Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-06-30
STATISTICS BEING PREPARED ON
WORKINGS OF loWA's PA
ROLE SYSTEM.
STATE DEALS WITH EACH
CRIMINAL INDIVIDUALLY
Iowa in Advance of Other States in
Penal Reforms-RaiIroad Attorney
Surprises by Statement That State
Railroads Were Losing by Freight
Reductions.
Special to Zines Republican

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines, June 3o.-Iowa is al
ready working along the lines of Dean
Wigmore's Marshalltown address in
dealing with the individual criminal
and In this respect the legislature of
Iowa is somewhat ahead of the courts
show that a very small per cent of the
criminals paroled from the peniten-
tiaries are sent back for breaking their
paroles. The per centage is something
less than one out of a hundred. Fig
ures are now being prepared TO show
just what the workings of the parole
system in Iowa is leading to.
Governor Shaw was the first governor
of the state to do very much with The
parole system. The law vas on statute
books before that but the other govern
ors did not attempt to use the law
extensively. Governor Shaw issued
many paroles and but few of his paroles
We're misplaced for nearly all of those
paroled behaved themselves after being
ItlpdSeu. 1ONSrllOI 1ullllllIlS COIlllIlaSo
the work of Shaw in the parole bus
mess, With equally good results and the
parole system has now been in effect
and in use about twelve years
Members of the Iowa State Bar As
soeiation were much pleased with the
position taken by Dean Wigmore at the
meeting in aMrshalltown to the effect
that the administration of justice
should not be so mechanical and that
the case of each violator OF the law
should be studied and treated accord
ing to its needs. Courts in the past
have been inclined to administer a
sentence of a few years for burglary
and a little additional if it is COM
mitted in the night time with a deadly
weapon, regardless of the character Of
the criminal and regardless of whether
it is the first or last offense.
Every progress along the lines of
more .ane handling of criminals in Iowa
has been met with opposition from
many sources. However the state has
arrived at the place where a criminal
is now sentenced to confinement IN
conviction and his case is then in the
hands of the state board of parole to
deal with as his case demands. The
state board ha the fixing of his term
of Imprisonment and with the governor
and state board of control has complete
charge of his case.
The only thing that might stand in
the way of carrying out completely tht
idea of dealing with each criminal az
his case deserved would be the inter
probation put upon their duties by the
board of parole. Some him that tn:
board of parole should be a sort o1
court sitting above the supreme cour1
to determine whether or not the Grim
inal is really guilty. If the evidence
seems TO be conclusive show him little
clemency and if otherwise give him
! parole as soon as thought eXpedient.
Another Interpretation of the Worl
of the board is that it is a board con-
stituted to deal out clemency or t.
] recommend such to the governor, ant
!, that the board of parole should pa,
little attention to the question o
whether the man is guilty or not, as
suming that he is guilty in all case
unless evidence has developed since hi
conviction to prove otherwise.
ssr
McCoid. of the First congressional
district, is not to be the Blythe candi
date for congress-, as reported a few
days ago. Clarke. of Burlington, is tn
man picked for that. McCoid was for
merly a s~tandpatter but is now said t
be q progressive and will not be a can
didate for congress.
J.. C. Davis, attorney for the North
western, occasioned some surpris
when he told the railroad commissfo
yesterday that the railroads had los
So, 900 900 because of the little mino
reductions in freight rates. He said
had come to be alarming to the rail
roads, these constant little reduction!
He pointed out that the action of tn
Iowa commission vas often folloWe
by similar action on the part of othe
states adjoining and that the revenue
of the railroads were being seriousl
impaired. The commission a year ag
devoted an entire summer to goin
over all the freight rates and made
new classification which lowered rate
very materially in many cases. Sin'
then there have been some few add
~tional rates made but in nearly or qui
every ease the rates have been lowere
however, the reports mdQe TO u
executive council seem to show that Il
railroads are gaining In earnings.
Y Iowa gas mantle manufacturers a
= making a strenuous effort to get II
tariff held down to a low figure {
{ thorium, a material that is mined fro
e sand and which is used in the man,
facture of gas mantles. All these COZ
Germs ilave been writing letters to Sci
ator Dolliver and they point out tn
there is but one mine in the state tn
E produces this thoriurn and it is
North Carolina and is controlled by Il
Welsbach trust. If the tariff is put
w on this material the other manufa
turers must go out Of business.
SOME STILL DISSATISFIED