The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-20

teers of America, which is command
| ed by Gen. Darlington and Maud
Booth, son and daughter-in-law of
the late Gen. William Booth, found
er of the Salvation Army, is visitor
| to this city in the interest of a cause
which has for its purpose the reform
J and uplift of the entire prison pop
ulation of Florida.
! 1t will be remembered, however,
that Mrs Maud Darlington Booth is
recognized as the worlds greatest
prison worker and reformer, and the
very fact that this statewide cam
paign is under her leadership and
supervision is sufficient eguarantee
that it will prove a blessing to Flor
ida's prisoners and fulfill need that
has seemingly been overlooked here
tofore.
The work to be done in this State
will consist of a Farm Home, which
is being opened at Brooklyn, lit
tie town near Palatka, on the G. S.
& F. R. R., where released prison.
ers will be received and assisted with
food, lodging, medical treatment and
work until permanent positions can
be secured for each individual ac-
| cordinp tn his ability
When a man comes from prison his
friends of the past, in most cases,
remain of the past and his friends
of the future are such as his life
shall entitle him to.
The purpose of this home is to
help each man morally, spiritually
and mentally, which can and will be
done by throwing the proper envir-
onments around him. In connection
with the farm home an employment
agency will be conducted. The farm
ers, truck growers, public works and
various enterprises will be kept in
touch with, thus enabling the or
ganization to properly place each
man where he can earn a necessary
livelihood and living wages
Adiutant Odom states that REGULAR
visits are being made by him and
his co-workers to the various farms
turpontine camps and institutions
where our state prisoners are en-
ployed, where religious services arc
conducted and reading matter dis
tributed at regular intervals amon2
an army of some 900 or 1900 men
and it is very gratifyine to know
that much good is being accomplish
ed in this way.
The majority of us think that mer
in prison are hard hearted criminals
but the writer of this article, wht
has visited hundreds of prisons ant
has studied the lives of thousands O
their inmates, declares that no
many men are criminals at heart
but simply victims of circumstances
The majority, If not all men in pris
on, hate crime whether it be com
mitted by us against them or b,
them against us and because the,
cmmitted some offense against thu
laws of our land and country at SOM
time or other, does not signify tina
they prefer leading a wrong life
Many of these men are weak, so I,
speak, and while under the influence
; of the wrong delusion, committee
: that which they ordinarily would no
desire to do.
The purpose of this work is to en-
courage this great army of human
: ity to reform and thereby prepar
for better citizenship, and this HON
: located at Brooklyn. in the south
eastern corner of Bradford county
$ on Bedford lake. will be condducte
strictly as home" (and not
whitewashed institution for tn
. placing of released prisoners on thei
feet, many of whom when release
! are at a loss where to go and wha
: to do A man in prison for five o
> ten years or longer, will NATURAL
y and mind and he comes out a weake
man than his stronger brother, an
: for this reason an organized effor
is being made to make these me-
feel like life is worth living, thous'
they may have made a mistake.
The farm is to be conducted s
the men mentioned above can al
ways feel that they have a place t
go. even though they NAV have heel
forsaken by friends. relatives an
loved ones They will find at thi
home place where every effort viii
.. be made to protect them from eyi
environments and criticisms. Th
home will be private and surrounds
by morals of the best and religion
influences and each man sent on
into a position will be given til
backing of the organization. and IL
one need to know that he has bee
imprisoned except the party employ
ing him.
Hon w A McRae, commission
er of agriculture. who is the chair