The Holly chieftain., 1908-01-24
ire WORK REVIEWED At TENTH
ANNUAL MEETING AND
ANNivERsARY.
AIDING Ex.C0MvICTs
WOULD ADolieH KANGAROO
COURT AND FURNieH WORK
FOR PRISONERS.


citation celebrated its tenth anniversary
at its annual meeting in this city
Thursday. The anniversary program
was held at Unity church. under tho
auspices of the board OF direction Of
the Prison Association. Luncheon was
served by the ladies Of the church at
8 p. M, and there were numerous ad.
dresses afterward. Former Governor
9. g. Thomas delivered the principal
address.
Hon. Henry v. johnson. president OF
the association. was unable to be pres
ent owing to . recent fall from which
he is still suffering. but he sent COM
munication to bs read. which is in part
~ follows:
"The care and attention and little
money properly expended at the right
time has saved many . poor. despond-
emit and hopeless man from relapsing
into the old life which has placed him
behind the bars. This II not only hui
manity In its highest form. but 1t is Of
great benefit to the stats Of Colorado.
because every ex-convict that this so
ciety through its efforts can save from
. relapse. means . large amount in
good, hard dollars to the honest citi-
gems OF the state.
"Ths Kangaroo court which has ex-
listed, and understand still exists in
the city OF Denver. take great pleas
ure in branding a. . disgrace to the
people Of the city and county Of Dem
yer, and a. q thing which the judges
Of the District Court o6 this city and
county should zee 70 - ct once and
forever abolished.
Another thing which this associa-
tion, through its ofacers, mas been en-
deavoring to accomplish - tia enact
mont and execution Of . law BY which
the convicts oS he state Of Colorado
shall bo put to some useful and rs-
muneratfye work. It is economy ON
that part Of the state. and 1t 70 human.
ity toward the convicts Themselves.
With the 700 or more able bodied con-
vlcts In the state penitentiary. much
beneficial. useful and remunSraftye
work could be done for the state. When
thought over this matter, have pic
tured to myself, what great work
these convicts could do for the state
Of Colorado. in the building Of roads
throughout the state, or the building
Of reservoirs at proper places. These
| works, under the supervision OF com
petent engineers, could be done In .
way that the results would last for q
thousand years or more. Think OF
the magnificent roads that could be
built through our mountains and other
parts OF the state, and thereby enable
the citizens of the state to transform
what today Is a desert, into homes and
gardens. But they would not be linn
tied to these two things. There are
many other useful lines in which they
could be employed to the great advan-
tage OF the convicts themselves. and
to the state at large.
Some people may pronounce such
aims and hopes as vagaries and the
ories. but happily the matter has been
thoroughly and beyond all cayil yeri-
ned, and shown to be entirely possible
and practicable.
Last November while on . visit to
Detroit, ! had the pleasure Of visiting
the Detroit House Of Correction.
was met by the superintendent, Mr..
nS0Oubtus WIZ very hlAuAy oAN d 30
iously took me all through that i'm
mense institution. The cells occupied
by the prisoners were In large court
or building that was thoroughly lighted
and thoroughly ventilated. The air in
the place was as fresh and as pure %
that outside. Order and discipline and
without the use Of any Kangaroo court
was found to be easily maintained, not
withstanding the fact that they have
on an average Of over 400 prisoners In
the place. All of the prisoners able to
do any work are occupied in manufac-
turing three or four useful things, vi1,
chairs. pearl buttons. scrub brushes
and horse brushes, and although they
are employed In manufacturing only
these four named articles, all Of the
expenses OF taking care OF the pris-
oner3. of feeding them, of guarding
them, Of buying material and imple-
ments for them to work with. are paid
for. and last year net profit. to the
city Of Detroit, they showed the enor-
nous sum Of $4,000. In addition to
paying all of these expenses and In
paying for the raw material, there IL
small amount each day credited to the
prisoner who proves himself Of good be-
havior, and to be steady and indus
trious. The prisoner Is credited with
this amount, and at the time that his
imprisonment expires. he has some
small amount Of money to his credit
which II paid over to him. The priS-
oners were not dressed in stripes, and
A. rule. they had happy or at least
. conteuted look upon their 3aces."