Evening journal., 1912-12-02
REFORMS
URGED BY
CITY PASTOR
Mr.. Candee FavOrS New Mar
rlage Law, Shorter Hours
and WOrkhOuSe Changes
WEDDING FEES PAY
PARSONS WELL, HE SAYS

In a sermon, preached by the Rev.
Charles l.. Candee. pastor Of West
minister Presbyterian Church yester-
day, on THE Value of a Man." three
subjects were brought out which have
a bearing on the affairs of the State
The necessity Of making a change in
the present laws effecting marriages,
thus doing away with the odium Will
mington has achieved as a "Gretna
Green Is one The welfare of wo-
men learners and a change in
the government OF the workhouse
were the other subjects treated by Mr.
Candee.
Relative 20 the matter of marriages,
Mr. Candee said: Il tell you there are
men here who care more for the dol
lars there may be in 1t than they do
for the souls OF the young men and
young women. They jeopardize the
home imperil the lives of thousands
of young people
You know the experience that the
Rev Mr. jackson had the other day.
He made an application to the Board
OF Health to see the records of mar
riage and met with a very fiat re-
fusal. The fact is, # would be impos-
sible for any OF us to find out the
numbers of marriages that are sol
emnized here in our city. The re-
cords be closed to practically any and
lall True they tell us they will look
up any one given name, etc. but
they will not do more. / think that
you will be simply amazed when I
tell you that one or two of our min
listers here in this city are receiving
from marriage fees more than ten
times as much money as the average
salary earned by our ministers. Are
you surprised then that there should
be the circle that would bend all their
Efforts to defeat any legislation for
more efficient marriage laws? o, I
tell you, the men and the women Of
our city must demand that there be
given us relief from the disgrace of
It ALL"
Mr.. Candee believes In better hours
and working conditions for the wo-
men and girls. He says that In
many instances women are compell-
ed TO work all day and until late
In the night, and unless they com
ply Will lose their positions. He said
that in Wilmington, Of females 16
years and over, q per cent are wage
earners, and of these fifty per cent
are between the ages of 16 and 20
years.
In part, relative to the workhouse,
Mr.. Candee said:
Il believe that our state is radi-
cally wrong in some matters con-
cerning the treatment of those whom
we unfortunately call criminals. Let
l M 81 fnf nf L..
criticize any individual nor any board
OF men. What criticize is the
whole system that is in vogue in our
state. -
Thus I believe there should be the
graded system in our prison. This
is not new II is not mere theory
IL is practiced with the greatest Of
success I'm many Of our largest pri-
sons and reformatories. Il is the pro
baton system within prison walls. II
tells a man that Il is worth while
to do right IL shows him that he can
do right and then, when he has done
so. II leads him out into something
that is better. You will never solve
the problems Of criminology until
you have shown these men that there
is something better than that which
they have been having.
There IS much to be said on the
question Of the contract system. II
has some advantage 10 be sure, and
In many instances gives good, stimu-
lating employment where otherwise
there would be idleness We can not
argue the question az length This
much I affirm. The state has the
right 10 have its prisoners pay for
their keep but the state should not
be made a profitable business at their
expense.
Il am not one OF those who would
for moment advocate that the life
in the prison should be easy and
delightful. Not for a moment would
/ take that ground. But what 7 say is
that the life in the prison should be
/ such as will tend towards reform, TO-
wards the making a man of the fell
i low, towards the giving him a chance
TO make a man Of himself.
Within the last several months j
have had no less than three men who
I have come 10 me from our prison to.
tai wrecks in health. I don't know
about IL, but l have the suspicion
that nine or ten cents a day living is
2 not very good for a mans health. ]
J have had one man tell me that for
e the space of five years and five
3 months he was never out in the open
aid and in the sunlight Another
= man for the space Of four years and
- four months. Do you wonder that
they are broken down in health? And
yet we tell them, go now. make your
own way, and TO- the irony Of it)
make a man of yourself" ++*