The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-02-02


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
creatures, has often been called upon
to do Justice SO we will pass by the
ease-loving tendency Of society that
makes it Danish evildoers from its
sight and imagine that problems are
solved by shutting the eyes to them.
The days yet to come will show an
improved order OF humanity among
whom crime shall be regarded as a
phenomenon, like disease to be stud
led and analyzed and understood and
then batFled with intelligently.
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But we can though sighting the first
reason society gives for its behavior
towards criminals, give fuller atten-
tion to the second question and ask
whether punishment, as it is at pres
ent meted out, is condition that
will be allowed TO continue indefinite
ly. The idea of Furnishing for wrong
doing is probably right as it pcrme-
ates all law and ali 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 Imprisonment only to find
that punishment has not ended with
the prison cell. The criminal in the
first place is almost always destitute
at this discharge; next he finds that
the prison stigIna-like the brand of
Cain-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 hor-
ribly unjust bias argue 'Once a crimi-
nal always a criminal" and SO hin
der him in every direction from earn
ing dollar on their premises, though
perfectly willing to pass him on to
some one else to look after. Society
at present not only demands it's
pound of flesh from the wOe-b be
gone evil-dOer but it takes, in effect,
the precious life as well and is guilty
of wicked usury in compelling one
misdeed to so overspread IL mans
life that it is permanently injured
and darkened even after he has paid
his rightful debt for the wrong that
he has done. Under the circumstan-
ces so well understood by those who
come in touch with criminals, who is
to blame for the gloom and hopeless
ness and revengeful spirit that fills
the souls of these who are forced into
the don't care" spirit? Society, Not
the society of dis tant town, nor 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 |,
are hard and harsh; we parade Phar-
isaically our superiority to these
cringing creatures who only ask for q
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 So
ciety in the day yet to dawn after the
hard hearts of men have gradually
melted down, will not thus act. Pun
ishment will cease when the term pre-
scribed 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 ac-
cepted at his true valuation as a man
who has done wrong but repented and
suffered and paid his debt to the full.
4He paSI Snall De past WITH nm,
and the Judgment of him passed sole
ly upon his merits and his capacity
in the present. Then shall there be
fewer sOciety-made enemies of So
ciety.
y > =
The third idea of present day So
ciety being reputed to be-the i'm
provement of the prisoner; we can
see in many states still an absolute
evasion of this responsibility. A pris-
oner is merely made box for safe Sc
clusion instead of a residence for a
scientific study and improvement.