The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-24
To the EdItor of rhe 30

To the Editor OF The Post.
Huntsville. Texas, November 2O-uur
penal system may properly be divided into
three departments, viz. financial, DIS
ciplinary and reform.
Ia this system, reform should occupy a
very high and important place. At present
the system Is about selfsupporting and IN
a good financial condition The methods
Of discipline no doubt in some instances
SAVIOR Of barbanty Within the walls there
ls fair state Of prison discipline.
The greatest trouble seems to be in the
lease system" ON these farms prisoners
often do not receive the care and treat
ment that they should. The policy OF teas
ing convlcts should cease Such n method
Is shame to our boosted Christian ciyi.
llzation, and in many instances curse to
the convicts
In this article we wish mainly TO speak
of the reform work AS chaplain, we nave
worked IN ANA carefully studied this ned
Of labor, during the past -four years.
We ind the office OF chaplain Is very SUP
ordinate too much so to accomplish the
best results At present II carries with II
plenty Of work and responsibility but llttle
or no authority and but slight olhcial
Recognition No work can prosper when
thus handicapped.
The prosperity Of one department should
not be obtained AZ the expense OF another,
The objects Of prison confinement are two
fo,d--the projections Of society and the ro-
form OF the criminal 1ns latter object
| should be well kept to the front Prison
confinement either makes a man better
or worse. II he is made worse
(which under existing conditions Is too
often the cosel when he goes ont he Is
q more dangerous character than eyer.
| Therefore every lawahiding citizen should
feel real interest in the reformation OF
our criminal classes.
OFFICERS OF HIGH CHARACTER
The time is ripe for an advance move
ment In this line. We wish to stir pubic
opinion on this vital subject and call the
attention Of our legislators 10 the needs
Of this important field of work In order
70 obtain the best results. II Is our mature
conviction that every man engaged IN
prison work officer, empoye or guard,
erould have a good character above re.
proach and worth 100 cents on the dollar
anywhere aud any when Moral fitness
should he the first consideration IN me
selection Of men for all such positions
Moral excellence should be demanded II nj
rublc servants A mans life and cnar
| acter are constant object lessons to the
| unfortunate class with whom he deals
SuCh object lessons. II good. are the most
potent agents Of reform known among mcl
No man addicted TO profanity. drunkenness
/ or gambling regardless OF any and an
/ other qualifications, is ut to come IN cor
tact with fallen humanity II we ever eA-
pect to make them better
With good Christian men Ms officers and
employees to aid. strengthen ana ahet the
efforts ot the chaplain, the reform work
would 60 forward with leaps and bounds
Of prosperity.
The law considers every man innocen
until proven guilty; 80 our penal policy
should consider every criminal capable OF
reform until every agency TO that end has
| been exhausted In order % obtain bet.
| ter results in reform work, we believe that
the single cell IN most cases would be best
for the prisoner
The graded system should be introduced
and let men rise or fan strictly on merit
/ The younger and the better classes or
criminals should he separated from the
hardened and habItual classes The herd,
Ing Of all together Unfortunately is Dc
structivc Of all moral efforts or impress
I Slons u is sometimes the case that n
boy for his first offcnse land that perhaps
not very grave onel will he sent to the
penlttntiary, and after a few years 20 ont