Newark post., 1915-05-26

De d pldCS VI DdlliSllluCll, Ahl vs.
borne declared, land not a place
of punishment. The man should
be banished because he is unso-
cial. 1t is impossible to measure
the sentence of any man. No court
of law can or should attempt to
make the punishment fit the crime
| know of one man in prison,
charged with five different things,
The one for which he was sentenc-
ed is the only one of which he is
innocent. He has served eleven
years. The prison is merely the
place for host of us who have
been caught. Men high in office
in the very prison departments,
perhaps, are more corrupt, more
criminal, than the criminals them
selves. There is no real dividing
line between the prisoner and the
honest man.
Mr.. Osborne declared his lack of
patience with the sentimental
feeling for the prisoner. "The
great majority of prisoners them
selves" he said, will agree that
they ought to come to prison; the
only thing they say they ought to
have is square DEAL
The reform system in practice
at Sing Sing, inaugurated by Mr..
Osborne about two years ago, has
been marked with unusual sue
cess. The basis Of the system is
an appeal to the manhood of the
prisoner. The garden believes the
success of the venture rests large
ly upon the principle of loyalty.
The old guards have been dismis-
sed. The men are allowed to con-
verse in a natural manner; they
mingle freely, at the recreation
hour, in the prison yards-all rad
ella changes from the old regime
Each man knows by running away
or breaking the laws-althougf
the opportunity lies all around
him-he is endangering the privil
eges of 100 pals.
Mr.. Osborne reviewed the fault:
of the old prison system, mention
ing Cd the housing of the inmate:
At Auburn Prison the cells are
feet high, 7 1-2 feet long, and I
feet wide; at Sing Sing 6 12 fee
high, 7 feet long, and 3 1-2 fee
wide. This can mean nothing bu
steady degeneration of mind, soul
and body. The new system woul'
put men on the farm or out in tn
: open. q The labor system. 9Th
contract SYSTEM" Mr.. Osborn
declared, "is the worst possibl
system that can exist. There is i
; it absolutely no incentive to WORK
Personally | worked in the Au
burn prison for six days, and END
I ed forty-one cents in debt-fo
l fines are charged for every sligh
offense. The new system woul
pay every man a decent wage fo
3 his work, by means of which h
: will be able to support his wifi
| and family. Prisoners should nc
t be permitted to work as a slav
works. There is no reason VIII
S the inmates of our prisoner
= should not receive while ther
: practical lessons in political ecor
$ omy. (3) The system of silence
The most unnatural, the most al
d normal thing in the world, is fC
: a man to ignore altogether hi
e power of speech. Since the form
e alton of the Mutual Walfal
League at Sing Sing this restri
: tion has been abolished. The re!
5, ular officers and guards have bee
l. dismissed, the prisoners then
e selves electing their own. A
l. iatur commonwealth has been e
l. tablished which has train of i
= terests of it's own. "It is a vel
IS democratic little colony" Mr.. 0
h borne said "At the last electit
< the former president of a ban
le and a former burglar of a ban
is were candidates for the preside
'e cy. The first field day was he
is last Fourth of July; a second w
n held on Labor Day, and simil
N sports are planned for the comil
n. holidays. The result has been
il wonderful improvement in disci
re line. Until two years ago the vi
u ilance of the guards was doubl
rk on a foggy day-almost inva
le' iably there would be several ;
IS, tempts to escape. Since the inau
r. uration of the new system not o
E. prisoner has attempted to escal
as (4) The monotony of prison Ii
L? 1t is hard to imagine the paraly
Of ing monotony of the life of a p
Sc soner. At Sing Sing we belle
II I