The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-27


clothes or knickerbockers. Love Is law.
Courts must sentence and punish men with
equity but never with despair. The vilest
can be reconstructed IL you apply the true
secret of reconstruction.
1T is. evident that the civilized world
took a long stride onward when II ban
ished the cold. austere conceptions of JUS
uce and when IL began to incorporate the
warm, tropical element of brotherliness
and sympathy in the whole realm OF
healing unfortunate types of depravity. A
prison is school and not a chamber Of
torture. A prison is hospital to medicate
the sick and inspire healthiness. prison
Is not a grim castle of ostracism and con-
tempt, but an opportunity OF regaining
virtue ana respect. Punishment has place
as means but not as an end. We do not
believe In any mawkish sentimentalism or
weeping pathos. Bouquets from fearful
women are out of order. No prison should
nave upholstery and toothsome viands and
luxurious apartments. To treat felons as
our fellows in the earth struggle, TO carry
out earnestly the truth of Jesus that the
outcas.s and debauched are our brothers
does not involve the absurdity of abolish
ing the severity or penal treatment or
Guessing over the essential badness of
crime. Sin is fatal in every form. If
part of the city develops thieves and en-
bezzlers Ii is worse than an epidemic of
typhoid. Vigorous methods are called for.
Musty theories only make more evil. While.
however, you are firm in your handling OF
vice never forget that YOU are dealing
with human beings and not with cattle
or machines. Aim not to make culprits
writhe under your strokes or curse at your
stony pride, but TO touch the sensitive
chord of trembling goodness In them and
make men of them.
THE TRUEST ECONOMY.
II hold such legislation is the honest
economy. We would require fewer police
and less Jail room if the authorities sought
more to cure than to scourge. Hence the
unspeakable advantage of internal reform
in the men themselves. Our goodly homes.
where virtue is lessoned in the cradle, our
earnest churches loyal to the Son of God.
our schools live and modern, teaching
knowledge that creams into the richness
of character-all these are positive and
preventive. The State can't spend too
much money on our Christian kindergar-
tens. They foster citizenship from in
fancy on.
Character is sovereignty in our repub-
lican government. II men break laws, seek
to re-establish their manhood, revamp their
condemn them for their misdemeanors let
the kindly motive shine through your YER
dict.
1T is asked: Has the State any right
to pursue this gentle and remedial course:
Is the State to blame for mems crimes
And the answer is this: Men are not SO
free as We dream. Some freedom, even
the worst have; IL not, then no RESPONSE
bility; then no culpability any more than
pieces of putty. The most depraved have
some beams of light from God and they must
be stimulated to use ii and not coddled
into pleading ignorance as an excuse. Still
after all allowance is made, human beings
are punches Of heredity and products OF
almost omnipotent environment and asso.
cellar, greeted with frowns, reared with
every filthy and lustial surrounding will
in ninety cases out of a hundred, develop
into a hardy, defiant criminal. The church
C0n6pmng ghOuld no &c
nounce sentence of doom: Should it do this
alone! Did the man make himself? Die
ne fill his own veins? Did he choose hi!
Let the State feel its weight of guilt
when it allows indefensible marriages
when 1t permits saloons to entice youth anC
imbrute the heart; when it allows a hun
dred evils to be spread like snares for in
nocent feet; when unprincipled politicians
want votes and therefore curry favor will
the gambler and libertine; when the State
In other words, helps to raise men of Sucl
violence that they are sure to disturb tn,
community, then let 1t logically share tn
blame. Why expect roses to bloom out o
boys?
the product of envoironment in the larg
sense 1t becomes the duty of government
to cleanse our cities and purge the source
OF population. AS an economic law as wei
| IS sanitary and religious obligation, tn
money grudgingly voted to prison reform
| Is simple case Of a State paying its bills
To mend human nature is the function O
a Christian State and not alone that o
| the church.
INVOLVES DIFFICULTY.
ITO punish men with a view to purifyin
| them and let them go free when their char
| acter is re-established Is a policy involv
ing delicacy and difficulty. To Judge whe
an inmate of prison is sincere and reliabl
| demands omniscience almost. However
1 r
| tribute to their calmness and well-poise
discernment and statistics show that owe
| 10 per cent. at least Of those set free ar
| worthy of freedom. In other cases a secon
| arrest is necessary. This percentage assure
| the success of the scheme.
"Of course natural suspicion easil
| shadows an ex-convict. He may change hi
| clothes. but rurnor fixes a brand hard t
| him. A mother cannot be blamed when sh
hesitates to employ a repentant Magdalen
| in her kitchen or nursery. A weighty manu-
facturer can hardly hire former forger /
| his office. 1t is the hard price of sin. Sin 4
| sin, no matter what rose-scented theorie
pass around about 1t. Reformers must b
patient. Philanthropists must not expet
| society to open its thousand golden door
Immediately to the repentant. But som
| doors con be opened without any smirch
| innocence. Open these and the man
woman sincerely turning toward rectitud
will take the first chance and not CRITICS
self-preserving society for being litt
hesitant in its welcome.
I'm all cases We return to the bas
theory. Malice and vengeance and passio
form no part Of true punishment. Eve
when God Furnishes the tears stream dow
| His face Even in the far future IL ever
child soul is lost God must mourn foreve
Theology has been equally unfortunat
with infidels in putting the accent on futul
punishment 1t should be placed on futul
disobedience. WIN men from sin and yc
quench all bells here or hereafter. Alto
mi
continue. This is the true doctrir
of reason, for heavens and bells al
spiritual developments and not materia
istic pictures Jesus came to quell sin ar
blend the will of man with the loving w
of His Father. and for once He mention
hell he mentions sin a thousand times. L
all sin, therefore, cease and in such r
deemed universe no pain can remain"
OBLIGATIONS TO CRIMINALS.