The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1912-03-02
REDEEM CONV|CTS RATHER
THAN KEEP THEM UNDER

mM.n pl.aa Berylen

o'H 'liiHlhui 'hh'h lhhfH w tH' tU-
prone court of this state, over 60 per
cent have been reversed Now comes
tho question, how many men caught
iu the tollK OF tho law can ever hope
10 bring their cases TO the highest
court In the state7 And Is II not rea-
Bonable 10 assume that, were the su-
prone court TO rule on all the Grim
inal caacs==had these men the money
to provide for it--only so per cent Of
our prison population would be here
today"
In those words. Thomas J. lyman,
warden Df the Colorado penitentiary
here. whose humane methods OF hand
ling the conyicts committed to his
care. have brought forth the praises
Of the soclologisis throughout the
country. In an Int rylew with the
United Press today summed up the
reasons why he is nghtinR for the
privilege and liberties of the men and
women cOnylcts.
For several years lyman has been
aA advocate oi the theory that prIs-
ons aud rciormatories should not be
mere places OF confinement, but
should convert conylcts into useful
men unl women with an object Ia life
and ability 20 earn an homes, living.
Some time ago. lyman astonlshcd pep
y'ugy experts throughout the country
when be successfully put his conyicts
on their honor and let them work on
tho Grads OF the state on their own
parole and without being kept under
armed guards.
4 believe tina, nearly 75 per cent Of
the vast army OF men In our prisons
today need not sgyo their sentences
behind prison walls" lyman contin-
ned II believe they could be profit
ably worked in the interest of the
'tato as well as IN mselyes. In out
door work. so that. while technically
serving sentences for certain offenses
committed. they could earn n reason
able and just wagfe.
This 20 per cent. In most cases.
are by no means the hopeless and
abandoned creatures We presume are
beyond the pale OF redemption. but
men who can be saved for the Inn
proyement OF the race OF society. Yet
ihorc IS something In living behind
sombrc gray walls that sleeps n mans
self respect In a fllth and mirc from
which recovery Is seldom attained.
During the last three years we
have had over 60 per cent of our
sane. Nble-bodied population at work
On he state road camps and on the
state farms some OF them 500 miles
from the prison. all working In the
free. open air, with all Its att ndant
bpnctits. under skilled and competent
nyCrsoCrs. with no gun guards, no
stripes. no lock and no ball and chain.
but every latitude that could be con-
sIst ntly given with SAT ". In these
camps and on these ranches. the men
have been taught scientific road build
ing, farming In all its departments
and many departments OF the building
trades.
"Niuety-ninc per cent have proved
faithful to their pledges. and the men
have set standard OF LOYALTY and
obedience, OF thrift and industry that
win stand for all time. Was Il neces-
sary to tag these men with numbey'
Was II necessary to shear their hair?
Was I, necessary to proclaim To the
world their cminalIty and advertise
them MS lost creaturesg
"A great majority OF these men
need never have known penal seryi-
tude. and again, had we law that
would permit the payment OF a reas.
enable wage to all these men employ
ed upon the public roads which would
enable them TO earn enough to keep
the family intact and from becoming
charge upon the various counties
would not such n law as this serve a
splendid purpose?
THE public little knows of the sor-
row, bitterness, misery and poverty
our modern prison spreads, A totter-
Ing old lady. already on the brink OF
eternity. visits her staiwart son every
Sunday. lie is serving a fifteen year
sentence. and is her only support.
Both the mother and son proclaim his
innocence-but they are pitifully
poor.
1.-TWO young farmers are each serv-
Ing three year sentence for chicken
stealing and they both claim. per-
haps truthfully so. dire necessity as
the cause. Each man has family,
Their families blindly and helplessly
followed them here, Living In a
sQualor and wretchedness hard to
Imagine, they came to me the. other