The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-01

PRISONS but 1t is rarer there than in
| any other aggregation Of human beings
Therefore there is wonderful sweet
ness In the prison atmosphere. 1t Is a
| sweetness which Is perceived amid all
the dreariness, stagnation and outrage,
and It rises above the vapors Of ply q cal
crime. for It is a spiritual sweetness.
There men are locked in their cells,
but the whited sepulchre Is shattered
| and its sorry contents are purified by
the pure light OF humiliation, confes.
sion and helplessness: there are no
hypOcrites here. no masks, no holier
than thou paraders. Their crimes have
been proclaimed and branded upon their
backs; pretences are at an end for them.
1t was wonderful to look into a mans
face and see no disguise there. Il am
guilty-here I am" This experience
| took the SAVIOR out Of ordinary worldly
society for me. l go here and there,
and everywhere there is incorporating,
the weaving Of a thin deception which
does not deceive. We were sincere and
humble In prison: but that is a result
which the builders Of prisons hardly
foresaw.
There was one more step toward
cOmpromise-to take the prisoner out OF
his cell and send him outdoors without
guards or precautions, nothing hut his
promise that ne would return when the
work to which he was assigned was
done.
read the other day an agreeable
account Of this "honor system" The
men were employed on road making
chiefly, enjoyed the benefit OF free air
and the outdoor scene and kept order
and faith among themselves. But the
prison walls were still around them.
though unseen. They were told that
any attempt to escape would be
punished by deprivation thenceforth OF
all liberties-any attempt! and IL the
escape were successful the fugitive
would know that the chances Of recap
ture were a thousand against one.
Moreover. II was laid down that the
escape or attempt OF any member of
the gang would react upon the liberties
Of all.
This made the men guards over one
another: II was not honor but self-re-
spect that was relied on. And IN any
event there was the prison at last; the
chain might be heightened to hundreds
of miles. but 1t held them still. They
were Convicts. when their terms were
set them apart from itself; they were a
contamination. you are not At to
mingle with us on an equal footing"
Society might condescend to them. he
friendly and helpful to them. but ad-
nit them Of its own flesh and Blood
well. not quite that! I'VE forgive you,
hut on sufferance: II is really a great
concession: you must show your graft
tude nv good worka"
oh. the pharisees! The faint Of it will
not come out SO easily. and until il
does come out, to the last filthy trace
OF II, prisons will continue to be prisons,
and compromises will be vain.
repeat-the evil Of prisons Is the
imprisonment. You must not deprive "A
man OF his liberty. His liberty is his
life. He may and probably he will use
his liberty to the endangering Of your
property or comfort. but has your own
career been wholly free from infringe
ment upon the rights of your neighbor?
II you send him to prison you ought
TO link arms with him and go there
too.
You have not been convicted by a
court. but your own secret self-knowl-
edge convicts you. When the prison
doors close upon you you will discover
that you have suffered an injustice