Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-10-07
PRISON CONGRESS
BEGINS ITS WORK
GREAT INTERNATIONAL GATHER.
ING is OPENED AT WASH
INGTON.
SPEECH BY PRESIDENT TAFT
He Welcomes the Representatives OF
Many Nations-Address by Pro-
fessor Henderson, Presiding
Officer of Convention.

Washington, Oct. 3.-More than 100
| of the most distinguished criminolo-
| gists of the world, representing al
most every civilized nation, gathered
in the great hall of the National mus
cum Sunday afternoon when the Inter-
national Prison congress was called
to order. Prof. Charles r. Henderson
of the University of Chicago, who was
elected president of the congress last
year to succeed the late DR.. Samuel
j. Barrows, was in the chair and in.
trotluced President Taft, who was re.
ceived with hearty applause.
President Taft spoke briefly, but
made clear his personal interest IN
the work of the congress and told the
delegates how glad the United States
was of the opportunity to entertain
them. He alluded to the efforts in
| this country to better the conditions
of prison life and to make good citt
| zens of the criminal and delinquent,
and said he hoped the visitors from
foreign lands had seen evidences OF
the success of these efforts during
their tour of the east and middle west
as guests of the government
President Henderson's Address.
President Henderson, after adding
his words of welcome to those OF Mr.
Taft, spoke in part as follows:
1.-The Prison congress agrees on the
following things: We believe that
III; oh ho sent
on with adults; that the ancient penai
procedure should be fundamentally
modified in their case; that young
delinquents should receive certain
amount of education under the pa
ternal supervision of the judge or OF
a special magistrate. 1t is question
with us still whether this education
eighteenth or even the tWenty-first
year.
Secondly, we are in accord in the
belief that the insane should be eX
cluded from prisons and that they
should be confined to hospitals. Pub
lis security and the interests of the
insane themselves demand the segre
specialists.
Thirdly, we believe, moreover, that
there are many young delinquents and
even adults who are guilty of having
yielded to bad examples. Such indi
viduals are not Intentionally vicious
They should be spared the stigma OF
becoming criminals by being saved
the moral injury of incarceration by
a suspension of sentence with period
of freedom under supervision. We
are also in accord in recommending
after a certain period of incarceration
the release of young or adult prison
ers on provision that their liberty
shall be conditional and carefully
supervised. 1t is not possible to make
useful citizens in absolute slavery.
1--WE believe, moreover, in the neces
sity of doing away with the shor'
sentence in the case of guilty persons
who are dangerous, whether they be
vagabonds or inebriates, hardened
criminals or professional criminals
The period of detention and of super
vision may be extended either by
supplementary sentence or by placing
the offender at the disposition of the
government.
Severe Justice Most Beneficial.
1--WE preach also the gospel of the
reform of the delinquent and his edu
cation. We seek to elevate the mora
standard of humanity. We desire tt
open wide to the delinquent the dool
of hope. There never has been &
conflict between justice and pity, be
cause only compassion allows vi
cious man to follow his course with
out hindrance. 1t is not compassion
but weakness. Justice is truly bene
fetal when it deprives the malefactol
of the liberty which he has abused.
1.-THE state is the power which
should control the forces which &C,
upon the character Of the prisoner
The state alone can direct his con
duct. The state is the supreme organ
of the will and morality of the en-
tire people. 1t cannot be left to phi
lanthropists alone to seek the reforma
ton and the instruction of the male
factor, leaving to the state simply
the furnishing and the intlicting Of
penalties of the prisoner The state
is responsible for the conditions which
concern the convict. If the prisoner
is returned to liberty simply, withou,
instruction, without a trade, cherish
ing in his heart the idea of vengeance
philanthropists will have difiicull
and not to say impossible task. Ir
modern civilization, the majority Of
citizens are friends of humanity, anG
the government which neglects it,
prisoners does not represent the mind |
of the mass of the nation"
In the evening there was john
meeting of the Congress with the |
American Prison association, a
which addresses were delivered by Y !
K. Brockway. former superintendent,
of the Elmira reformatory; Major r |
w. McClaughry of the federal prison
at Leavenworth, Kan; Sir Evelyn |
Ruggles-Brise, president of the Brit
ish prison commission; Dr. Guillaume !
of Berne, Switzerland, secretary OF
the International Prison congress;
and DR.. Borel. Today the section
meetings of the congress viii lbegin