Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-06

idea Of reformation. ~. Il. Pat
tcrSoH, Prison Commissioner for
the state Of Georgia.
TT would avail nothing bitter
terly to condemn Mr.. Patter-
son as ignorant. Nor is it
necessary. His own statement, If
he really means what he says,
convicts him of one of two equally
bad things:
Either ne is ignorant of his
duty as Prison Commissioner or
he is willfully inhumane. I do
not believe Mr.. Patterson is either
ignorant or cruel; but if he is the
one or the other, as the statement
credited to him indicates, he is
unfit for his gravely responsible
position.
Mr.. Pattersons associates-R.
Z. Dawson and Z. L. Rainey-
have shown by their actions and
their remarks that they agree
with him. Consequently, they, as
Commissioners if they believe as
they talk, are unfit for their posi-
lions.
1t is a staggering fact that these
three men, who hold in their
cupped palms the well-being or
destruction Of hundreds of unfor-'
tunate human beings, should
stand forth in the light Of pres
ent-day civilization, and, at least
seemingly, espouse the cause Of a
dead century's barbarism.
Seem to Defend It. F"
The whipping post is bar
barism
And these men seem to defend
it,
Patterson Dawson Rainey, who
should represent the most adj
vanced thought of the day in the
handling of prisoners (who are
merely grown-up children gone
wrong), who have the power to
put that thought into practice, ap-
pear to choose barbarism!
Patterson Dawson Rainey say
to their prison guards, in eff
feet:
Go ahead and be barbarians
but don't be too barbaric.'
And while they say it, these
three sit in the leather uphol-
stored seats of the mighty, well
dressed, we'll fed, looked up to.
But suppose they were yanked
from their seats and put in the
changing. Suppose Patterson
DAWSON Rainey were stripped OF
their broadcloth and deprived of
their cigars; clothed in stripes.
flayed with a strap occasionally
and forced to swing shovel UNI
der the muzzle of a gun on the
public road, for years.
Suppose Patterson DAWSON
Rainey were fed worm-filled food,
forced to work when they were
racked with pain. with fever;
their hands and feet swollen
round and their backs slashed
open with a metal-studded strap.
Would Patterson DAWSON
Rainey rest on their shovels as
the Prison Commission rode by
in an automobile and bow and
smile. and say:
you are right, gentlemen; the
idea of punishment should take
precedence over the idea of ref
ormation."
| wonder if Mr.. Patterson, MI.
Dawson or Mr.. Rainey ever read
a book that Victor Hugo wrote,
called Les Miserables.'
I wonder if these three gentle
men ever heard of Warden Bob
McKenty, Of the Eastern Peni-
tertiary of Pennsylvania; or of
the $50 men he recently sent
forth from the gates of the peni-
tertiary, clean, intelligent arti-
sans and professional men; the
very same who went into that
prison years ago mUrderers safe
blowers, forgers: degraded, de-
generate and llliterate as any
man who ever went to a Georgia
prison?
Do Mr.. Patterson, Mr.. Dawson
and Mr.. Rainey think the idea of
punishment took precedence over
the idea of reformation in THEIR
cases?
Good Citizens.
I wonder if these three Prison
Commissioners know that Ward
en- McKenty is interested in the
making of good CITIZENS" and
not in the making of good
PRISONERS"
Probably they do not; for if
Patterson-Da -Rainey knew
these things they could not in
the spirit of honesty l believe
thew DossesS. have said thar the