The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-20

lisled in your issue Of August 3O
! thank you for your kind express
sions, which are calculated to help, and
Will surely help and prove beneficial
to philanthroplc endeayor to aid a
class of our fellow mortals whom, you
rightly describe us 'forlorn and help.
less"
fully agree with your objection
TO the plan proposed by Mr.. T. w. Gil
laudable object of obtaining employ
ment for discharged or paroled state
prisoners.
entertain no doubt whatever OF
the sincerity or Mr. Gilliam's inten-
tons to promulgate a plan that would
at once benefit the ex-prisoners and
also the State at large, but the obiec-
tons urged against HIS plan in your
editorial of Thursday last are insuper-
apie ana 80 self,evident and true that
self acknowledge their convincing and
conclusive weight
Elk. Prisoners AID soeiety.'' of Rich
functions indicated by It's title, and
assists discharged or paroled prison
ers to obtain employment, and pro-
vides support for them in the mean
time, to he-.extent OF It's. resources.
consider that the hands OF this
society should be upheld by the State
In the creation OF tribunal or board,
composed chiefly. II not entirely of
citizens OF Richmond. who should be
Invested by the Legislature with au-
thority and funds to provide for the
physical wants of eX-prisoners, and to
get them proper and rcmunoratfve en-
ployinent. This tribunal or board could
co operate with the present Aid
society. and, operating In unison there.
With. could do great and untold good
10 this class OF our fellow creatures
not all of whom by a vast deal are
criminals by nature or deserve the pun
lshmeni. they have received
y large number of them are the
victims of circumstances and Influence
over which they could have no con-
trol--such as atavism, dlsease, and as.
sociates and environments likely to
cause man In an evil and ever re-
GREETED moment. to Violate the law
IN some essential particular
II any of our good citizens who take
an Interest in the great subject OF
prison reform. and the cognate one OF
Inc. treatment or ex-convicts. will
read an article commencing on page
sss OK the Current Literature Mag
aZine Tor the present month, under the
general head OF Religion and Ethics
put speeincaily entitled What Should
Be Done With Criminals they will ,ind
there set forth the views OF that great
man. winston Churchill. the British
Home Secretary; John Galsworthy. an
eHihehl novelist ana dramatfst, OF Lon
don: Professor George Burman Foster,
OF the University of Chicago: Golden
kule kohler, Chief OF Police OF cleve.
land. Ohio. and AIR j. William Loyd.
or New Jersey.
me utterances of these celebrated
upon these Burning
questions. of the day are calculated to
arouse arouse in all thinking men OF pro-
l ,leNl humanitarian inclinatfons a
high degree of zeal for reform and
enlightenment In our treatment of
state. county and city prisoners. both
daring and after their Incarceration,
II Is field wherein incalculabIe good
can be done by persistent practical
effort and cooperation. The bar.
rier of prejudice that closes the doors
81 hope and opportunity in the faces
OF eX-prisoners after they have donneJ
the garb of citizens, and are seeking
renabiiitation In the public estimation.
must be removed. or II not removed
weakened and Offset and neutraiized
as TAR as possible. to the advancement
and amelioration of quite an appre.
ciable portion OF mankind.
w. ID. PATERSON.
ScOttsyille Snnfa ,,,h nr