The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-02-11
THE HONOR SYSTEM
AT THE STATE PRISON
CONTINUED from Yesterday

Continued from Yesterday
The theory on which the honor sys-
tenn is founded is sensible enough.
The majority of men in penal institu-
tions are not chronic law breakers,
but men who have yielded perhaps
but once to passion or temptation.
Convicted of the offense, they would
far rather return to the path of rec
titude than remain criminals. If,
while atoning for their offense, they
see the light of hope beyond the dark
ness, and feel the encouragement of
a helping hand while passing thru
their trials, they are likely to strive
to reach the one and appreciate the
other. Even the habitual criminal is
the better for help and hope, and
while there may be incorrigibles, the
men in charge at Raiford say they do
not know of any among their charges.
Every man fin the Florida prison has
an incentive to good behavior, and
very little chance to better his condi-
ton any other way. Escape would
mean only hunted existence, far
less comfortable than that on the
WILLIS GACCDJ LUZ LIAG 1l1C bCIIn-
ers, every day of quiet, orderly work
is more than a day toward freedom.
Even those in for life, not to speak of
the hope for pardon, which ever
lives in prisoners mind, are much
the better for enlightened treatment.
Superintendent Bitch has dismiss
ed the guards at the farm and de-
ponds on his good treatment of the
prisoners and their own self-interest
to keep them in order Even with the
best of hopes, dismissing the guards
at penal institution must have been
something like throwing away the life
preserver before one has entirely
learned to swim. However, the state
farm has swum right along. There
have been no disorders and no escapes.
On the other hand, men working in
camps for contractors have run away
and gone back to the farm, where
they are sure of justice and good
treatment. There has a sort of esprit
de corps arisen in the penitentiary. A
man realizes that it is to his interest
not only to observe the rules himself,
but to help others to do so. There
were sixty or seventy guards at the
prison, and dismissing them saves
the state much money--at least $4,000
a month. Another matter is that
while guards restrain bad men they
are an obstacle to the good behavior
of those who want to improve Con-
vict guards have always been a sore
spot in Florida's penal institution
nd ~ he Il IL
states. Some of them are good men,
but many are as bad or worse than
the men they guard. Almost all I'M
educated, with love for whisky. and
disposition to be pulled up with
their authority, they have often ty-
rannized over the convicts and made
it impossible for large number or
them to attain even passable behav-
Tor, let alone reform. Many a man
IN the state prison who would have
been decent if encouraged or even let
alone, has been turned into a hopeless
criminal by the persecution of the
guards, and not few have been shot
down because they made excusable at
tempts to escape from what has been
to them a hellish existence. IF this
experiment results in the abolition of
the genus convict guard in Florida.
it will be distinct gain to humanity.
At the Florida farm, there are men
of almost every trade and calling.
There is hardly anything to be done
around the institution but what ex-
perienced hands can be found to do
it, and Mr.. Bitch utilizes this not only
for the good of the farm but the good
of the men.
There is little shoe factory, man