New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-16
Murderers and Thieves Make
Their Laws, Elect Judges
and Mayors and Weld
Police Sway.

Copyright. 19ll. by william l. Altdorfer)
~ Ne Of the most remarkable expert
meuts ever undertaken by any ma
~ tion IN the world is that now be-
inc cccducted successfully by Uncle Sam
:, tho nenal settlerr ent of Iwahig, on the
island of Palawan, in tho philippines
IIoro NAV he seen that curious anomaly,
,be free convict. 1t is a little republic OF
oolonists. under the protection OF Chcle
sam governed by the colonists and for
the colonists-
When this little republic was stared
there were twenty-five men landed on the
shores Of the bay of Puerto Princesa' VINO
, hewed for themselves a home out OF the
wilderness. To-day there are more than
one thousand colonists at wang pIa0
t,cally self-sylpporting, with every lndIca-
zion that in the near future IT VIII De
revenue producing colony.
There are but five Americans living on
this island engaged IN the work or GRIM
,ral reforma ton. Not guard is TO De
! found nearer than Puerto Princcsa, seven
| miles away. The regulations governing
! ,be island are ell made by the colonists
themselves In fact the basic idea or the
! colony-at 1rst termed visionary by its OPP
Il norents-is the treatment OF the man who
/ commits n crime as If he were sick and
| his restoration TO society a cured man.
! both physically and mentally.
Only those may go there who by good
conduct at Bilibid Prison. I'm Manila, have
earned the privilege. 1t is privilege
eagerly sought for you will see at Iwahig
at the quiet task of filling the land men
who have been convicted Of the most
he,nous crimes, all apparently happy. and
! contented 20 remain the rest OF their
! lives.
on first arrival at the island a man Is
brigaded-that is, assigned to a certain
eouad-but an orderly and industrious lie
win soon win for him a home Of his own.
For those adjudged worthy Uncle sam VIII
build a cabin; and once having this, man
NAV ask his family to Join him.
He is free of any restraint save of his
own making. The way is open for him 10
become q person respected among his TEL
lows: a good husband. good father and
q good citizen He has come through crime
and punishment into his own again, ana ne
owes II TO this new American system or
penal organization, one Of the great ana
signal successes Of Uncle sam IN the
Orient.
Luke f. Wright. former Governor OF the
Pbuipoines. w. Cameron Forbes the pres
ent Governor. and the late Samuel j. Bar
rows. were the men who first advocated
the idea Of a prison without guards in the
Philippines Eight years ago they said:
Society IS paying thousands Of dollars
20 apprehend men, more thousands FOR
judges. juries and lawyers 70 place them In
iail. and then again more thousands to
keep them there. and when they get out,
sin more thousands to do it all over
again.
Now. looking at it in a purely business
light. which is cheaper? TO keep on re-
turning men 10 the penitentiary time after
time. or 20 devise a system which will turn
them out and keep them out and make
good citizens of them
The colony at Iwahg was the result o.
this reasoning.
Carroll IT, Lamb is the man who We
selected h carry out the idea lie Lad
been employed on the Panama Canal and
in several South American countries as
civil engineer I'm charge Of large bodies Of
NATIVES lie was requested to give TWO
years TO getting the work started After
sccepting the job Mr.. Lamb found it 10 be
a large undertaking. lie became much in
terested ina the work, and instead OF the
two years originally stipulated, has al
ready given more than four years, and be-
Iievog 1t probable be VIII remain yet
longer.
The colony was established in 1906 under
the direction Of w Cameron Forbei and
while Luke 4. Wright was Governor Of :he
islands. When Mr.. Forbes took V1ice he