Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-10-24

been one OF the greatest problems that
confronted mankind. For thousands OF
years men punished yiolators of the law
merely from motives of revenge, and
gave no heed to the reformation of the
criminal. Later on there was grated
ol 10 this system the additional purpose
OF making the public prison source
Of revenue to the state. Now men are
beginning to realize that it is just and
humane to the prisoner, and wise and
economic from the standpoint OF the
state, 'to give him 4 chance to reform
and make good in the world.
In tennessee, until recently, only two
things were much thought of in connee-
ton with a yiolator of the law; first,
how to &c: him into prison, and, second,
how to get him out. But little atten-
tion was given to the great intermediate
question of how to treat the prisoner
during his incarceration, so as to make
Of him a better man and citizen after
his release.
The people were taught to believe that
the highest form of mercy was to turn
the prisoner out, regardless of his con-
dltion and disposition. Taking advan-
tage of the existence of this maudlin
and misguided sentiment, mercy has
been commercialized and executive elem
ency debased and prostituted. Certain
attorneys with political pull were known
as pardon attorneys" and were paid
exorbitant fees to pilot the poor suppli-
cant along the route which led to the
throne of mercy. This practice was
even carried so far as to swindle the
helpless prisoners out of the little earn
ings saved up by them from their over
time in the prison. The records at the
penitentiary show the names of alleged
attorneys engaged in this high calling.
1t has been the great ambition of my
administration to improve prison con-
ditions in Tennessee. l have not par
doned as many men az several OF my
predecessors, but this not because | have
been lacking in mercy or sympathy, and
the men in the prisons know it, too.
The question of when a man leaves
prison is a small matter, compared with
the question of what kind of han he is
when he leaves Ii his treatment there
has been such as to break his spirit and
embitter his life, the state will be the
loser when he is discharged. II his treat
ment has been such as to make him .
better man, to steady him to his feet, to
cause new hope to spring up in his heart,
the state will have converted him from
a liability into an asset.
Prisoners Condition.
With these ideas in my mind, | have
done many things for the improvement
of the prisoners and the betterment of
the inmates.
Taking note that the act of 1907, pro-
viding for reformatory, separate from
the penitentiary, for youthful offenders,
had slumbered on the statute books for
four years, l urged in public inter
view before my Inauguration that an APP
preparation be made for the erection OF
proper buildings. The next day Cover
nor Patterson revived the Reformatory
Board and in due time the Legislature
gave $4,000 for the builalngs, For
once everybody seemed to agree.
There is a law of long standing re-
quiring school to be taught in the
prison. This law had been a dead let
ter. Under the leadership of the new
Chaplain several hundred prisoners have
been enrolled in this school and many of
them have made remarkable progress.
In three months some men who did not
know tine alphabet were writing homo
to their families.
The law required a library to be pro-
vided for the prisoners. The few greasy
books on hand could not be called u
library. Now we have more than five
thousands volumes, which are eagerly
and proftaby read by the prisoners.
We have provided chapLains who act
ualy care for the souls of men and
women, and who encourage the well,
comfort the sick, minister to the dying,
and give a decent Christian funeral TO
the dead. The Chairman OF the Regular
Democratic Committee of Roane County
is no longer Chaplain at Petros.
The abuse of convicts by drunken
guards has been discontinued and the
immortality formerly extant among
prison officials is not tolerated.
Corporal punishment has been greatly
diminished. Those who have had the
opportunity to observe the prisons for
years claim that discipline is now better
than ever before, but it is not obtained
by brutality. The official records or the
prisons show that corporal punishment is
now but little more than half what it
was under McMillin's administration, al
though the number of prisoners is some
what greater.
The stripes have been removed from
the convicts except as a means of pur-
ishment for lower-grade men.
The meager earnings of the prisoners
now constitute a sacred fund, free from
the ENLIGHTENMENT of prison officials, and
the raids of favored pardon attorneys.
Pardon Records.
The following comparison of the par
done and paroles issued by McMillsp,
Patterson and myself may be of interyss
to the public;
-. McMilln, Patterson, Hooper