The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-08
Question Of Procedure Will Be
Taken Up at Next Tuesdays
Meeting
BEATEN BY VOTES OF
FIVE COUNCILMEN
d.. Mastin Declares Richmond
Should Lead in Movement
for Betterment of Jail Con-
I ditions

The Council Of Social Workers Is
printing itself for the action. which
Will be decided on at a meeting of
that body to be held next Tuesday
Afternoon, relative to the city farm
appropriation, defeated BY the Com
mon Council at its last meeting.
Persons Interested in improving the
conditions under which the inmates
Of the city Jail are imprisoned were
surprised at the action OF the Council
men, especially SO. since II was not
Known to those favoring the farm
that the matter would come up, else
members from the sociological organ
tzations in the city would have been
on hand to champion its. passa &c.
As 1t happened, no one outside Of the
Council Interested in the city farm
, project was on hand.
1T Is u pity that Richmond. the
capital OF the State. will not lead in
this work of redemption OF its un-
fortunates." stated DR.. j. T Mastin.
secretary OF the State Board Of Chart
ties and Corrections. yesterday. This
city should sci the pace for the bal
,ance of the State. and not wait until
smaller cities have established the
farms, We should be recognized as a
leader In all such movements for the
benefit of our people
Not An Untricd Experiment.
This is not a proposition in which
the city would be working in the
dark" continued Dr. Mastin. 1T has
been demonstrated at Lynchburg
which has esta biished farm. that
!. II Is a profitable institution, both from
monetary standpoint, and one of
benefit 10 the prisoners The last re-
por, Of the G.ynchburg farm showed
that it had been operated "a, a gain OF
$4,000 for the period Richmonds
farm would not be otherwise
The people should realize that a
city farm would go long way to
making unnecessary a medical ex-
animation day. which was held here
recently. II the jails wer" abolished.
They a hothed Of tuberculosis. An
instance recently came To my atten-
.tion, in which a man was found in
city jail who was in the last stages OF
the disease. He had been there for
some time. mingling freely with the
other inmates and doubtless infect
ing number OF them. His cell was
infected. and without any air or sun
shine. and the persons in that prison,
who were constantly changing. took
with them the germs OF the disease.
] have come in contact with many de-
plora BILE cases similar and worse than
this.
tame As TREAT ~ufIr1SS.
Il wish we could have had some
of our people at the meeting of the
Council last Monday night" DR.. Mas
Tin stated. Had we known that the
measure was coming up before that
body. we would have been sufficiently
represented, but its consideration by
that body came as great surprise.
At any rate. 1t is inconceivahle TO me-
why the council rejected 1t. since il
does not mean cent that the city
will have to spend. The proposition
lis that Pine Camp will be sold, and
tho money used To purchase farm
for the prisoners ard the patients at
that sanatorium. There is nothing in
The idea that could make the Council
hostile to the project But we have
not finished our work"
Not Welded to Ncwstead Farm.
DR.. Mastin stated that he was not
Welded to the Newstead farm, which
. . very expensive proposition, but
vince that war favored by the Admin
Isfrative Board. he advocated II with
the belief that the urgency of the stu
alton should be quickly met and saw
an the boards approval an early cor
rection for the present svil of the city
Jail system. His one idea Is farm.
IL must be large enough for the needs
OF the city and the establishment of
the tuberculosis sanstortum now at
Pine Camp. It need not he an eX-
pcns!ve place. but go urgent is the
need OF city farm that he Is willing
so have any farm that offers ground
for the solution of tho present horrible
r ! 9nthinkable conditions at the city
Jail.
Much Surprise Expressed.
Much surprise has been expressed
iby Interested citizens at the action
OF the Council last Monday In refusing
to adopt the Finance Committees rec
pmmcndation for purchasing a farm to
be devoted to caring for Richmond's
deiinquents. The fact that there
seemed no opposition to the measure
unit! the time for a vote to be taken.
when the resolution was defeated BY
exactly the required number of votes
has been the cause Of much discus
sion and dissatisfaction.
A few weeks ago the Finance Com
-mitte heard committee of citizens
on the city farm proposition. and at
ter a lengthy debate that body voted
an appropriation of $4,000. A recon-
mendation was sent to the Council,
asking that they act favorably on the
project No further opposition was
heard, and 1t was expected that tho
Council would pass the ordinance.
Two Members Absent.
Last Monday night the Council mot
In regular session. Two members.
Robert Lee Peters OF Clay Ward, ana
John w. Moore. Of Madison Ward.
were absent from the meeting. After
considering certain other, business per-
tanning to various departments of tho
city government, action was called
for on the city farm resolution. None
k0f tho social workers were present
1 - strsngthsn their case. and before
Continued - Geo1nA PAgs.I