Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-25
|KD[|ERN|NAIE
SENTENCE LAW
In All Likelihood 1t Will Be
Submitted to the Next
Iowa Legislature
RESULTS OF PROPOSED LAW
1t Carries Out the Idea of Punishment
Being More of a Reformation Than
a Revenge for Crime Committed
Serve Longer Average Sentences
Than Under the Old Laws.
Special to Times-RepublIcan.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Jan. 25.--Is it more than
probable that an indeterminate SEN
tence law will be submitted to the next
legislature. The last legislature APP
pointed a committee consisting of M.
J.. Tempt of Osceola. and f. +. Jones
of Villsca of the house and G G.
Saunders of Council Bluffs, of the SEN
ate, to investigate the matter and re-
port on the advisablity of passing
such law. Colonel Saunders was all
ready favorable. He made study of
was county attorney of Pottawattamie
county. MIR. Temple was not in favor
of such a law at the time of his APP
pointment on the committee but it is
believed had not gone deeply into the
study of the question at that time. Mr..
Jones it is understood has been study
ing the matter and is in favor Of the
! passage of such law. 1t is believed
the board of control, which has come
cal need of such a law is in favor of
it. Such n law has not been in force
in any of the states for any great
length of time and there has not been
a great deal of information to be
gained from other states from re-
ports.
From some Of the information gain
ed from other states it is learned that
prisoners under the indeterminate SEN
tence laws on the average serve long
er sentences than under the old laws.
This fact answers one of the first OBJ
jections that is raised concerning the
movement that it affords a way to let
prisoners off easily. The fact seems to
be from the experience in other states
THAT the man who on sudden impulse
commits a crime and probably would
never do an unlawful act again wheth-
er punished Or not soon is released
while the hardened criminals, who, by
nature can't, or seemingly can't, keep
from breaking the law, serve longer
terms. The idea of punishment of
criminals in most of the states is COM
ing now to be more of question of
reformation than of punishment and
under the indeterminate sentence a
man remains until there is a show Of
his having reformed. Then he is not
released. His is simply paroled and
remains on parole as long as he is good
or till there is evidence that the re-
formation is complete.
AS part of the advanced move
ment in the handling Of the criminals
of the state it is belie2e that sooner
or later the legislature will authorize
the employment of a state agent to
work urder the direction of the BOARD
of control to find employment for
criminals who arc released from the
penit entiary before 'hey ara dismissed.
Judge Robinson OF the board states
that The experience from his cbserva-
ton is that the first six months is the
most critical after the rele1se of 4
prisoner. If he finds work for the en-
tire period and remains straight, he is
likely to make quite creditabie show
ing. Released from the penitentiary
doors with a good suit OF clothes,
transportation to the place he was
sentenced from or some place not
farther away and given a few dollars
in molay i,:s condition is too often !,
very hazardous one.
Speaker Clark will Likely be the per-
son to make the principal address at
the banquet of the Tippecanae. Club of
this city February 9. The veterans
who voted for Old Tippecanoe are very
anxious to secure him. They wrote TO
him to make the date and .he speaker
Lox
to consider his answer and he has been
courteously informed that he must
consent. The banquet will most Likely
be held in the day time for the benefit
of large number of the veterans of
the club who have arrived at that age
when it is very inconvenient to attend
night banquets. Besides Speaker
Clarke there Wilt be other prominent
republicans of the state. The counties
receiving the banner and flag will Sc
lect their own speaker to make the
response to the presentation.
Governor Cummins is today attend
ing the meeting of the regents of the
State University at Iowa City of which
board he is ex-offico a member To-
morrow he will go to Cedar Rapids to
attend tne 1neellIlS OIL lHe state MANU-
facturers Association at which he will
deliver an address.
If there has been any criticism Of
the Iowa board of railroad commission
ers here is a letter from California that
should excite in Iowans appreciation
of the board and cause them to extend
sympathy to the sister state of Cali
fornia to which reports of railroad
commissioners never come. The letter
was received by Dwight n. Lewis,
secretary of the commission from Ed
ward P. f. Troy Of San Francisco.
After expressing appreciation for the
copy Of the report and map for 1903 he
says he has written to Governor Pardee |
of California calling his attention to
nnrfinns Of the Iowa statute which he '