Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-27

noble exception, the SPOTS system Sis
enthroned In prison adElH1stration, ng nj
ing for its pelf. careless--o1 the state oI ,lie
that the establishment of wise and hu-
name psychological SYSTEM means the end OF
the rule of political greed, and corruption
Relic of Barbarism.
AS we go over THIS Question let us
never lose sight Of the miserable fact
that all of the wisdom. all of the hopes,
all of the plans of scientific penology are
held up. like traveller by highway
man. by this relic of barbarism, the
spoils' system in politics. which breaches
and practices that the PUBLIC service
should be administered to pay the pol1t1-
cal debts of political machines, ofhce
holders and bankrupt politicians.
Therefore it is that while careful IN
yeStigators, wise philanthrOpists and ex-
Ierienced penologists are Wei aware OF
the general outlines of what ought to De
done, tradition, ignorance and the 'spoiis
system separate these experts from the
great mass of citizens and obscure the
workings of wise public opinion toward
better things.
Therefore your committee desires to
lay before you a synopsis Of what more
experienced men have learned by patient
study and what they insist may be done
Scientific penOlogy Is not so much an
evolution of growth from penoiogical
systems as it Is reputation OF them,
for it grew out of and was forced into
existence by the failure of the prevailing
methods.
During the year 1890 424.41O arrests
were made in the United States for other
crimes than prostitution and drunken
MSS; 1897 persons were convicted for
in this country upon our penological ad-
ministration, including arrests, trials
and lmprisonments. Our prisons. 1ails.
&C. cost $120,000,0OO per annum The dt=
rect cost of crime is $500. 100000. All the
tremendous energies of society. repre-
scented In this vast expenditure Of money,
are concentrated in this work
Result of Centuries Of Growth.
''rhe public pocket book is open, the
drain upon 1t Is enormous, the system
which administers these vast resources
is the result of centuries of growth. And
yet during the year 1000 there was COM
mitted one crime for every twenty-five
of our population. Only one arrest was
made for each twenty crimes committed,
the other nineteen going undiscovered.
Practically out of each 100 of our popu-
iatiOn are criminals making a total OF
5000 human beings in the United
states who are criminals
There are differences of opinion as to
some of the details of the situation. but 1t
Is the general conviction of penolog1sts that,
In spite of all our increasing knowledge. in
spite Of the tremendous resources expended
upon the problem there has been no rela-
tive decrease in crime.
The prevailing idea, under the old pencil
ogy. was. and Is, that society is to be pro-
tected from crime by the punishment of the
criminal. The weapon was fear. A crime
was u crime. Its reward was torment. Its
cure was to be hoped for by the dread
" hch punishment aroused.
Reformatory Aim Pointed Out.
The reformatory aim in penology pro-
vites:
That all criminal madmen shall be placed
in hospitals where they shall be cared for
during their natural lives with as great
degree of comfort as Is consistent with their
safe keeping.
THAT there shall be prisons for incorrigi-
bies. those who are beyond possible refor-
ma ton. 1t is the conviction of those best
able to judge that this class is very small
but we may assume that there are some pc
yund the reach of all human influences that
will cure them of criminal impulses. For
these the only remedy is to isolate them IN
confinement where they can do
no harm and where they cannot propagate
and perpetuate their species.
For presumptive or possible criminals,
victims of idleness and vciousness, a care
full investigation. and, If necessary. treat
ment of the disease before 1t breaks out.
For first offenders. second chance I'M
der the supervision of the courts and
,,roba tionary officer.
If we come close to that problem of
chara cter and conduct which underles the
whole field of penology, We find that 1t is
only the human problem writ large. Grim
inalty is exaggerated and illegal sin. 1t
Is that kind of sin which is prohibited by
the laws of man, with which society supple
ments the laws of God. Sin is disobedience
OF Gods laws. Crime is disobed:ence of
mans laws. Reformation of criminals Is
like unto redemption of sinful man. Gods
problem is not unlike the problem of state.
\ correct philosophy of penology would be
I, perfect philosophy of redemption"
1t Is understood that this report, If ac-
cepted by the convention. will simply out
line the general policy of the church in the
matter Of penology.
Committees Report Yesterday.
The report of the committee on official
reports was taken up yesterday afternoon
and five sections presented by Rev. DR.. r.
r. Johonnot of Chicago One of these sec
tons stated that expenditures in excess of
income were intolerable and ordered them
stopped.
At the mass meeting last night Rev. w
II. Rider of Massachusetts presided and
Henry f.. MetcaIf of Rhode Island talked
of Sunday schools. Rev. +. A. Dillingham;
OF Connecticut spoke on schools and col
Ieges. He declared that the students enter
Ing colleges and graduating therefrom have
an Inadequate knowledge OF religious truth
aud of the religious movements that have
ma de the nations.