The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1912-03-04

statistics we find that, of the 3Ot
criminal cases taken to the supreme
court of this state, over 60 per cen
have been reversed. Now comes the
question: How many men caught in
the tolls of the law can ever hope tC
bring their cases to the highest court
in the state? And is it not reasona-
bic to assume that, were the supreme
court to rule on all the criminal
cases, had these men the money to
provide for it, only so per cent of our
present prison population would be
here today"
In these words, Thomas J. lyman,
warden of the Colorado penitentiary
here, whose humane methods of handl-
ing the cOnvicts committed to his care,
have brought forth the praises of the
'sociologists throughout the country, in
an interview with the United Press to-
day summed up the reasons why he is
fighting for the privilege and liberty
of the men and women convicts.
For several years lyman has been
an advocate of the theory that pris-
Ons and reformatOries should not
be mere places of confinement, but
should convert convicts into useful
men and women, with an object in life
and ability to earn an honest living.
Some time ago, lyman astonished pen
ology experts through the country
WhQn hn cI1onQccfI111u to MI tc,
on their. honor and let them work on
the roads of the state on their own
parole and without being kept under
armed guards.
Il believe that nearly rs per cent
of that vast army of men in our pris-
ons today need not serve their SEN
fences behind prison walls" lyman
continued. 81 believe they could be
profitably worked in the interest of
the state as well as themselves, in !
outdoor work so that, while technical
ly serving sentences for certain Of
lenses committed they could earn rea-
sonable and just wage.
This rs per cent, in most cases,
are by no means the hopeless and t
abandoned creatures we presume are
beyond the pale of redemption, but
men who can be saved for the i'm
provement of the race or society. Yet
there is something in living behind
sombre gray walls that sleeps mans
self respect in a filth and mire from
which recovery is seldom attained
During the last three years we have
had over go per cent of our sane, able
bodied population at work on the state
road camps and on the state farms,
some of them 300 miles from the pris-
On, all working in the free, open air
With all it's attendant benefits, under
skilled and competent overseers, with
10 gun guards, no stripes, no lock
md no ball and chain, but every lat
tude that could be consistently given
With safety. In these camps and on {
hese ranches, the men have been /
aught scientific road building, farm
ng in all it's departments, and many :
departments of the building trades.
1NluSIy per CcuJ nave pIOVcuI
aithful to their pledges, and the men
AVE set a standard of loyalty and
bedience, of thrift and industry that
will stand for all time. Was it ncces-
airy to tag these men with number?
Vas it necessary to shear their hair? =
Vas it necessary to proclaim to the
7orld their criminality and advertise Q
hem as lost creatures? y
"a great majority Of those men need c
ever have known penal servitude, and
gain, had we law that would permit
the payment of reasonable wage g
} all these men employed upon the U
ublic roads which would enable them Ii
} earn enough to keep the family in y
act and from becoming charges upon
lie various counties, wouldn't such a 6
wv as this serve a Splendid purpose? @
'The public little knows of the sor- !,
wv, bitterness, misery and poverty, m
lr modern prison spreads. A tot
,ring old lady, already on the brink
: eternity, visits her stalwart son
very Sunday. He is serving 15-year dc
and is her only support.
9th the mother and son proclaim his
nocence, but they are pitifully poor. =
1.-TWO young farmers are each serv-
e a 3-year sentence for chicken
ealing and they both claim, perhaps
uthfully SO, dire necessity as the
,uoo Eaoh man hao a family Thair