Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-16

had been previously directed by the alcalde
to be present to see that no unnecessary
severity was practiced and the man then
set free. That was the last seen of the fell
low in that region. partly. suppose. because
OF condition attached to the sentence
that the whipping would be repeated If the
cuiprit should be found in the vicinity of
the town within two years. But the Judge
suggested that the latter part of the sem
tence was unnecessary. for there was some
thing so degrading in public whipping
that he had never known a man thus whip
ped who would stay at the place longer
than he could help. or ever desired to re-
turn"
The above incident occurred about 1850.
over a half century ago While appre-
ciating the feeling of horror with which all
manly men regard wife beating, the fear
cannot be repressed that the remedy pro-
posed, of a return to the same method of
punishment, fully justified In the case I
have cited. in view of the crude civilization
existing In those early days in California.
might tend to increase the only too large
number of deserted wives already In our
District. Compulsory labor for the culprit.
with the proceeds of, such work turned
over to the poor victim whom he promised
20 protect and care for. seems to be the
better plan. IRWIN B. LINTON.
Make the Brutes Work.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
I was pleased to observe in The Star OF
the 18th instant the hearty editorial APP
prevail OF the suggestion by Mr. Charles
F. Weller, the secretary of the Associated
Charities that instead OF reviring the bar
barous whipping post the special punish
ment for wife beaters. il one be needed
should be Imprisonment at hard labor. a
part at least of the earnings to go to the
dependent families. This accords most
fully with views have long held respecting
the reformation and improvement of our
whole system of penologS. 1t is now gen.
orally conceded that the object of the in
Fiction of penalties for crime should be,
not revenge. vindictiveness. nor even retri-
button fer the wrong inflicted upon others,
but solely the protection OF society from
further depredations by the criminal, and
as far as possible the lettering of others
from committing similar offenses. The first
object is well attained by the restraint of
the criminal in jail or prison, but with
large part of our criminal population, in
whom the sense of self-eSteem has been
warped or lost, the second object is but
poorly sustained when, as is sometimes the
case. the conditions of prison life are made
easier and the labor less severe than would
be necessary for the same individual to
provide for the needs of life outside Pris-
on, and especially jail, sentences are not
at all distasteful to many habitual crimi-
mails.
To strengthen the lettering effect of i'm
prisonment and at the same time to show
1t should be the aim of society to cause
him to respect and afterward practice 1
should require the inmates of prisons to
provide by their own labor for all their
wants, so far as practicable. in the same
manner as II they were outside and In ad-
dition to bear among them the total ex-
pense of maintaining the prisons. necessary
guards, etc. OF course the opportunity for
labor or self-employment which might be
safely permitted within the prison walls
would necessarily be somewhat limited, but
that would be one of the disadvantages in
herent in prison life and would add to the
weight of its deteNing force. The share
in the expense Of maintaining the prison
and guards. which would not be small
would further .accentuate the difference be-
tween prison life and that outside, greatly
TO the disadvantage of the former
Besides arranging for as extgnded as
possible series OF occupations to be al
lowed withir the gates and for the reason
able exchahsS of surplus products prison
authorities need have no concern with the
comfort or luxury of their charges beyond
the restraint necessary to preserve order
among them and to see that justice Is main
tanned between them In the opportunities
TO labor and in the use and disposition OF
the products. The prisoner who would then
shfrk or refuse to work might with absolute
Justice be allowed to starve or go in rags.
And only the sick and actually incapacf-
tated would 1t then be necessary to sup
port by general Taxation