The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-10-15
SEES BENEFITS IN
THE PENAL. REFORMS
President Patton of Ameri-
can Prison Association
Feels Encouraged.
National News Association)


OMAHA. Neb, Oct. 14-In his an
nual address before the American
Prison association. which opened its
convention here this evening, Presi-
dent T. ID. Patton of Huntington, Pa,
said in part:
We are today building on the fOun-
dations which were deeply and strong
~ laid in the years gone by, by men
who were moved by an impulse not
born OF man, but divinely implanted.
and who were led to undertake the
Inauguration of measures which have
finally resulted in the accomplishment
OF such humane results as are now
generally observed in the prisons of
this and other countries
mot alone this, but this movement,
under the fostering care of this or
ganiZation has been largely instru-
mental in securing the cooperation of
other kindred organizations and socie-
ties, whose bencficent ministries are
being expended not on the prisoner
indirectly. but on those who are called
upon to suffer by reason Of the prison
ers wrongdoing, and these united eff
forts mark the onward progress of or
ganized cooperation on the part of va
riOus organizations who are justly en-
titled to and are freely given our high
est encomiums of praise, because of
the magnificent results they have &C
complished.
1.-THE enactment of such wise legis-
1ation as is best calculated to properly
protect society and to provide under
humane discipline and restraint an ad-
equate punishment for the offender;
the securing of the proper and regular
employment of the prisoner in prison
under wise state law: the obtaining of
rightful portion of the prisoners
earnings for the use of his dependent
family; the systematic investigation
Of their real needs and the furnishing
of prompt relief to the worthy, and
possible effort for their rehabilitation
or removal to more favorable sur
rOundings: the invoking OF the proba-
ton law where such will be conducive
to the best results; the comprehensive
study Of the prison population as far
as possible to secure proper statistics
on which to base accurate results; the
we'll organized effort now at work in
a number of our larger centers of
population in the study and better
ment OF the slum districts. and the
more general effort in many localities
in the interest of the betterment of
the environment of the children and
youth, are all encouraging signs of
the far-reaching interest at work for
the uplift and saving of humanity,
and to this end we say God speed to
the organization who, in carrying for
ward their work. have gone back to
tho childhood day. and who, striving
to break the bondage not only of
heredity and environment. are
through sympathy, love and interest,
thus securing a foothold in districts,
communities and individual homes as
we'll, and in which their organized ef-
fort Is bearing fruitage most encour-
aging indeed. and bids fair in due
course Of time to prove a strong bull
wark in the reduction of crime. as
we'll as of the criminal class.
my message to the association,
brief though it be. is one of encour-
agement at the result our united ef-
fort has already accomplished. and an
earnest plea for deeper conscious
ness Of our duty to the work and a
spirit Of earnestness therein. which
will lead us to have an implicit conf
dence in the cause, to have the faculty
of impressing our worth upon those
under our care, and realizing that it is
a great thing to be man. to encour-
age every man to aspire to be a real
man."