The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1915-04-08
Another Chance To
Make Good
o. oRRIsoN SWEET MARDEN


fCoVJn1St ~ NcClars Newspaper sIsdieass
YN the state OF New Jersey Col Ed
ward A. Stevens. commissioner OF
a public works, is trying an expert
msnt with convict camp, when
hasn't even a fence around ii. Thirty
prisoners were sent there from the
oyer-crowded Trenton prison. 10 "orK
on the highways; and the idea IL not .
only to improve the roads but to I'm
prove the prisoners and TO help solve
the prison problem
The workers have named It the
Don't Worry Club, while II Is known
/ officially az State Camp No. !. The
word convict and the idea OF prls'
/ oners are eliminated everywhere.
| There are no cells and although there
are several guards, they mingle with
the men In friendly intercourse When
their days labor is finished they enjoy
baseball, music or any other healthful
amusement,
The men are selected on merit from
the state prison, and there are hun
dreds OF inmates of Trenton who want
l to be transferred to Don't worry
Camp" Opportunity Z" go Is a reward
for good conduct
In time, 1t IL believed, the camp Will
not only be self-governed, but also
selfsupporting, and the mems labor
can be- paid for without cost to the
state. The success of this experiment
will not only mean revolution IN pc
nology, but be cause for rejoicing to
the taxpayer.
Every human being who goes wrong
should have a chance to redeem him
self, TO try again, aad he ought 10
have an opportunity that is favorable
lie ought not to be put in an environ
ment where everything around him
suggests the crooked. the wicked, where
everything tends to arouse the brute
in him to develop the evil thing in him,
the love Of revenge, bitterness, hatred
and 10 kill the good He ought to be
In an environment which would help
| him to forget the bad, which would
only suggest the good, the pure, the
clean, which would suggest his divine
: ly. not his beastly, propensities, and
which would hold out hope Of another
4 chance--a chance to make good.
The brutal instinct lingering in man
has been graphically illustrated in our
cruel. inhuman treatment OF prisoners
and In our barbaric slaughter OF hu
man beings, upon whom the death
penalty has been pronounced, Justice
does not demand such an exhibition Of
horrors There must be some more
human way of treating our errinl
brothers,
How can we expect a criminal Il
get back the self respect which ht
has lost, by cruel treatment, by hal
starving him, treating him like al
animal instead of like q man, PUTTING
him In an iron cage away from God't
light and air?
There is good material abilit!
= enough, energy. resources enough II
these people we thus deprive of lib
erty and life. TO perform great service
TO humanity as well as to themselye
and their families What right hay
we TO deprive them ut least of
chance to make good How often tn
crime we commit against our prison
ers is far greater than their crime t
sooietyl
II we wish to reform prisoners W
should try to make them self respec
ing, healthy beings Their environ
ment should be as attractive and q
normal as possible Reform near
healthful normal conditions tn
mind ia in no state to improve or r
form when suffering from mental d
preston due to the vicious crlmin
suggestive environment, where ever
thing reminds the prisoner of his IA
or his lnferiority. and eyerythir
about him tends to Impress upon hi
the fact that he is not a human bein
but an outCast,
We have all felt the restful resto
ing, renewing power of beautif
scenery OF country life Why shou
n We deprive prisoner OF these hell
20 health and normauty2 Nature is
great restorative. ana criminals shou
N be kept where they can get the fl
benefit Of the sunlight. afr and countI
life. In an environment which woul
suggest only the good and true, lille
with possibilities OF recovering 10,
4. a ~ a