Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-12-27
PRISONERS MUST
SUPPORT ANTILLES
Confined IN Jails al Night, Conyicts
Compelled to Continue Work,
Wives Getting Wages.

Racine, Wis, Dec 26.- One of the
maze Of legislation that has made
Wisconsin known as the test state OF
the nation has come a lava thor
orghly humane law-that is worthy
c. emulation in every state Of the
union.
1t is law that gives the prisoners
wife and children chance!
And it is SO simple and SO logical in
is operation that it makes the old
system seem ridiculous.
In the cities Of Wisconsin, like
tnose of other states, when man was
sent to Jail his wife and children were
halpless. Deprived Of even what lit
Tic the erratic husband and father
provided for their support they were
THROWN upon charity or the city for
an extremely meager livelihood.
But that was before the legislature
passed the bill that instructs the
site riff to find jobs for all married
men Jailed for minor crimes.
A printer, recently sentenced to 4O
days in Jail for drunkenness and fail
ure to support his family, illustrates
the working of the law. Every pay
day the man spent his weeks earn
ings in the saloons and gave his wife
net a cent for the support of herself
and her two small children.
When sentenced the man was
working in a job printing plant only
Two blocks from the jail. He was per-
uitted to continue his work. coming
hack to the iail at noon for lunch and
returning direct from work to his cell
|
the night. The next days program
was the same and so on for forty
| days.
On Saturday, carrying an order
from the judge the wife went to ms
employer and took his wages OF $7z.'o
For the six weeks he was imprisoned
| she did this. and was able to pay up
ne, various household bills and OUT
fl, herself and children with clothes
for the winter.
After 40 days Of no drinking, whole
some food and regular habits the man
came out of the gail a healthy cltize
His system thoroughly cleansed OF
alcohol. Then we put him on the
blacklist, that is, forbidding saloon
keepers to sell him drinks.
Under the old system he would nave
lain idly in cell associatlng with
worse criminals and come forth per-
hans worse than he entered. His lam
ilv would have either starved or oo-
tanned Sc Or 81 week from the cl'y
The new law turns them into nap
ry family, saves the man ms 1ob ana
saves the city the expense OF ahotilei
FIRMLY on the poor list.
AS police chief in one o tine i'rS'
| cities in Wisconsin to take ADVANTAGE
OF the law have seen many instance
of how we'll it works out and nave
vet ia note one case in which 1t f2ll-
cd ..,. -
OF course. going back and forth &c
| work the chance of escape is always
there. but not prisoner mas se'
talen advantage of it. They always
show up at meal time.
The sheriff finds jobs for those haen
who had none when arrested any
MAKES them work. Contractors heea,
irs gang in hurry, phone him aho
he delivers the men.
Everybody profits. The prl5ohel
Gets new chance. his family ooes
not have to depend on charity ane
/ Hfts three or four times amount ths
pt or bureau would pay, and the cll'
saves money in providing for the mar
ard not the family. The sherlil
Wholesale buying can iced the prs
orers for AN average OF 10 cents !.
ana while the fare contains no lriii'
il is sufficient TO keep man soihs
a, heavy work.