The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-19
THE REF0RMATORY ISSUE.
Discussed by an Opponent of the
PIan.


The objections of the more liberal of
the opponents of a. county reformatory
under the present laws are expressed
in an interview yesterday with a citi-
zen, who has made study of the ques-
ton. In opposing the establishment of
the reformatory he said:
~ general law for the establish
ment of a reformatory in this county
is seriously Objectionable for the fol-
lowing reasons:
First There is no provision so far
as county of the size of Chatham is
concerned for the Imprisonment of 1u-
Venile criminals longer than twelve
months, and it would be difficult, if not
impossible to bring about any reforma-
ton in that time.
Second. 1t is left to the discretion.
of the Judge whether a juvenile Grim
inal shall be sent to the reformatory.
This makes it possible that no negro
children would ever be sent to the re-
formatory
Third. No juvenile who has once
been sentenced to the changing could
be transferred to the reformatory and
none such now on the chaingang could
be transferred to the reformatory.
Fourth. The law provides that if
the vote is for the establishment of
refoTmatory the County Commission
ers shall purchase a site, erect such
barracks, stockade, hospital and other
buildings and make such other plIr-
chases as are necessary. This has cost
Fulton county $4,000, and Fulton mas
the only reformatory established under
this law.
Fifth. The superintendent must be
a competent and practical man of first
class ability, and it is doubtful If such
a man can be obtained for small
amount. The law also requires the APP
pointment of a chaplain.
Sixth. Probably the most danger
Gus provision, so far as the expense IS
concerned, is the provision that the
jury shall in their verdict find the age
of the defendant if this means that
every boy will have to be tried by jury
it would put the county to thousands
of dollars additional expense every
year.
Seventh. 1t has been said that the
Richmond county reformatory is much
more expensive than that contemplate
ed by the general law of 1893. Let US
see about that. The only reformatory
established under the law of 1893 is
that in Fulton county, and it has cost
up to the present time, for site, build
ings, etc, ST., 900 or $4,000, and has
only twelve inmates, all white. / un-
derstand there are ten employees. There
is no reason why the general law can
not be amended so as to suit local con-
ditions, as was done for Atlanta by the.
act of 1900.
1.-The establishment of a state REFORM
atory does not necessarily mean 1t
shall be in Atlanta, as numbers of
people have suggested to me. AS a
matter of fact the Soldiers Home is
the only purely state institution in
Atlanta; the penitentiary industrial
farm, the insane asylum, the academy
for the blind, the academy for the
deaf and dumb, the University of Geor-
gia and the Normal School are none
of them in Atlanta.
What possible objection could there
be to a general law, successfully tried
in other states, which would provide
that each county should pay its pro
rata of the cost of maintaining re-
formatory, that pro rata to be based
entirely upon the number of inmates
there may be in such institutions from
that particular county.
by all means let as have reform
atory, but upon broad and comprehen-
sive lines. Let it be an institution
expressing real solicitude for the well
fare of unfortunate children, planned
upon lines gathered from the expert
ence of other states and carried out in
a manner that will reflect credit upon
Georgia. Let us not result to the
temporary expedient, a makeshift that
may not accomplish anything.
I'm view of the fact that Judge Bar
row is quoted as being satisfied with
the preparations now being made by
the County Commissioners to separate
the youthful from the older criminals.
should not every thinking man think
seriously before he burdens our people
with additional taxes. which he will do
if he votes for a reformatory under
the present law"