The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-31

Lakeland, Fla:
Dear Mr.. Hetherington-In a re-
cent editorial paragraph concerning
the State Prison Farm at Raiford,
You say:
But We are informed by those in
position to know that the idea OF
reformation has never terminated
in the prison soil of Raiford. There
is no effort to send out the cnvict,
whose labor for a number of years
has been taken as the price of his
crime. a better man than when he
entered the prison. This is not writ
ten in the spirit of criticism, but
merely with the hope that some
scmething else with Florida's pris-
cners besides merely wreaking the
vengeance of the law upon them.
This editorial is rather puzZling to
me, for, while the State Prison
Farm has no chaplain employed TO
give his entire time to the work, re-
lie;ous services are conducted every
Sunday by resident ministers of the
Gospel. of Raiford and vicinity In
addition to this, a number of the
prisoners, including some men OF
unusual ability and intelligence who
Il NJ ms hn nf Ia iaI
have seen the error of their way.
and are earnestly trying to lead
their fellow prisoners into better
life. And, besides tine regular Sun
day services in the various wards, l
have no idea that any minister
within reach of the Farm would hes
itate for one moment to answer a
call from any prisoner at any time
DESTROYS of his attentions.
Any State which contented itself
with merely wreaking the VEN
geance of the law" upon its Grim
inal population. would not only be
sadly out Of h4.iS@ay with the prin-
ciples Of Christianity, the humane
; principles that any civilized COM
munity of today would be expected
to cherish, but would be woefully
shortsighted from a purely selilsh
standpoint. 1t is safe to say that no
prisoner comes out of the peniten
tiary the same man mentally and
morally as he was when he went in;
he comes out either resolved TO lead
aw-abiding life, or determined TO
: get even with the State for his
Involuntary servitude by breaking
a. many laws as he can without get
ting caught at it.
we NAV accept as automatic that
rroper conditions will tend TO the
reformation of prisoner, whlle I'M
proper conditions on the contrary
will tend to confirm his disregard or
contempt for law and the rights oil
others.
Let us see what the conditions are
at Raiford. and which way they nat
urally and logically point.
First of all, the nature of the Ia
bor performed there. With thu ex-
ception of few prisoners detailed
for indoor work of the wards, kitch-
ems and hospital, the work is all IN
the open air; farming, care of STOCK
direction of buildings, etc. Consider
ling the predisposition of large
percentage of the prisoners, espec-
iialIy the negroes who constitute 50
to IS per cent. of the whole popu-
llation of the prison system OF Flor
lida-theugh only little more tnan
lone-half of those on the farm-to
Tuberculosis and other wasting dis
eases, the Importance of this fact
with reference to the health OF the
prisoners is of no small Importance.
No work is performed there of ma
ture that is degrading or physically
excessive. nor is any prisoner re-
CURED to labor beyond his ability.
The statute limits the labor to ten
hours day. including time going
. to and returning from work, and
, rig;dly protects the prisoners right
, to the Sabbath as day of rest.
The buildings should then be con-
. sidered: not elaborate structures,
but thoroughly sanitary with mod
| ern plumbing; sufficiently heated
,and well ventilated; running water
: and electric lights. The food Ia
: plentiful. well cooked and as good
: or better than nine-tenths OF the
prisoners enjoy day by day before
reaching or in many cases perhaps
, after leaving. the Farm at the expir-
Z Iation Of their sentences