Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-06-06

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Ing and other public works.
We all know the story Of the prodi-
gal son-of his highssDirited depart
IRE from bis fathers house and 81 his
disappointing career. WI known how,
after wasting HIS substance in riot.
Gus living, after being brought hs hun.
ger To a sense of his sin. me Turned
back and In repentance sought his
fathers house. We know how the
father had yearncd for him in his abb
sence and how he welcomed him on
his approach, forgaye him his way
wardness and rejoiced in his rein.
statement. But this story tells Of the
case Of a son OF the blood, who first
wandered away and then came back
to the sire from whom he sprung.
But has not this lesson a wider mean.
ing2 Society has its prodigal sons
sons who wander away. yield TO temp.
%tation, sin grievously. break the laws
and finally after punishment desire to
lead an upright life. What are we to
do with these? Any one who has con.
versed with. ex-convicts knows that
the critical time In the reformation Of
the criminal Is the time when he Is.
sues from the prison door and comes
into contact with a cold and unsym,
pathetic world.
Great improvement has been made
In the method OF treating criminals
and there is still room for further
Improvement. There has been i'm
provcment also In the methods 81 en-.
ployment. Instead Of bringing the
prisoner into competition with free la,
Dor, an effort Is being made to find
employment which will make the la
Dor of the prisoner productive and
yet not cause an Injury 10 those who
must by their manual labor provide
support for their families.
The employment Of prisoners IN az,
ri%culture has been found to be pro,
dnctiye 81 good. because the employ.
ment ~ a wholesome one and those
employed In the filling Of the soil help
to produce food for themselves and
Others. The Good Roads movement
suggests a new use for prison labor,
The employment OF conyicts in the
building Of roads reduces the ex
penses to a minimum and brings the
convict to the attention OF the pub.
lie. A a employed at this work
feels that he Is really comforting a
benefit upon society, and al the same
lime feels assured that his work Is
not lowering the standard of living
OF any Of his fellows.
Those who deal with the criminal
should deal with him recognizing that
there is In his body an immortal soul,
a spark Of spiritual life, a moral sense
that can be quickened into a CONTROL.
Ing influence, and the cultivation aud
development OF the good in the prison.
err ought to be The constant aim OF
, those who are in charge OF reforma.
tory Institutions hut even this is not
sufficient, for the courage and hope
inspired within the walls of the prison
may be chilled ~ the dlstrust and
suspicion met with outside. The great
Difficulty ~ thar The individual to
whom The cx-convict applies fears to
trust him until Nc has given proof Ok
his reformation. Only those who are
deeply alive 20 the obligations of
brotherhood and Christian love are
willing 70 risk the employment of b
VINO has been convicted 81. Il crime.
Cannot organized society give % the
eN'convict an opportunity 10 demon.
stratc 4 change IN his purpose and
plan q life? Cannot the state with
propriety and with benefit 20 itself