The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-20

Annual Election of Of'cers Fred
erick j. KinEsbury. of Connecti-
cut. Chosen northumberland
Paper on Treatment of Criminals.
The American Social Science Assoca-
tiun closed last night what has been prob
ably its most successful convention. All
meetings were well attended, and every
paper read was of more than usual merit.
| Among those who presented addresses
were many of the leading authorities in
their branches, and the discussions from
the floor, participated in by leading think
ers, were lively and interesting.
THE best treatment of criminals was
the subject of paper read at the even
ing session. The paper was by II. r.
| Rrockway of EImira, n. Y, one Of the
/ best known prison managers in the Uni
ted States The writer charged that the
old method of infiicting punishment was
based upon the illogical superstition that
all law is supremacy just. The present
tendency he said, lis toward making
| the punishment fit the criminal, rather
| than the law"
The writer then INDUCED in an analy-
sis of crime, concluding that crime is
that which is harmful to the social order,
| negative rather than positive. Speaking
from his experience as prison manager,
| he said that criminals are taken as
whole, remarkably similar in the color
of their eyes; shape of head length of
arm, lack of chest measure and lung
! capacity The leading traits he had OBJ
| served to be the same in prisoners OBJ
| served in Porto Ricar prisons. OF all
| prisoners the far greater number he
found to be very young. Only per cent
| were we'll educated, and not one had a
complete college training
Crimes. as "A rule he said, were COM
mitted without any elaboration. impul-
sively and without consideration. Lapses
from goodness could be attributed to an
epileptiforin disease of mind. He did not
believe that preceding the commission of
crime there was. in any appreciable num-
Der of cases, much conflict between the
| impulse for good or the impulse for bad.
The paper then took up the moral atti-
tude of criminals, analyzing it closely, and
indicating as a conclusion that criminals
do not respond to any of the general in
| fiuences for good or the ideals which APP
peal to the average man. AS a rule, it
| was stated, the criminal could best be
lifted up from his condition by promise
| of an immediate and tangible good. The
| writer suggested that because of the i'm
possibility of determining at a trial the
moral responsibility of culprit, the de-
| termination of the punshment-length
and kind-shouid lie with the prison au-
thorities. who have the best opportunity
| to judge the individual. -'rf
The culture field of crfnne-.H stated the
writer, lis the great mass OF ,nisdemean-
ants. and the shiftless methods of treat
! ing those produce a large class Of hard
ened criminals. a more thorough treat
to protect the public. This class of evil
doer seems now "a haven than the
average opportunity to escape punish
ment." %
Touching upon the method of reclaim
ing criminals, the writer said that all
methods must be based upon a habit ref
ormation, and not upon merely emotional
promises to be good ordfturn over a
new leaf" Retributory treatment of Grim
inals, he said, laying stress upon pain as
punishment. was too large q factor in
the sentences imposed today by Judges
Looking forward he said that the flu |
ture promised great pr9sreHs. Future |
criminals. he said, would nnd themselves, |
AFTER the comsniss3on of crime always I'M |
der such restraint that they could not |
ass.-i,s,-ss,,- 'vrvns. TDe method or rero-ulo-
ton, he said, would be the educational |
method. The indeterminate sentence sys- !
TEN, with the adjunct of the parole, |
would be in universal use. he said.
The human organism of the culprit,'
he continued, lis to be studied as the |
basis of his crime the body as well as
the mind is to be developed; the entire life /
OF the prisoner is to be directed. and he
is not to be left TO himself. There is to
be afforded no time or opportunity for
the criminal to revert even in his thought /
to the old vicious habits.
Food will he of the best kind, so that
the mind and body may be thoroughly
nourished. The training Will be on the
line of development of the civic virtues
and the natural social qualities of nor
NAL man. II viii be prison community
with its own laws and its own sentiment
The chief concern will be to fit the pris-
oners to earn subsistence"
The association elected officers for
the ensuing year during the morning
session. Oscar ). Straus. of New YORK
who was in the diplomatic service
of this country for many years, was
elected president and Frederick John
Kingsbury of Connecticut, as first vice
president. Other vice presidents were
ven, Conn; Francis Wayland, New Haven.
Conn; Daniel {. Gilman, Baltimore, Md,
William T. Harris. Washington. d. c.;
Carroll d. Wright, Washington. d. G; j.
b. Angel, Ann Arbor, Mich; Andrew d.
White. Berlin, Germany; John Eaton,
Washington, D. c: DR.. Lucy Hall
Browne Brooklyn, n. Y; Mrs; Caroline
Peabody, New York City: DIR. Grace
Peckham Murray, New York City; DR.; H
Holbrook Curtis, New York City; the Rev
George L. Raymond, T.. H. D., Washing
ton. d. c; Mrs. Virginia =. Mckelway
Brooklyn. N. Y: c. A Wood. Marion,
S. c.; F. b. Sanborn, Concord, Mass j.
w. Foster. Washington, D. c.
Other officers, chosen We're: Secretary
Frederick Stanley Root; treasurer. w. G.
LeGendre; directors, Col. Jacob l..
Greene. Hartford. Conn: w. A. Giles
Chicago; Edwin +. Potter. Newport, X.
/; Eugene Smith, New York; Charles
Seymour Dexter, Elmira, n. Y; E. II.
Avery Auburn, n. Y; St. Clair Nickel
way. Brooklyn and w. NJ. f. Round,
Massa chusetts.
The following We're designated chair
men and secretaries in charge of the
various sections: Jurisprudence, Francis
Wayland, chairman; Prof Isaac Russell,
secretary; health, Surgeon General Stern
berg. chairman, Elmer Lee, secretary;
education and art, the Rev. Joseph An
derson chairman, S. r Dutton. secreta-
ry; social economy, John Graham Brooks,
The department of finance was dropped.
The association took up its work under
the department of social economy, or |
which +. Il. Sanborn. of Concord. Mass, !
is chairman. The chairman. delivered the
opening address on Home Building and
Land Owning by the Industrial Glasses
of the United States" Among those who |
had most felt the need of homes. the
speaker mentioned the. negro. and ex-
planned how this situation arose out OF
the conditions that preceded slavery. MI. |
SanbOrn quoted statistics showing that
the ownership of land by negroes had
increased in latter years. He spoke of
the aid which had been given to the
poorer classes desiring to acquire land |
by the cooperative banks throughout
the Middle West especially
The speaker said that one out of every
three persons in Massachusetts had de-
posits in banks of this character. After
exhaustive treatment Of the develop