The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-29
Man. Inhumanlty to Man.

10 the Editor or The TimeSeDspatch:
Sir,-Those favored ones who are so
fortunate as to be possessed of super
abundance of wealth could find good
use for it and at the same time con-
fer blessings upon truly unfortunate
class, by giving towards the estab-
lishment of board of Charitable and
benevolent men of undoubted standing
and integrity. whose duty 1t would
be to commuuicate with the board or
directors of the Virginia Penitentiary
and ascertain whSh of the inmates OF
| thai institution are entitled TO condi-
| tional or parole pardons under the
| Virginia statute on that Subject, ana
to provide employment for those prls.
oners whose records are clear as TO
obedience to the prison rules, and who
have served out half of their terms or
| sentences
The statute of our State containing
the present law on this subject may
be found on page 40 of the Acts OF
the Assembly for the year 1905.
This requisite of assured employment
| Is one that is hard to fill. and amounts
to stumbling block. and often an
insurmountable obstacle in the way
| of the poor convict who has kept IN
violate the prison rules and reSula-
| lions for many long and weary years
N That thg he eo viii receive his liberty at
the expiration of the half of his term
I This hope is frequently blasted oS
| reason of the inability of the prisoner
to secure suitable employment. cut os
friends and relatives. except as TO the
very limited privilege of writing one
letter in every sixty days
1t will be easily seen that the
munerative employment under such
| circumstances are quite small, unless
! he happens to have influential frlenda
| on the exterior. who will take the
position for him.
The prejudice that naturally. but
| often wrongfully. actuates the average
! person. firm or corporation against
employing a person who mas n ,sI sen :,
all the more important IN the interests
| Of Justice and humanity that there
| should be soyne board created or estao-
| Mshed for the purpose OF oetalhah,s
! places for convicts entitled to parole
1 pardons, wherein they may earn their
If the revenues Of our State are in
sufficient to enable US to spare tho
money for the purpose of creating
state, it remains for people Of album
dant means and phlanthropic tenden-
cies to establish such tribunal t.
get positions for worthy and dessrv.
Ing. men and women who have become
entitled to their freedom, If they can
fulfil the requirements OF the Virginia
statute with reference to conditional
| pardons.
The board of directors of the Pen,-
tertiary could not be expected to de-
vote the requisite labor and time tc
! the task Of finding positions for per
sons entitled to conditional pardons
without large increase in their pay
and the imposition upon them by las
4 of a duty that they are not now re.
1 CURED to perform.
The writer takes occasion to com.
mend the custom of Governors Mon.
tague and Swanson of appointing the
the Fenitentiary from the citizens o,
!: Richmond. This Is the proper plan
i fer the two following reasons, Ii mo-
, more:
a. a friend of a prisoner or hi,
, pardon for him, can obtain access L
4 the Individual members of this tribuna
with so much more convenience an:
! at so much less expense than would
} necessarily be the case If these ofl
, GERS, or any OF them. resided fifty o
Il $50 miles away. M
(2l BY living In Richmond. they ar,
!. enabled to devote more time to tn,
the Investigation and control I' Of lit it
mana gement and affairs. and to az
> quire greater familiarity with III
: needs, and consequently to know whe,
and how to commence and carry on
3 reforms in the conduct OF the In
stltution
1t is greatly to be hoped that onl,
citizens of Richmond will hencefor
( ward be selected for these importan
and his able and popular successor.
Unless some means or agency TO-
!, obtaining employment for prisoners
! eligible for parole pardons Is furnished
!, Iiby the Legislature, or by philanthro
|spists who may become Interested !,
], this subject from humane and Chris
J tian motives. the good and praise
; worthy objects Of the foregoing stat
TO get employment for these peni
!, ltent unfortunates who are seeking u
reform and make a new start IN LIFE
i hid, lahor, hoe anps estwand the css<