The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-19

fire. and should this building be destroy
ed by fire; as it undoubtedly would be in
case of an accluental explosion, the neces-
sary work of the prison would be most
seriously interfered with. We would re-
spectfully suggest that the urgent need
of an appropriation sufficient to replace
this building with modern fire proof
structure, which would occupy the same
location, and a large portion of the work
on which could be done by the inmates
of the prison. The necessities for in
creased repairs to the buildings is obvi-
Gus, from the fact thar many Of them
are very old; are not well adapted for
the purposes for which they are baing
used, and having been built by contract
are rapidly deteriorating. We respectfully
recommend an annual appropriation Of at
least $1,000 to keep these buildings in
it would be wise provision for the state
to purchase within reasonable distance of
the prison few acres of land which
could be, used as garden: There ate
reports, a considerable number of old men
and prisoners partly incafacitatsd for
doing an ordinary days work, who could
be employed with benefit TO themselves
and profit to the state during the sum
mer, at least liz the cultivation of a
garden No valid objection could be
raised to taking these men reasona BILE
distance from the prison far the day s
work. as Maj. McClaughry, the warden
of the military prison at Fort LsavGn-
worth Is engaged upon a work which Is
prison proper. We heartily concur in the
recomme endations of the prison physician
OF the absolute necessity for a new and
more commodious hospital building.
RELIGIOUS worK.
The reltgiouS work Of the institution
it so highly merits. Under the direction
of the two chap1ains, services have been
held by each on alternate Sundays, ana
The inmates carefully looked after. At
10 hO nr4eL Of
officials. In January, 1899, Rev j. II.
Albert resigned his position as prison
chaplain, owing to removal from the city.
His place has been ably filled by Rev S.
J. Kennedy.
PRISON. SCHOOL.
The prison school has been well at
tended and the scholars have made
marked, and in almost all instances, most
satisfactory progress. The Chat tauqua
Circle has a large and Intelligent mem
bership. It's meetings have been ,epleta
with interest, and the papers there pre-
sented show evidence of the careful ana
discriminating study pursued by the
members.
INSANE CRIMINALS.
We believe it is our duty, as guardians
OF the welfare OF the prison, to again
call attention to the necessity of a pfoyi-
sion foT the treatment OF insane crln-
iuctance felt by the officers of insane
asyluTns5 to receive the insane criminal
and while we concede the Justice of thcir
prejudice against such wards, we, at the
same time respectfully submit that a
prison is not the place nor are prison Of
Gals the proper persons to have the .:Gs-
tody of the insane. Diseases Of the mind
are those d proper understanding OF
which requires the most intelligent Study
on the part OF the specialist and TO the
care Of the 81 sIecialist, not to the general
practoner; should ell such cases be en-
trusted. While it would be possible In
some prisons TO construct ward for in
sane criminals and by special approLria-
tor provide for their proper care under
suitable medical attendants, the space
within the enclosure here is altogether
too cfrcumScrlbed to permit of any such
building.
REFOKMATORY METHODS.
While the results of the parole law
have proved satisfactory, as will be seen
by the following table, we most heartily
concur in the earnest efforts being made
by many Of the leading prison officilIs
OF the country, supported as they are by
the ablest writer's and thinkers on the
SUBJECT OF criminology, in. favor Of an
1ndeterminate sentence law. The argu-
merits in favor of the indeterminate SEN
terce are many and powerful, and cannot
os given at length IN the limits of an
ordinary report But it may not be
anlss to state some of the most impor-
tant ones:
experience, in ruultitudes of cases, that
an offender committing comparatively
trivial ohense. which would lead to the
fixing of a very short maximum Term
rega riding the Imprisonment as me.e
penalty paid for the offenSe, is neverthe-
less, a person of such a character ana
so deficient III education that very con-
siderable period of disciplinary training
Is absolutely essential to yield any prac-
ucaI results in the way of perma nant
reformation. Such an offender, by COM
hitting The GffenSc and by conviction of
T crime, has forfeited his liberty for the
period fixed by general law Can the
question whether this period should he
abridged possibly be determined before
hand as elficaciously by criminal mag
1strate, in the hurried dispatch of court
BUSINESS, as in board of managers
charged with the special duty of thor
CpghIy investigating all the circumstan-
ces, and with an opportunity by actual
test to discover the character of the Of
1ender: II, however, the criminal magfs-
tldte were to fix the maximum term :
there can be no doubt that in multitl1des
OF cases che of the dominant incentives
tC good conduct or the part of the in
mates OF an institution would be gone.
namely, the incentive by such good con-
duct to shorten the term of irnpristJl-
ment ConceGilE crime to be crime the
ldea Of the indeterminate sentence rests
upon the demonstrated truth that GER
tam classes OF .eonvicts can, as ma tier
of TACT DC reclaimed by disciplinary
9telncos. The utter impossibility of pre-
oeiierinlning s,ia M what length of time is re-
CURED to accomplish for prisoners the
changes OF character to be wrought ONT
by educational and disciplinary trainine.
should be apparent on the simplest state.
ment. This fact is especially impressive
IN view of the large number of prisoners
VINO plead guilty and who are before the
court for trial and sentence from i've
to thirty minutes only
The committee appointed by the Amer
lean Ear association to investigate the
parole and indeterninate sentences Of
prisoners concludes their report made to
the Bar association Aug. Is, 1898, as fol-
lows:
1T is gratifying to learn that the idel
that penal statutes are purely punitive
IS Passing away, and that with the
growth of civiliza ton has come the be-
lief that for the protection of society
against offenders, more is to be gaine1
by parole and similar acts which LEAD
the convict to expect speedy liberty, and
if he * true TO himself, rehabilitation in
society, than by stripes, bonds or solitary
| confinement. That Hope springs eter-
nal in the human breast is as true of
the convict as any other person, and so
long as hope remains there is chance fbr
his reformation"
1T affcrds us great pleasure to be able
IT, say that in the conduct of the affairs
OF the prisor the utmost harmony has
1reva]led q the various meetings Of the
board of managers. 1t has been our en-
deavor to administer the affairs of the