The morning journal-courier., 1908-01-17
THE PASSING DAY.

 should the enthusiastic reformers of society have their way all at once they would build neither wisely nor we'll. It takes time to reconstruct so- ciety, and society with an innate com mon sense resists changes in the more or less established order of things which threaten revolution and the un- certain consequences of revolution. But if society cannot be reconstruct ed over night, or as a result of an election turning upon the popular con ception of things, it can and is being slowly awakened to newer and broader understanding of cooperative responsibility
 The cold philosophy of the survival Of the Attest. while it will continue to run it's course with human nature, is nevertheless meeting from time to time assaults which weaken it's integ- rity. It is being more and more real ized that the weaknesses of human nature must be taken into account in 6 more or less paternal spirit; that men must not be permitted to do al- together as they will with their own if as a consequence the penalties are to be heaped upon the innocent We are certainly not wise enough to an- swer the question which is put in the marching of hundreds of unemployed to the city hall of Boston, where the mayor was yesterday asked to give them employment, and to the State house, where the same demand was made of the governor, but it is man . ifestly question which will seek an answer in some form or other. Let a large number of law-abiding and sel1-respecting men who are willing to work, but who are deprived of the opportunity through no fault of their own, get the notion into their heads that the State owes them the chance to work when they suffer from en- forced idleness, and they will some- how or other put the waves of re- form in motion and drive them to re- mote quarters. Their act may not and probably will not compel the State to take such a burden upon its shoul- ders, and there is no likelihood that any practical good would result if 1t did. but it will direct attention to abuses which the government sane tions as result of which violation interruptions in the ebb and flow of life occur If for one thing the de- mend of the unemployed for work should direct attention to the outrage of special privilege and the exploita- ton of the many for the unjust benefit of the few the march to the seats of government will not have been under taken in vain From this point of view the manifestation of the unemployed of Boston is not without it's sugges. tive value
 Another phase of the same problem Is touched upon by the Superintend- York, Cornelius V Collins He has be- come more and more impressed with the awful wake of Restitution which is left by the departure of men to houses of detention Through per sonal interviews with the prisoners and by their correspondence, which passes through the hands of the cen sor, the attention of prison officials is frequently brought to the destitute condition of the family of some pris- oner whose imprisonment has depriv- ed them of their sole support and left them dependent on their own made ouate resources for the bare necessi- ties of life" It is the purpose of the probation law to hold the offender in check while compelling him to support his family It is only when the of. fender refuses to accept the guardian ship of the law and persists in his evil conduct thet he is sent to prison This is the man whom Superintendent Collins would make source of sup. port to his family though still a pris- oner Already New York permits its working prisoners to send small per centage of their earnings to their fam flies, but it is Nil. Colliis' belief tha' if the percentage should be increased a great good will be done It would seem as if he was right, since ]: ha, been clearly established that plarl ir carceration does only half ;he tcics5 ! deprives the prisoner of his liberty but 1t makes no provision for the ir nocent family, which must either he. come in most instances a charge up on the sober and industrious, or de scend too into the gutters of evil con duct and crime. If society, ir othel words. finds it to it's advantage 10 en ploy she imprisonment method 1t can