The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-02-06
The Fort Madison Issue.

Des Moines Capital: Care should
be taken not to befog the real issue
at Fort Madison. There must be an
issue there or else there would not be
so sharp discussion as the press is
now waging through the state. The
public interest is simply desire to
know the truth, no matter to whose
advantage the truth may appear. Oc-
casionally we see something to the et-
fact that there is any scandal con.
nected with the management of the
Fort Madison penitentiary the same
should be investigated. This newspa-
per has never thought or intimated
that there was any scandal at Fort
Madison. We have simply taken ex-
captions to certain views advanced by
Warden Sanders as to the proper
methods of dealing with penitentiary
inmates. We submit that this is not
necessarily sacrilegious. Other peo-
pie beside penitentiary wardens can
observe and study and reach conclu-
sions. We claim-and have no fears
| of successful contradiction-tha it
has become such a popular fad to
/ pamper and coddle professional Grim
mails that a penitentiary offense no
longer has any appreciable terrors or
dread for the average person charged
with crime. We believe that when a
penitentiary comes to be looked upon
merely as a retreat in which to sojourn
until such time as a pardoning board
shall come to the rescue that it's in
fuence as a deterrent against crime
is we'll nigh dissipated.
AS these lines are written we note
dispatch from Cleveland, Ohio,
where lot of prison reform special
lists are gathered and some very emf
nent authorities are firmly of the opin-
ion that all men arrested for drunken
ness should never be taken to Jail,
but straight to their homes.
Beautiful theory, isn't it, How much
better to turn the red-nosed brutes
loose in their own homes, where they
can blacken the eyes of their wives
and subject their children to a night
of terror This is the kind of reform
atory soothing syrup by which profess
sional jags are to be transformed into
domestic ornaments.
Warden Sanders methods and the
theories explointed at Cleveland are in
harmony with the palaver which we
have been hearing for months and
years.
Father L. s. Coffin of Fort Dodge,
a man whose whole life has been dedi-
Gated to doing good and trying to help
men do better. has had rich expert
ences with this class of social out
lawry. From the doors of the peni-
Tertiary he would lead them to his
Hall of Hope at Willowedge farm in
order to give them home and get
them started in life once more" They
usually remained until opportunity
was afforded to get to Fort Dodge
or some nearby town, when they
would forge Father Collins name to
checks or raise some other kind OF
deviltry, and the officers of the law
had to take them in charge once more
Because a man has committed crime
is no sign he should not have humane
treatment He should be surrounded
with wholesome influences. He should
be taught that after having paid the
penalty which the law provides, the
way is open to start anew. He will
be handicapped. It may be difficult
to conceal the brand, but it simply
emphasizes the force of the doctrine
which he knew when he violated the
law that, THE way of the transgressol
is hard"
In other words, pef1itentiaries and
kindred institutions can be reforma
; tory without being hysterical
There is talk of legislative inves
: tigation. We understand that the
state board of control and Warder
Sanders are both ready for it. Under
: the circumstances we believe it ough
to be made, not because of the posi-
bilities that scandal" will be un
earthed, for we take no stock in any
thing of the kind but because the
time has arrived for a frank nub1it