The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1916-09-21

unwortahlr without it, During two
years nr Anderson has examined a46
cases. and of this number only ninety
has he pronounced mentally sound
Based on Wrong Principle
These mentally defective offenders
whom We now treat as criminals de
maud attention aS q distinct class Of
unfortunatcS who tiud their way into
our courts 70 send them 10 n peua,
institution for thirty. sixty or ninety
days is not protecting society. The,
are returned after their period of in
carccrntion to the world no better
equipred to conduct themselves in ac.
cordauce with the laws Of society than
when they were committed.
The old system OF the administration
Of the criminal law has failed because
il was based upon a wrong principle
II was founded upon the basis of re-
vcuGe Rctrihution. retaliation ana
vengeance were The only objects
sought, al~ the system was wrong
even from a selfish Viewpoint because
n did NOT protect society II was
wrong, nnd viciouSy wrong, from
human viewpoint. because it Disregard
ed entirely the offender, and for the
last reason il failed
During the reign of Henry VIII.
there were over 72100 persons tortur-
ed AMI hanged Is the iietk until dead.
and yet during the reign of that bloody
monarch murder ana rape ard arson
were never 50 widespread. The old
system. having found n man guilty of
a violation of one of society's man
dates seized him 10y the scrutf of the
neck and threw him into grim has
/ tile, where he was left, often in idle
/ ness, for period of time and then
| suddenly, without any preparation
/ whatever. he was liberated upon so
/ ciety again. The old system clothed
! the convict In dress of shame. Ii
pointed the finger of scorn at him II
treated him as thing accurscd All
society joined In league against the
fallen man.
The new system seeks the reclama-
tion of humanity Its two purposes
are first the protection of society.
and second the reformation OF the
criminal and it accomplishcs the first
by accomplishment of the second
Sheriff Melms Successful
A short time ago the So rctary Of
the Merchants and Manufacturers as
sociation In Milwaukee took occasion
To- snecr at probation as n ping pong
altruiSm.' ! wonder if he would be
50 harsh in his criticism II he knew
that during the six years that Judge
Kaclus has administered that splendid
system in Milwaukee he has placed
upon our streets as free men bound
only upon their pledge of honor. 1888
offenders. aud of that number during
these SiN years only hfynlnc have
broken their word, and these have
been summarily dealt with Five hun
dred Families have been spared the
humiliation and the shame of having
the shadow of the prison da~kcu their
homcs Three thousand children have
kept their fathers by the family fire
side because of this humane measure
The sum Of 81 SoO.OO0 has been paid
into the probation office and has gone
To the support of families that would
be dependent upon the state TO say
nothing of the thousands of dollars
thar would be expended for mainte-
nance and support of these 1853 Of
Tenders had we the old system i0 force
IN my opinion Sheriff Mclms Is the
! it
waukce county, because he Is disci-
pie Of ptuology He is respected and
loved by the prisoners who are com
mlttcd to his care. Under provision
In our lgWs. which very few shrriffS
take advantage Of. many Of the prison
crs under the regime OF Sheriff Nclms
are released on parole to work for
Themselves ANA their families and "a
gain back their self respect. and much
more is being accompli -hod In this way
for the protection of society than by
kccpiu2 tucsc unfortunate mou dctaiu
ed in likeness in the ~luaIid cells Of
the county jail.
Riverside. ~ provide for fam.
ilr ~ fourteen ehi'3rcu ou the modest
salary Of 81 POO paid 10y Uncle Sam to
n rural mail carrier /, the problem that
coufrouts John e. D'Autrcmont. ru
raj carrier here D'AutIemont does It.
however. aud liner family Of children
one would not care 10 see.
More interesting than ever in this al.
ready Interesting family (. the iact