The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-02-24
A PAROLE FOR "LIFERS

certain conditions prisoners under lie
sentence can be released under parole
after serving twenty years. This Dill is
taken by some to be scheme for the
liberation of the Younger brothers who
have served nearly or quite a quarter OF
a century, and hence they oppose 1t. IL
seems TO the Free Press that if the bill
Is properly guarded it is most merl-
forious one and in the interests OF hu-
mapity and reform There is no ques-
lion but that if the measure should be-
come law, the Younger brothers would
be released under parole, but we see no
reason why they should be excepted. In
commenting upon the measure the Min
neal oils Tribune says that 80 long as
the blood of the murdered Haywood
cries from the ground for vengeance,
NO member of the James gang will ever
receive pardon or parole with the con-
sent of the majority of the people of
Minnesota" This may be regarded
very good sentiment. perhaps by some
as Christian sentiment, but to us 1T
looks more like a sentiment of ven
geapce. There is no doubt but that
there are worse disposed men liberated
from prison every year, than are the
Younger brothers, and men who have
been confined there for crimes just as
cold Ilooded and for whom vengeance
cries against release We did not sup
pose the sole design, or even a small
part, of prison in this age of the world
was for the purpose of wreaking ven
geanoe out upon criminals, but rather
8or reformatory purposes. When man
goes up for life and serves twenty years
hhe best part of his life is gone, old age
is upOn him, and in the vast majority
of cases. if released, he will live an hon
est upright life rather than revert to a
life of crime. 1t is also true that those
who have the management of the prison
and have closely watched the conduct
of such prisoners can generally read
them uretty close and tell whether or
not their reformation is genuine. or is
merely slammed
The Youngers have been exemplary
prisoners We believe that in their long
residence at the Saltwater prison thu y
have not had a black mark aga nst
fhesu. aud that Warden Wolfer has ex-
pressed the opinion that were they re
LEASED they would live the lives of good
citizens. They would go back to changed
associations from what they mingled
with a quarter of century ago. Ii
vengeance is what is wanted, it would
SEEN as though quarter of a century
ought to fill the cup to the brim But
The desire to keep them behind prison
doors is nothing but sentiment, and
sentiment not creditable to the great
state OF Minnesota, if the purpose of
her institutions is to be of reforma
tory nature.
What hope is held ont to the
man of criminal turn, or who has be-
come criminal through associations,
if vengeance is to be the watchword
that is TO keep men behind prison bars.
How far have we progressed from the
aandInarks of the middle ages. if ven
gseance is what is to be melted out to
criminals, instead of the hope OF re-
fo1ap2 v hat of our boosted civiliZa-
ton, if this is the spirit that is to still
GoutrDi nsg
England has similar feature in her
laws regarding life prisoners who by
their conduct have shown evidence of
reformation and have had no marks
AGAINST them during their term, and it
liz rs said to work well. Possibly there
%Qaa6 be instances where the parole
wotld be broken, but we believe that
on abe whole those who were accorded
thu privilege of release on parole would
he careful to see that its provisions were
not in any way broken,
The Free Press has no sentiment of
+ opposition to express on the Wilson
hlIg Ii has no defence to offer on be-
half OF the Youngers for their dastardly
Z Crime OF twenty-five years ago. But it
is fgw IN the belief that nothing can be
scalas6 by continuing these men as in
until nollod