Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-03-08

LOT his calling stala UpOn him he came
from behind his bag "a sEE 81 the office
Iof the wnrden. He he'd ths lie and
liberty, the responsibility Of d th0us-
land men under his care Tor over
twenty years be guarded the destiny
|of this srstatukaoh. He waa the enemy
az every reform ever initiated 10 re-
fused to let outside men or women I'M
ltegesk themselves Cd the cauBe og the
/ prisoner. He made rules 81 unusual
severity and punished cruelty any in-
1 traction. ID this prison the contrac.
system 81 employing prisoners vas III
use, and the warden vas ever the
friend og the contractor. He was
eventually found guilty Of grating by
committee Of investigation, and
shortly before the verdict of these men
resigned hts offica
Within the last two or three years
Is noticeable Improvement has taken
place hi the treatment OF the prisoner
| iii various institutions. This improve
ment has taken place largely BY rea-
son of exposures featured prominently
| by the public press As rule this Is
but temporary, sort of sop" hand
led out Ia defiance To the wish or we'll
lbeing or the political party In power.
occasionally IL becomes permanent
What we need III all panal institu-
tons. so-calIed reform schools, IS we'll
las the penitentiary, Il . separation Of
the offenders, classed according 70
whether flrs second or third. The
lArst offenders criminal tendencies are
but partly developed. He needs the
contact and the association Of the
habituaI offender to become finished
product. The more notorious crook
II, the more damning his association
with the first offender becomes
Take the reform schools for In
stance A child is c0nmitted TO the.
care OF the Institution Because Of lack
Iog parents Once there he mixes and
becomes associated with youngsters
who have developed serious criminal
Tendencies If the first child is weak,
II follows that he III time will become
contaminated by the actions and
habits OF the stronger and more VI
4
penal institutions will show that the
majority of our professional crimi-
nails had as their kindergarten the
reform school.
! What IL needed above all to put the
prisoner liz receptive mind toward
right thinking and acting ID some
word OF cheer, little encouragement
upon entering the period Of confne-
Iment when he will be locked UP for
q term OF years, away from home and
friends and loved ones TO be denied
1.-THE pleasures 0f life almost the Joy
lof living Is a serious thing Even ig
guilty, the sufferer Ii apt to believe
that he got more than his dues. that
his prosecution gavored more of per-
secution. He Is sick OF mind and dis
couraged of heart, when the door OF
his cell closes behind him; despon-
dency oftimes sets in and he loses
hope III himself. In the future, Id God
Don't you think Ii would tighten his
load little. put d little sun IN the
coming days, looming dark ahead. II
some one could talk to him. advise
him, shake hands with him as ne
starts his Journey which to him Is
the Great Unknown! Instead, this
| Is what happens TO him. He Id placed
In the receiving wing The morning
after his arrival, representatives Of
the various contractors appear and
ssixe" him up. He Is told to bend
his knees, show his hands, work his
fingers HIS ID asked what work he
has done; whether his eye-sight il o.
X. etc They tell me they do similar
things to livestock when they are OF
fered for sale.
Folks, cOntenfed and safe In your
imagined security, your boys will
never never inhabit d X Iii i PEN
itsntiary. They have been reared too
painstakingly III the virtues and
morality OF life. You have prayed and
sacrificed great deal that they should
grow Mp to be ideal men. Some
lines my friends, storm comes IN
announced Out OF the cI0udless hea-
vens q stroke 81 lightning, pun az
wind. and the life which you reared
with such loving care. lies devastated.
Your son, Il he lives To mature mall-
hood, has many temptations to met.
II be strong enough 10 Withstand
them ALI 70 he interested ii the
fate and the future Of the prisoner il
the duty of every lover Ok humanity.
The personal environment Of many
penal Institutions I'M this country Ii
decidedly antagonistic toward the ref
lornaati0n Of Ito inmates. The appoint
msnts 10 penal positions are often de-
cided by political influence, and we
md saloon keepers. ward heelafs, and
political 'laangara-On rewarded for
their eleckionering activity with 4
position on the star OF she states OF
city'a penal Institutions These men
are accepted without any special 1T
ness Or ability along penal lines The
Job is open Tor the political victor, and
ths bosses send their heachnen down