The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-07
VIEW OF CODDINC.
Criticism Seems to Have Little
Effect on Warden.
Satisfied That His Methods at
Prison Are Correct.
FLOWERS AND MUSIC.
They Are All Right if Discipline
Is Kept Up.
Hackney the Same Hard Hitter
Of Other Years.
FLOWERS AND MUSIC.

A good many people and a few
newspapers are inclined to "jolly"
Warden Codding about his treatment
of the prisoners in the penitentiarv
and have been inclined to indulge in
sarcasmS about the orchestra and
flowers in the dining room. Ice cream
sundaes have been suggested for side
dishes and private tutors in language
and manners for the prisoners hours
OF relaxation. But Warden Codding
doesn't seem to care anything about
these shafts, nor does Governor Stubbs.
who appointed Codding.
The warden came over to Topeka on
little visit, and he only laughed good
iialureoIy when asked about his pam
peieo convlcts. He is feeding the
prisoners on II cents per day each and
the discipline of the prison is rigid
anu the men are working in a salts
factory manner.
Inat is the main thing with the new
warden. All this talk about C!odfine
gettlng weak minded and historical in
ms treatment of the ccnyicts at Lam
sing is nonsense and will not be seri-
e ousny +, coilsloered by anyone who has
ana heard him talk of his plans.
a Few hundred years ago it was con-
sloered quite the thing for state pris-
dungeons
the ground and loaded with chains.
The very best of the old rulers and
dukes INDUCED in this little practice
OF c!app1ng an obnoxious person into
a mole IN the ground and he never saw
the nght again, nor will see it until
the judgment morning. It was con-
sidered good form and proper then.
just as bridge whist and house parties
are now.
Improvement in prison conditions
were demanded by civilization and
were granted by the powers that were.
More improvement is demanded now
Investigations are being conducted in
many states in this country and in the
nations of Europe. Sanitation is heine
introduced in prison as a necessity and.
the effort is being made to fight crime
IN prison as we'll as punish for crime.
AS long as rigid discipline is main
tanned and the men do their whole
quota of work and the expense of
thelr keep reduced to the minimum no
humane person should object to their
being treated with more consideration
than wild beasts in cages
Coddlng has installed a good cook at
the prlson-a man who is q master in
the art of preparing big meals of pala-
table and healthy food at a cost of 4
cents per boarder per meal. Whv not
If there is a band or ar orchestra in
the prison why should there not be
music at meal time? Music is calcu-
lated to appeal to the best there is in
any man.. Music will gentle a wild
beast and charm the deadly cobra
snake. Do the critics of Warden Cod
ding want the prisoners to hear al
ways the knell of their own damnation
and to brood in the silence of the lost
until their bitterness overf1ows and fills
them with poison?
Then there have been Jokes about
flowers placed in the prison dining
room. Why not flowers in the place of
filth and germs? What harm can the
flowers do? Better flowers than skele-
tons. The man in Lansing prison need
anywhere else in the state. The con-
victs may be human tigers and need
discipline and punishment worse than
anything else, but they are being pun
ished and they are under strict disci-
pine, too. The flowers and music are
the discipline the music would likely
do harm rather than good, but given
all together, force and kindness in
doses dictated by common sense are
calculated to do the most good for
society in general.
The world still Furnishes its evil men
and women but has come to cease the
habit of rubbing salt in their wounds.
The old testament sternneSs Is being
tempered with. the new testament's
mercy and cha rity.
Warden Codding is doing a great
and practical way. He is as stern as
he has to be and as gentle as he can
be, this Is the best possible combina-
ton for a jailer. No brute should have
charge of a prison and neither should
a weak, soft-hearted man be given ethe
place. Either one of these will do in
harm
Codding has made a fine start. He
cleaned the prison, provided better meals