The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-31
A STATE REFoRmA1oRY.

One of the acts imposed upon for
mer Governor Chamberlain by the GEN.
eral Assembly was the appointment of
a commission to investigate the need
of a State reformatory, the cost of
establishing one and the preparation
of plans. The chairman of the commits
sion was Warden Garvin of the States
prison and the secretary was Thomas
Dudley Wells of Hartford a well
known student of penology. another
member was former State Senator
Tracy of Waterbury and still another
DR.. William j. Ford of washington.
Soon after organizing this commits
sion Travelled many thousand miles up
on tour of inspection of the REFORM
atcries of the country at great neon
venience and considerable personal loss
in private interests. They visited var
ious parts of the State of Connecticut
inspecting sites. They examined all
laws bearing in any way upon the sub
Ject. They formulated a report which
has been declared by experts to be the
best ever written on the subject 1t
not only covered the history Of the re-
formatory movement but 1t recon-
4 pnnpdaS tn 4+e, 1Ir11{
have since been approved by other
States, They presented plan for a
building the final completion of which
was to be left to the inmates. In
fact all the information the State could
possibly desire to aid 1t or Justify 1t in
going ahead with the protect was sup
piled. 1t was estimated that the origin
al cost would be between 100000 and
100000. The General Assembly of 1905
considered it and passed 1t on to the
present legislature. This General AS
sembly unable to reject 1t has in turn
passed it on to the legislature of 1900,
though three governors, Roberts,
Chamberlain and Woodruff, approved
of the plan. The obstacle in the way
was the lack of funds, which is still
the obstacle,
1t would be ungracious to criticise
the General Assembly of 1907 for its
lack of provision for this important
undertaking If all demands Of like
character and integrity had been treat
ed in similar manner. 1t would be
actually unfair IL other large appro-
priations OF more doubtful usefulness
had not been allowed To withhold the
money needed for reformatory and
give 1t to the very questionable move
ment to free toll bridges which should
be freed by the localities they serve
justifies a sharp rebuke. To withhold
1t from the reformatofy and yet issue
bonds to the extent of $2,500,000 with
which to build two desirable but I'M
necessary State buildings at the city OF
Hartford is to deliberately place the
cart before the horse The appropria-
ton of $4.5o0,0Oo by means Of bonds
with which to improve the highways
of the state on wholesale plan
while wise is not bit more needed for
the welfare of the State than the APP
preparation of 100000 for a reforma-
tory
The pressing need there is for the
establishment of reformatory in the
State of Connecticut for the restora-
tive treatment of offenders between
the ages of sixteen and twenty-five ad-
mits Of no discussion. It's neglect shows
woefuI lack of appreciation and
knowledge of the reformatory princi-
pie as applied to Connecticut. 1t also
shows menacing indifference to the
best uses to which a bond-issue can
be put We risk nothing In a reputa-
ton for intelligence when we say that
having cared for the good roads the
reformatory should have come next,
before either the new arsenal and ar
mory and before the new library and
Supreme court building. The approprl-
alton for free bridges is not to be
spoken of in the same breath or in
the same week.