ cost Of he State in institutions al
a ready operating in other parts OF
/ the South or in the North
n =. We find that thcro arc quite 4
). number of negro youths in tho Penn
u tcntiary, and some Of Us have seer
O boys OF ten years Of age at work OF
k the chain-gang.
4 3. We believe that all institution.
# for criminals ,honld ho operated fo
II the protection of society. The pun
l. ishmcnt Of the criminal nccomplishe
nothing, if when ho is usherod int
rs tho world again lie has only beer
" hardened by confinement. Contca
/ with :hc rutlians III tho places Of i'm
v prIsonmcnt is calculated rather t.
~ perfect him along lines Of evil, an,
l. to givo him better ideas concerning
l. tho means Of leading Il criminal lif
IS without detection. TO punish hir
It ash criminal and then release hir
+ rs criminal accomplishes nothin
" in tho way Of protecting society
al Therefore, it can be readily SOC
" that pcnitcntiary can falls shol
n of accomplishing any good end
"a tho way of helping tho people VIII
re- arc not shut up within its walls-th
90 very people in whose interests tn
1T institution was founded
4. The essential requisite of Il
III good society and government is l.,
- spect and reverence for law. 1h
I'd ordinary penitentiary system doc
in not touch this; it is the task to whic
" reformatories devote themselves.
no .. Would it not be an act {
k. magnanimity and kindness to til
$. negro and n measure of safety /
Il: ourselves to do something to hoI
it him morally, oven at the gate of tn
ry prnitcntiary?
~ &. But, above all things We n,
cs convinced tn Il State Reformator
he is desirable, because Of tho potter
NV fact that they have gained such hol
W. in the estimation Of tho people
It. tho States where they arc in exis
it. once. Thore is no public meaau
#. in the State of Now York which h,
err SO strong a hold upon the Lcgisl
re turo as the Reformatory at Elmir
,is The mcn who know most about the.
ce institutions are tho mon who q
it. most in favor Of them, and it won
or bo folly i'll us to despiso them simp
he because wo know nothing of them
Therefore, we heartily rccommer
that steps be taken by tho Legisl
tnro at It's next session to set up
'"' this State Reformatory for Yout
'o full Negro Criminals. Our commi
~ tee is in possession of many fac
" and arguments to support us in O.