The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-17

commemorative, unlike corporations.
are permitted 10 fIavc souls. -
may show mercy In the irmpcrin., ~
Justice; they may even show geucros-
itr. They may instil some Joy into
what they intend TO he In the main o
Joylcss life, and In 50 doing IL IS pos.
sfhle they may help TO a..:omi.ii.a ;hat
true aim " modern punishments--th,
reformation Of the Offender
50 1t IS that when Christmas cnn.
fic mon and women who arc shu: vi,
IN the States Sr"a, prison I'm expia.
ton Of their criniaS--or, to throw :,
son 10 the sociolog!st IT once AMI Re
done with II. the erincs which ta2ir
ancestry or their environment c,ni-
PEELED them to commit-arc not -.
duircd 10 grind out the monotony OF
their daily lives AT the shoe bcneh
without some glimpse OF holiday max.
ing. The Commonwealth. In the proper
pcraous OF the hoard Of directors and
tho superintendent, s,,s - II that
some slcam OF SUNSHINE comes in and
makes them realize that thn wniln
outside kccle the dag ami that the
State does not wish - drnriva its
prisoners OF even the 'hcu=h' % tie
season which makes ,ne 81 !a,i,n
world glad. 4
All share In Day.
II may we'll happen. then that coli
yicts injured behind walls SUR
mounted ~ y man with forbidjh!;
gun. VIII take Christmas" mere than
they mad chance - Al nome ,.nou
,hcy wcrc young. They may We'll cave
had enrti,y stockinga IN years gone by
Ito 80 thus far and no farther into
crimiToloCy--thosc empty stockings
with shclr corcomiiauts, may have
had something to dn with the specific
offcnses which mnai'y made ties. tren
outcasts from human society AID
which put uron them the brand 81 iii.
criminal.
The nature OF the work which tho
inmates do for tho prison labor contrac-
TOR has hccn 80 much in tho publr eye
OF late that II il probable most read
crs know already that the men are
given set tasks Accomplished, these
tasks arc regarded "a sufficient energy.
expended for the state. In other hours,
the men and women are mt liberty 10
continue their labora In the making OF
shoes. and for this the shoe company
pays them wage. This money Is their
own property, 10 do with as they please
In any lawful way not conflicting with
the peace and good order OF the state
Pcniten;lary.
May MIKE Money.
Men who are proficient in the tasks
TO which they have been set can soon
SuTpaSS the qhotH expected ul them. II
they are Industrious and continue to
study the trade, they can soon earn a
tidy sum. which they spend or save.
according to the principles which they
have learned from infancy. and just
like the people outside do. Probably
most OF them spend ii, but that is mel
Their here nor there. nor. indeed. would
they differ from tho mo jorlty of free
people In doing So
Naturally. men who arc incnably
thckheadcd or who are sullcnly waste
full or desiGnedly incompetent, are not
desired by the shoe company. But 1t
has to take them. 1t Is unlikely that
they arc employed for cash.
When Christmas approaches some
OF those men who are earning actual
money which all In the shoe shops
have chance TO do, begin to think OF
the people at home. Some OF them
have no people at home; some of those
people. at home prefer 10 forget the
existence OF those who have dragged