The Washington herald., 1910-10-04
PRISON REFORM SPREADING.
Dickens Pictured Jail Life in Com
polling Manner.

From the Detroit News.
With the passing Of the convict labor
contracts In Michigan prisons viii come
a problem which warrants months Of an
ticipatlon and preparation. Some OF the
contracts Will expire in 1911. and some
will persist until 1915. But the question:
What shall be done with the convieis
when the labor now provided shall be
taken away? invites serious consideration.
One OF the best proofs that the world
Is growing better all the time is the
commonly charged attitude toward the
criminal. who was once barred from all
charitable consideration and regarded as
an object upon whom TO wreak ven
geance. Our Federal Constitution showed
the dawn OF better sentiment when it for
bade cruel and unusual punishments- Its
founders. however. had little thought Of
lettering the condition Of the convict.
They merely revolted at the recollection
Of certain punishments once Of common
infection.
Prison reform had its beginning in the
labors OF two OF the nobIest men OF the
eighteenth century. John Howard an
Italy. Both were aristocrats who came
into intimate association with prison life.
Howard as a high sheriff, and Becca-.a
as, a judge. Both men Travelled extensive
~. investigating prison methods In their
own countries. and then in other coun-
tries. Howard spent sl5Oc00 in further
ance Of prison reform. Beccaria pub
lished a treatise on crimes and punish
ments which was translated into all the
languages OF Europe. II started reforms
which have progressing ever since, al
though the names OF these two reformers
nave been forgotten by society at large
Sharles Dickens was another reformer
who held UP before the public gaze the
prison life Of the criminal and OF the
poor debtor in a fashion that compelled
reforms When he came 70 the United
States he reported worse conditions than
prevailed in England To-day the idea
Of vengeance is eliminated In the treat
ment OF the criminal Prisons nave two
main purposes. One is the protection Of
society from lawless individuals, and the
other is the reform OF the criminal
Within recent years new purpose has
developed because contract prison labor
has been generally condemned as Great
ing unfair competition for free labor. and
the degradation OF the prisoners for the
profit Of the contractors. Employment Of
convicts is necessary, but public opinion
holds that they may best be employed
on State account. The latest advance is
TO the opinion that the convict who la
bors under the supervision Of prison Off
Gals is entitled 10 fair compensation
above the cost OF his keeping. Reform
sentiment also agrees that the wages that
are due under such a system should go
toward the support OF the convict or his
natural dependents, If he has any
Put the convict 10 work at fair wages
upon any line of manufacture and sell
his product on a fair footing with that
OF free labor and much OF the objection
disappears. 1t is the leasing OF the labor
Of a convict TO a contractor for IS 10 60
cents day, then setting for him tasks
for which free labor is paid $3.50 10 S3.50
a day and selling his product under the
rate al which the free manufacturer can
afford 10 sell that has antagonized labor.
But there is a far higher principle al
stake. Any man who is sold into slavery
feels degraded Individual revolt against
such a system makes dangerous men OF
many who are accidental OF incidental
criminals.