The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-01-13
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PRISON PROBE COMMITTEE EX
ONERATES WARDEN ROB-
ERT w. DICK

The report of the probe committee
appointed to investigate the charges
filed against Warden Dick of the
state penitentiary is ready to be sub
mitted to the state legislature. That
report, it is said, not only eXonerates
Warden Dick, but it compliments him
upon the management of the prison.
II the straight, plain truth We're to
be told in the matter, it would be
about this, that some of the EN-
ployes of the state prison have not
been selected upon their merit, but
upon their political pull and therein
lies an evil that no state should toll
crate. Why any incompetent should
be given berth by the taxpayers
merely because he has some influen-
tional friends is more than can well
be understood and certainly there is
no good reason for it.
1t takes courage on the part of the
politician to select men for their fit
ness without regard to their polti'
cal pull, but that ought to be the
rule in every department of state
and every department ought to be
conducted upon business litts chat
will make it a success for the pur-
poses it was intended and at the
same time save to the treasurer of
the state the money that should not
be spent.
In this city where Bob Dick is well
known the investigation was treated
lightly from the beginning. The peo-
pie here know the capacity of Bob
Dick for work. They know his exec
utiye ability, they know of his honor
and integrity and there is not man
in Ardmore who believed that Bob
Dick was doing wrong. We repeat
that if there have been lncompe-
tents in the state prison employees
that they were put there by politics
and We're not the own choosing OF
the warden
One of the charges was that too
many prisoners have escaped and
the answer OF the committee is that
with a thousand criminals in stock
ade built of wire frence the wonder
is that more did not escape. Okla
homa prisoners were being mrs
treated in the prison of Kansas,
When Kate Barnard visited that state
and made her report OF the manner
in which the oklahoma boys in
prison were being treated it was suf-
hcient to arouse the resentment OF
every man and woman in Oklahoma,
lndignities We're heaped upon them
that would have been barbaric in the
days when Christians We're thrown
in the arena with wild beasts. Okla
homa with that spirit of altruism
which has characterized its every
act since statehood built temporary
prison and sent for the boys who
were being mistreated in foreign
state. Governor Has.Lll selected the
genius Bob Dick TO conduct that mo-
mentous task. That task was well
done. Dick proved himself equal to
the emergency. The high plane up
on which the prison is conducted and
the affection with which Warden
Dick is held by the prisoners stand
as a monument to his genius.
The Oklahoma prison has not been
conducted like other prisons.
Prisoners are not treated like so
many worthless hounds.
Another of the charges was that
prisoners played cards The answer
was that men confined in prison with
round them with would better be
given something to amuse them rath-
er than allow them all their time to
study means Of escape and to grow
more desperate. The minds of the
prisoners relaxed while at games and
their worries We're buried in forget
fulness while the games We're in
tensely interesting and after all who
has been hurt. The prisoner was the
better off from having been given
employment for his mind and the
state was many times better of.
Where then does room for Just criu-
cism lie?
The report of that board will not
be a partisan report. Men OF the
two political parties served upon il
and the shame is that men should
allow their prejudices to lead them
to make complaints to injure a faith
ful and efficient officer.