Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-10-27
Tells PRISON D|[
Splendid Lecture d, nrs. Booth Of
Vslultssts q America
Fams
She Has Taken Up : Good Work
and . Assisting Fallen
HunaAity.
City Federation q women's clubs
City Federation Of Women's Clubs
Discusses Some Of the Needs !.
ofths City.

ming, when the Odeon was crowded for
the second number Of the course. A
great number of chairs had been arr
ranged on the stage. and they were oc.
cupied in addition to the regular seat
ms capacity OF the house Secretary
rockingham. of the association, intro
duced Mrs. Booth, who gave her cele-
brated lecture on Lights and Shadows
Of Prison Life
The life behind the bars is one that
Mrs. Booth knows wen, for much OF her
endeavcr 10 given to Frightening and
lettering the lives OF all the iail birds.
She has made name for herself wi1er-
ever the work OF religion and, pllilan-
thropy is known and she has no small,
fame as a public speaker, but the title
OF which she is proudest is that Of 1.-THE.
little mother" which has been given.
her by the unfortunates who, for their
own punishment and the protection OF
society, are placed in prison cells Mrs.
Booth has made a thorough study Of
prisons and prison inmates, the past
five Years having been given over to;
that work. Unlike many reformers, she
her heart in the work and for the rea-.
son that she does not rant, does not adj
vocate the abolition Of prisons, nor the
ment, her address is one that impresees
thinking men and women as one Of
mere sentimentality could not
Mrs. Booth says that she would have.
no one, not even the criminal, believe
g "a rnf L. II, P/,,.
crime necessary, but more than punish
cnce, which will be so effective that
when the man leaves his cell behind he
may become trusty, industrious mem
Der of society. The discipline Of prison,
life must not be done away with and
wrongdoer has learned his lesson and
can be benefited no further, it is time
to set him free, for a longer nprison-
ment may stunt all his growth and
brand him as an habitual criminal. For
this reason Mrs. Booth is strong adj
vocate of the indeterminate sentence.
That is she believes that when man
is imprisoned he should be given no
set time to remain within the walls,
but that competent board should be
proved himself a man worthy of his
freedom. When he has so proved him
self, in their opinion ne should be Civ
en- his freedom, which on any. act Of
wrongdoing again can be retaken from
him. 5s
The greatest shadow which Mrs.
Booth sees in the prison life is the loss
OF hope, which is too often felt. There
io q
chance that they may become respected
again, but this can not be If they have.
themselves lost all self-respect and
faith. The other great shadow is the
opinion OF the world and the lack of
charity. There are few people who do
not believe that once criminal. al-G
ways criminal is literally true and
they can not be made to see that in an
act OF passion or while Intoxicated a
man may commit some crime who is
not at heart criminal. Habitual!
criminals are manufactured by the
GOODNESS OF the world. Naturally, Mrs.
Booths lecture Is Illustrated by the
many incidents which have come to her
notice, and they are pathetic little
stories. all Of them. But the one which
was the best of ak was the one of the
boy Who was reared by ae-drunken IA
Their and drunken mother and taught
BY them to steal When he was hardly
more than a boy he was arrested, tried
and put IN states prison, where he first
learned the meaning of virtue and re-
liigton. OF a sturdy, determined dispo.
sition, he resolved TO lead an honest life
when he regained his freedom But he
FOUND II was not an easy matter. when
men knew that he had been convict.
The only ones who helped him at ali
were the members Of his old gang.
They found him sick and starving; they
fed and nursed him. and tho against
their advice, he cast his lot with
them again, and the minimizing called
him degenerate and incapable Of do
ing right. The story showed more than
the GOODNESS of the world: it showed
the kindness Of the disreputable which
Is encouraging to those who work with
the unfortunates.
Mrs. Booth Is an optimist. and so she
sees q bright side even to prison life5
There are earnest conversions and
preparations for the life without the
gates. and her heart has been glad
daned many times by the success which
has been attained by those whom she
and her associates have helped.
Something OF the homes they have
provided, where the men can, come
when released and be assisted to work
was told. There are two OF these
homes, nov, one in New York and one
in Chicago, and Mrs. Booth asserts that
statistics show that % per cent of those
who come to them have proved by their
deeds that they have really reformed.
Mrs. Booth is woman OF pleasing
personality and shows q knowledge of
books and affairs as well as Afe in its
dark aspects. Leaving out some of the.
lneculiaritieS of recommendations. which