The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-21
NO, He ISN'T SORE
At Least That Is What Mr..
Jewett Says.
Quite Sure He Has, Retired From
Politics.
HITS NAIL ON HEAD.
Disgrace to Make Penitentiary
Political Frying Pan.
Gives His Ideas About Reforma-
ton OF Prisoners.

The man who will soon be known as
"ex-Warden" Jewett was hanging about
Governor Hoch's Office yesterday, wait
ing for the advisory board to let loose
of his excellency, and being cornered by
a State Journal reporter, disserted thus:
I'm not soren about this warden APP
pointment. 1 want that distinctly I'M
derstood. But here's fact; l have been
in that office of warden longer than any
man since 1885, and feel that 1 really
have not had time to learn to do the
work as it should be done. 1t is a mis-
fortune to the state that this great in
stitution should be used as a political
football. II I had put in my time up
at Saltwater as faithfully and with as
much success, as 1 believe 1 have at
Lansing I could have had the job for
so years, if 1 had wanted it. The same
thing holds good for the North Dakota
pen, and a good many other state peni-
tentiaries.
Isn't it a remarkable thing that a
great state like Kansas will put in
several million dollars building an in
stitution like that, stick into that in
Stltution 1,200 immortal souls, and then
use it as a political frying pan?
Remember, that I'm not sore; but 1
want it understood that have retired
from politics. I retired once before, and
then jumped back in deeper than ever,
but this time it is final I'm out of
politics for good.
II liked the work at the penitentiary.
1t affords great opportunities to man
to study the conditions of people sent
there to prison. Every man sent to
people are sOrrOWing. Ii it was just the
man alone it wouldn't be so bad, per-
haps, but think of the mothers, fathers,
sons and daughters, aunts, and uncles
Sometimes a whole town will be sor-
rowing when somebody goes to the
prison. The business of the prison Off
cial is to make men better.
THE penitentiary is not primarily to
punish men, but to make them better.
The prisoners should be surrounded
with influences which will make them
better, and that is where the hardest
work of the warden comes in. The man
who can do this is hard to find, and
| when found he should be retained in
the position. I'm not casting any refiec-
| tons on Mr.. Haskell; he may be all
| right, but he comes in there, just as
| did, unfamiliar with the duties and re-
| sponsibilities of the office.
There are some very grave questions
coming before the warden almost daily;
questions involving things in which the
warden himself does not know what his
duty is, under the premises. Sometimes
we are criticised for pardoning- or pa
1 OCCAl
| in there a year or two. But we are in
a position to know things which the
public can not know. We know whether
| a prisoner can be turned out into the
world for his own best interests and
for the best interests of society. Some
| times we are convinced that a man has
been in long enough, and that he should
be released. We have to keep constant
ly in mind that these men have to be
returned to society; we can't keep then
there year or two and then behea6
them.
Now take it in the case of that boy
| Willie Sell; perhaps 1 should not single
out his case, but it is an example
Willie Sell has been in there long time
There is no need of any further reform
ing It is simply punishment now. Nc
one doubts that if Willie Sell were re-
leased, he would be a decent citizen
There would be no increase in the num-
Der of murders on that account, no mat
ter what the past has been. But still
we must keep him there because he i:
a life man. Long sentences sometime:
have a very depressing effect on men
Not long ago a man who had been il
there II years said to me, If I have t.
stay here 10 years more, warden,
wouldn't thank any governor to par
don me out When a man has had time
in prison to straighten out and brace up
the prison has done for him all it can.