The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-07-30

torious- criminal. Louis
Parrage" asked the phil
arthropist. doubtfully.
Certainly" said the big man In the
easy chair. He looked sood-natured
and at the same time rather tired anu
con,emptuous. He had been through
IL nil: the accepted ideas and the usual
people did not matter much; but there
was no reason to be angry with them
or anything else.
81 was extremely glad that our mu'
tual friend. Mr.. Timmins. was able tc
induce you to come and pay me visit.
I need not assure you Of our good
Faith. You have nothing to fear.
A smile flashed over the criminals
face: the philanthropist went on rap
Idly:
I'VE are not In with the police. l
won't say We oppose them-that would
be illegal-but We are not In sympathy
with them. Now. before we begin to
talk. what may offer you? A cup OF
tea"-valiantly outing with his PROOF
that he was NO fanatic-"a whisky and
soda? And what about q cigarette"
Thanks" said the criminal: Il never
drink at three In the afternoon. For
that matter, I never drink tea or whis-
key at any time: they undoubtedly
spoii the nerve. For the same reason
prefer my pipe. II you don't mindT
by all means. I'm afraid I smoke
four of these every day Of my life.
and sometimes 1t runs to ave or six
mere habit. Now. my views are pretty
well known. and 1t would interest me
extremely to have the views OF a great
Il should perhaps say remarkable
crimina: upon them. hold that the
prison ruins the body. lowers the In
tellect and destroys the soul" The
last phrase came pat and mechanical.
The philanthropist had used 1t on many
platforms.
"Undoubtedly." said the criminal.
'But what else can you expect"
Surely In this twentieth century"
the phllanthropist began. and stopped
blankly.
Briefly. there are more stupid and
ignorant people than clever and well
Informed people. Our method Of treat.
ing criminals pleases the stupid and is.
norant majority"
You're quite right" said the phil
anthropist. eagerly. That majority
must be educated. Already there has
been some advance. Look at the sen.
tences that used to be carried out less
than a hundred years ago: they would
not be tolerated now. But there Is
much to be learned. Now I see the
prison OF the future as handsome.
we:l-lighted, airy place. with a fine
garden attached. and q swimming
bath. and-er-a gymnasium and IL
brary. and-er-everythlng Of that sort
There would be comfortable recrea.
tion-rooms: bagatelle perhaps bill.
lizards. Gambling and bad language.
OF course. prohibited. There would be
an employment bureau. which would
look after every man when he had
finished his term. There would be
system Of rewards for good conduct.
and there would be good deal Of mu-
sieve should believe in a refining
process"
The philanthropist was conscious
that he had put It better on platforms.
There was something in the criminals
good.natured and contemptuous eye
that disconnected him.
"How does It strike you:" he asked.
When the criminal was able to speak
Tor laughing. be said: Excuse me-it's
rubbish. Of coursee'
lyon don't think that as method Of
reclamation" Again the philan-
thropist stopped blankly.
mo criminal Is ever reclaimed. Peo-
pie who are not criminals. but have
made mistakes. may see the advantage
Of not making any more-that happens
sometimes. But the natural criminal
remains the natural criminal. just as
the natural genius remains a genius.
and for just the same reasons. En-.
vironment and circumstance may make
the occasional criminal. but the real
thing-that Is inborn. that Is the man
himself"
"Oh. but can't hold with you there ''
said the philanthropist. plucking up
heart. THAT Is a desperate doctrine.
And the facts are all against you. Dc
you know the work that the Salvation
Army Is doing:"
Certainly. 1t Is well meant. And
you may depend upon religious orgy
to produce in some people kind OF
hypnotic state under which suggestion
acts Very strongly on them. That is
found in all religions. The perma
nence of the conversion In the rea>
criminal depends on the hypnotic con
dition and the suggestion being fire.
quently renewed. Take these away
and the man goes back again; he !.
no more reclaimed than am"
That's not my version Of 1t at all.
vadi the philanihropist.
"No?'
"And look here. You think the pres
ent penal system all wrong. iot
Seem to have no faith In wide-mindet