The Raymer enterprise., 1913-10-30
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entered element that was unthough, of former.
y This new element has TO do with the reclama.
lion OF the convics the development OF their moral
senses and their ultimate return to the world as
Ia".ablding citizens. rather than human dereicts
made uniit. through their prison life for any fur
ther attempt to lead an honest existence
The new idea OF convict road labor is TO aid
both the state and the convict. TO give the state
the benefit OF the labor that can be utilized TO
greater advantage in this way than In any other
ana to give the convict the benefit OF the 9ut-
door NE the freedom from the restraint Of prison
walls and the different character OF discipline that
makes 1t possible for him to regain his sefrespect
In working out this idea especially with
the view to the reformation OF the conyicts old
Ideas of prison regulations necessarily have disap
peared and the whole system of discipline has been
reYolutionzed The honor system has taken the
place OF armed guards, In many instances and the
ROAD camp has replaced the stockades and "bull
pens" OF the old days OF convict road labor
Colorado was one OF the first states to adopt the
new Idea. New Jersey began experiments along
the same line a short time later President Wood
row Wilson. then governor OF New Jersey is given
credit for the Inauguration of the convict rond
work In that state along the new lines Several
other states have fallen IN line. each working
possibly in a different way. but toward the same
general end
Illinois Is the latest state to make begin.
Ming In this work, force of nearly one hun.
dred convicts was recently taken from the peni
tentiary at Joliet and placed at work on the
roads. Armed guards were dispensed with and
the men were placed upon their honor The
conVicts pledged themselves to make no effort
10 escape and the authorities relying upon
their keeping this promise.
In this case n tendency soon developed on tho
part OF the people to oyerdo the idea OF giving
the convicts greater liberty and pleasure A
plan to give the conycts an automobile ride
and theaer party In a nearby city was pro-
posed to the authorities. but Governor Dunno
vetoed this program and let Il be understood that
while 1t Is planned to give the convlcts greater
freedom than they have been accustomed to
within the prison walls and to aid them In get.
ting better view OF life the fact that they
have been sentenced to pay a penalty for in.
fraction OF the states laws must not be forgot.
ten and the men must be made to realize that
punishment awaits such violations of the stat.
utes
Tho working OF cOnvicts upon the roads In
Colorado was made possible only a few years
, ago by act OF the Legislature The system has
been generally adopted throughout the state
during the past two or three years. the various
counties cooperating with the state in tho i'm.
provement OF the highways. The result Is seen
In many miles OF splendid roads built by the
convicts.
The honor system was adopted simultaneously
with the placing OF the convicts on the roads
In Colorado. All OF the conyicts were not
turned loose from the penitentiary without
guards. but certain percentage OF the prison.
ers. including those having the best prison rec.
ords. were taken from the peniten,Iary nrst as
an experiment As the success OF the expert.
ment seemed evident to the authorities the mum.
ber Of honor" men was Increased and more
THAI so per cent OF the convicts we're finally
removed from the prison and placed In the read
camps.
Warden lyman and other prison authorities dc.
clare the experiment has been even more puc.
cessful than they anticipated
During the last three years we have had more
than one thousand individual prisoners In the
convict camps" says the warden. These men.