New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-21
Commissioner Davis Saws
Reform Ideas Cannot Be
FOiSted on COnviCts.
UNREST NOW DUE
TO NEW CONDITIONS
Thomas Mott Osborne Praises
Outdoor Games for Sing
Sing COnvicts.

81 was standing before the cell OF q,
prisoner at Auburn not long ago" said
Thomas Mott Osborne, chairman of the
New York State Commission on Prison
Reform. at Columbia University las,
night. AT first did not take much
stock in YOU the man told me. q
thought you were one of those reform.
ers. But you are not, arc you? You
just mean business"
That" added Mr. Osborne. was one
OF the greatest compliments | have re-
ceived in many day"
The occasion for Mr.. Osbornc's
speaking last night was a meeting un-
der the direction Of the National Com
mittee on Prison Reform. Commits
sioner Katharine b. Davis Of the De
partment OF Correction was the other
speaker. DR.. Davis. fresh from her ey-
periences with the mutinous convictS
at Blackwell's Island told what she be
lioved to be the remedies 10 apply 20
the present prison system. Mr.. Osborne
limited himself to "a little from tho
man on the other side of the bars.'
He narrated some Of his experiences
during his week Of voluntary incarccr-
alton IN Auburn prison.
"The trouble with the city prison.
Commissioner Davis told the 500 stu
dents Of the Columbia summer school.
the majority OF whom were women, rs
that il is undergoing a transition. Con-
ditions are changing for the better as
fast as we can work out the new plans.
There is bound to be a certain amount
of unrest.
zone OF the brightest spots in the
situation now is the establishment o.
a 6OO-acrc farm in Orange County for
the boys from the reformatory on
Harris Island. There are only sixty
there now. but within two years we
hope TO move the entire reformatory.
The Board Of Estimate has already
appropriated $4,000 for permanent
buildings"
A democracy in the prisons was
needed. said Commissioner DAVIS. Az
present many Of the inmates did not
want il. contending that officials were
paid 20 run the institutions. The idea
was growing. though. shc said. but II
would have to spring up from within the
walls Of the pcnitentaries. and could
not be foisted upon the convicts from
outside.
The students. many or them school
teacher. applauded when she said: "l
would like to direct the attention -
educators 10 some sort Of instruction
ir the fourth or nth grades that would
teach the pupils that there was con se-
quence 70 every act
Thomas Mott Osborne said he vcr,
70 Sing Sing prison yesterday I'D
learned. upon talking 70 prisoners. tna.
The outdoor games instituted there C1t
worked wonders.
"The men arc already realizing that
they have capacity to bear responsi.
biity," he asserted. "They will rcspoul
t. il and it will bring results. They
viii come out Of the institution better
qualified TO take their places IN society.
"Thc reason VIC should interest our
selve, in the treatment Of prisoner is
rot because wc love the prisoner par
'icularly. Society must protect itself;
but society is better protected By CIV
ing the men il imprisons better treat-
mont.
There is intense loyalty among prls-
oners for a certain few Of their friends.
| have known a man who had already
served TWO terms TO go 70 prison
third time or a burglary charge o.
which he was innocent rather than tell
on two of his friends. The problem
now J., 10 stretch that loyalty 90 the
100 men i'm the institutions. and later
70 society at large when they are C.
leased