The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-27
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Reformatorfes for Youthful Criminals
 of Both Races.

Reformatorfes for Youthful Criminals Editor Advertiser:
 | I see that the Legislature has very | properly made an appropriation for the | reformatory for white boys located at East Lake; I think the age limit. un- I and that it should be changed so as to includeka under eighteen years of age. We should all make due allow ance for the indiscretion of youth and | 1t should be the exception when the same character of punishment Is given a boy for the commission of crime that is given to man or maturity and
 But while we are providing for the l whites, why ignore the negro youths whose environments are such that from whom we do not expect as high a degree of morality as from the whites? should young boys. simply because while m the eens ~h@ be ars aest Mth ordinary criminals? I do not believe in treating them In such a manner as to make punishment a reward for crime, and they should be made to la Dor and become as near self f-sustain- ing as possible. but they should not be treated as hardened criminals and ing and should be taught the useful trades while in the performance of hard labor.
 
 negro boy. who had been jointly in- dicted for burglary and who plead guilty, to the penitentiary, and gave them. of course, the lightest sentence. The white boy was about sixteen and the negro was about twelve The white boy being the senior by several years and in all probability, was the leader in the commission sof the crime. Nei- ther of these boys should have been turned loose upon the community, yet Df hoyt knx Ys with as ordinary convicts There was a chance to get the white boy in the reformatory, but no such place bad been provided ,S sdo Tor the, little negro. I Cunningham and suggested that he try and provide for them both and for the little sal negro especially.as l was satisfied formatory and knew of no place for the negro but the penitentiary, as no pro- vision had been made for young con victs of his race. The Governor sue ceeded in getting the white boy fin at East Lake, but as there was no refor- matory for the negro, he very properly pardoned him.
 As chairman of committee, brought this subject to the attention of the Bar Association" few years ago, and the report was approved, but the Legislature has done nothing in the ton for the whites. I believe in for eign missions and in spreading the gos- pei; 1t is all right to convert China and Japan and to feed hungry India. but charity should begin at home, and 1t is a shame that these young negroes are dealt with as ordinary convicts.
 Mrs. Johnston and her associates have done a noble work in establishing the reformatory at East Lake, but these unfortunate young negroes, many of whom committed crime because of hunger and ignorance, are wards of the State and should be given chance for reformation and not handled in such a manner that they come out more de- prayed than when they were sentenced. Convicts should not be used solely to fill the coffers of the State and the State should handle this subject with mercy and humanity. The State can well afford to appropriate a small por- ton of the large earnings of the adult convicts for the care of those of ten der years, and she should not confine her consideration to those of the white race. The Legislature will soon re- cess but it is to be hoped that the com mittee in charge of this subject will in vestiagte this question and secure the passage of a bill. when the Legisla- ture reconvenes providing for the youthful convicts. I have no word of reproach for those in charge of the convcts. this department has been most successfully managed, and the fault is not with these officers but in the law.
 Respectfully.
 Jno. c. Anderson.