The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-19
DEFENDS PAROLE LAW.
Warden Jewett Thinks Judge Dale's
Opinion Is Wrong.

Judge David NJ. Dale, the Demo-
cratic candidate for governor, is not a
believer in the practicability of the
present parole law in Kansas and he
believes it ought to be changed some
what, if not abolished altogether. E.
| B. Jewett, warden of the penitentiary,
on the contrary, is a thorough be-
| lever in the parole law, and he comes
! to its defense in statement showing
| its purposes and workings from his
! standpoint. He says:
81 see that Judge Dale proposes to
do away with the parole law, if elect
| ed governor; that he does not believe
| in the indeterminate sentence act,
and he says in substance that he will
not exercise the power of executive
clemency in behalf of men sentenced
to the penitentiary. He is of the
opinion that there should be a law
passed protecting the sacred person.
ality of district judges from the petit
lions of friends who seek to have ex-
ecutive clemency exercised in behalf
of men convicted of crime.
Judge Dale'S statement carries
with it he idea that the last two adj
ministrations have exercised the par
doning power loosely and indiscrimi-
nately, SO much SO as to bring the
administration of justice by the courts
into disrepute. This is a serious
charge rejecting on Governor Bailey
and Ex-Governor Stanley, but it is
very far from the truth.
"I assert without fear of successful
contradiction that in no state in the
union has executive clemency been
exercised with more care and in so
few instances as in Kansas. The
granting of conditional pardons by
Governor Stanley, which led to the
enactment of the indeterminate sem
tence law and parole law, is not in
the interest of the professional GRIM
inal class, as Judge Dale seems to
think. 1t is not a creation of the
faddist.' but the deliberate conclu-
nology a study for years by practical
contact with the proposition. Laws
similar to the present law enacted by
the legislature of 1903 are in force
in many of the states and have been
for years. AS a matter of fact, laws
in many respects like this one are in
force in nearly every civilized country
in the world.
This law has been in force in this
state for prisoners confined in the
industrial reformatory at Hutchinson
for nearly fifteen years, and has been
a success. Warden McClaughry of
the federal penitentiary at Leaven-
worth, a recognized authority on this
subject, says that it detains the pro-
fessionaI criminal for longer terms
than does the fixed or definite sentence
law
Judge Dale is an excellent citizen,
and was a good judge. He is now,
and was before the aggregation as
sembled, anxious to be governor. He
is now the Democratic candidate, ana
the Pop candidate, and is fishing in a
blind pool for an issue.
"Oh, yes; there will be lots of votes
in Sedgwick county for Mr.. Hoch.
The Republicans down there are Re-
publican Republicans. While Mr..
Dale may get a few Republican votes,
his attitude towards several ambitious
young men in his own party, who
were anxious to be nominated for
county office on the Democratic ticket,
will lose him Democratic votes.
cit is given out by Mr.. Dale that no
effort must be made by his political
associates to antagonize the local Re-
publican ticket