The sun., 1901-10-14

PRISON REFORM.


there will lie a general reference to this
subject in the sermons of that day, all
over the country.
The subject is an important one, and
the idea of concentrating the thought OF
the great church going clements of the
people upon it, at one and the same
time. for the attainment of unity of
thought and effort about it. is most
excellent one. The lcadcrships of so
capable, honest and earnest body Of men
as are the cergymen of this country. the
Intelligence and sincerity of such lead
ership. ought to bring splendid results.
We can conceive of no plan by which
more Intelligent and forceful epitomc OF
public sentiment upon this question can
be attained. than by the collation. ana
editing Of such Il series of sermons MS
this recommendation of the prison re-
form association anticipates. The mass
of material afforded for judicious editing
would be very large, and its value would
be very great.
The important thing in the promo
tion Of Il reform is agreement as to what
it is and what it involves. Differences
Of opinion about that point often serious
" effects the work. and rctardS the at
tainmcnt Of tho anticipated results. 1t
is important therefore to know whether
prison reform aims simply to reform the
prisoner. or to improve the methods Of
prison administration. or whether, in
lien Of such distinction, Is TO include
both. Originally prison reform took the
direction of protest AGAINST the inhnma-
nifty of prison regulations and admniStra-
tion. These as the product of law We're
moro suggestive Of brutality than of
Justice. Under that regime imprisonment
meant punishment the augment
ing Of the mental suffering consequent
upon the loss Of liberty, and the srpaia-
ton from home and friends and the
enforced association with criminals and
outlaws--by physical tormentS. The hor.
rors of that kind of prison adminstra-
tiun a. r4.p.-,.lrrt III history are almost be-
yond belief The marvel is that humans
ity could hn 50 brutal. Prison reform
then meant the rescue Of the unfortunate
inmates ~ prisons and under that re-
gimc Of cruelty they oven crowded. from
dungeons and torture cells, aud from
places ur confinement flat were 1T mce
disease and vice breeding impounds. To
do this WAS charity work 0f thc highest
order. II required Of its drvotre high
degree Nc both moral and physical cour-
age. II rXHctcd eulf sacrifice. II Was in
no sense fashionable or religious fad,
Men and Womon wcrc driven to it by /
stern and unrrlentng sense of duty; fist
u protest against the injustice practcyl
in The name uf tho law. aud second tu
alleviate the SufferngS nf the laws hru,
tality, 'rhcsr things arr not 81 very fiji
away When It i remembered that the
masses Of thr people came iii touch Will
the law only Ms an instrument Of brutal
ity. and tn frG only NY cxarlions rn
forced ly inhuman cruelty. il is not
wonderful that thrrr should hr n distmSI
Of IL and rebellion against It. Frtn
natfly The vigorS of tile law have hurJ
moderated. ,IHstic" has moved to i high
q plane. The inhumanitirs ot pri,of
discipline huyc been for thr most mr
abolished. Civilized governments do nu
advert tn underground dungeons ana tar
ture cells in thn administration of justice
There maY ~ such rom0ins of thr ola
ana inhuman prison regime but tia!
are out IT ltso There may hn iuhnma;
prison Keepers, Hut thcy arr n9t ~us
tanrd by popular sentiment and whT
They are discovered I'll thr practice or iii
humanity they are quickly made to for
the sting M public censurn, url 70 muil
rNpiuion " tlieir fault.
tfhcso arn The general facts of lii
tory markiug thc progress ~ Prison RI
form Thry show first than the lirgon
necessity far prison reform ii ill., proven
tion Of inhumauity is less than under til
old regime; and also that the frld III Ii
actir,ty has bccl cSScncd Prison. III
Imprisonment arr ne longer the synm
yinS ~ torture houscs ANA torture \
consequence prison reform takes n",
directions. On its practical sidc thc II
mnialraton side it becomes Il matter 9
good financing ANA honest aiministrntia
Of pWhlic trusts. ON thr sentiment;
side, hcnlhical side ii becomes Il uncs
tion Of hetcriug the moral Influences 4
prison association. Both these ideas NJ
being promoted ~ thc modern "wori
housr" development Of prisons. Wori
honorable useful. pleasant work, II \
once The great preventive aud pnnacc
for mental ana moral diseases. Work il
n pcn0nce is not curative Work tia
is dtastcful and compulsory rXritcs I
opposition q slackncSs of effort All
imprwccton Of product. ON the cor
trary, work that delights, that absorb
attention and inspires effort the prt
duet Of which gratifes laudable prd
aud ambition, crowds ont that which
unworthy, and which, in action, is d.
basing Herein lies the value of wol
.Is - y t.