The Springfield herald., 1903-07-17
Charities and Correction.

Charities and Correction.
An interested audience, composed of
the charter convention committee on
charities, correction and education
and members of the Woman's club.
listened, on the afternoon of July Sd.
to the ideas of those connected with
charity and correction institutions OF
the city.
Rev. r. e. Sykes of the Associated
Charities gave an account of the work
of that organization and described the
difference between the charity which
pauperizes and that which truly helps.
He told of the founding of the present
organization fifteen years ago by My
ron Reed and others, and of the work
which has since been done by it.
In his opinion outdoor relief work,
such as is done by the organization,
should be left in its hands by the
charter and care should be taken to
entirely eliminate politics. he said
that in the past the poor fund in 9TH
er cities had not been kept entirely
free from the hands of the spoiler, and
that where politics entered charity
was often DldCeu WueIe IL Wouiu VI ihS
the most goods. instead of where it
would do the most good
Judge Lindsey described in detail
his ideas regarding the treatment Of
juvenile offenders. He was listened
to with great interest, and numerous
questions We're asked him by members
of the committee. Judge Lindsey held
that no one under sixteen years old
could be criminal or commit crime.
Misdemeanors committed by children
under this age. he thought, were rare
ly maliciously meant. He reviewed
the effects ON children when confined
with older persons with trained Grim
inal instincts. and cited numerous in
stances which have come under his
observation while acting as judge of
the juvenile court
His remedy is what he styles DE
tention Home" building to be owned
by the city in residence portion. In
charge of this he would have super
intendent and matron who should be
man and wife, and have sufficient edu-
cation to give the children in their
care training which would make
good citizens out of them. He thought
that the appointment of these two Of
ficers should rest with the Judge of
the juvenile court for. he said. the
Judge was responsible for sending
them to the home. and he should also
be responsible for their care and
training while in the home This
could not be, unless the appointment
of the officers of the home rested With
him.
Judge Lindsey described the opera
tion of homes of detention which he
had visited in different cities, and said
4, ,.I, 10 Il
the least good were under political
domination.
Mrs. Belford read a report of the
work accomplished in securing com
Portable and sanitary conditions in the
city and county jails during the win
ter. and pleaded for future reform
along the same lines.
In answer to questions from men,
bers of the committee, he said that
a home coud be built for $4,000 at the
most The sentences of the children
sent there should rest with the judge.
who should not be bound by laws in
this respect, as different children
needed different treatment. He
thought that the time of detention
would range from two days to two
months. and that there would he at
least 800 children of both sexes each
for varying lengths of time. He was
opposed to charging ca!ldren under
the given age with crime and thought
it all should be included under disor-
derly conduct
The State Humane Society has in
preparation a blacklist of all cattle
men in Colorado who allowed tn cir
cattle to starve last winter. The list
is being carefully compiled by the
agents of the society, and it will be
preserved for future reference. Just
what action will be taken to punish the
offenders has not yet been determined.
The law is very severe in its punish
ment for such offenses. The guilty
ones may be fined $3.50 for each ami
NAL allowed to perish from starvation
and besides get years Imprisonment
in jail 1t will readily be seen that
in cases where many cattle were al
lowed to starve the Humane Society
has the power to mete out very heavy
penalties. This fall the society will
prepare and send out to cattlemen all
over the state warning of the pun
ishment provided by law in such cases
and the intent of the officers to ham
die severely all who are guilty OF v:o-
lation.