The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-05-16
THE STATE PRISON AS SEEN
FROM BEHIND PRISON
WALLS
State Prison Farm,
Raiford, Fla, May IL, 1919.

TO the OcaIa banner:
have spent fifteen months in the
Florida state prison farm. That is
not a pleasant confession to make,
but as Byron once said of verse
ne had written, it may not be poetry,
but it is true. And what will sur,
prise many of my readers especially
those who have known me in other
days, can truthfully say, do not
regret the experience. ] came to
prison almost a wreck from dissipa-
ton and with many false and mistak'
en- ideas of life, and with mistaken
views of such places and know now
that when ] come out / shall be won
derfulIy improved physically and
with a broader and better knowledge
Of questions which had previously
interested me only from an ethical
and philosophical standpoint
stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor ron bars a cage"
To many men this is materially
true. The physical discomfOrts are
negligible compared with the dis
grace of having TO come here. am
interested in penology and what is
called the prison problems in this
state, and having the practical ex-
perience ! can view it from the right
standpoint. The great majority Of
people of Florida know little or moth
ing of this prison or conditions that
prevail here and still less Of the law
and workings of law that sends them
here. Ignorance Of law excuses no
! one, and yet there are men here
who can not read nor write Nothing
impresses me more than this neglect
ed degree of. intelligence and educa-
| ton, while there are of course many
college graduates and men who nave
! enjoyed all the advantages which
wealth and education and high
school and political positions gave
| them. But most of the men have had
no chance in life, and for this the
public should sympatnize and pity
! them and forgive them for the crime
they might have charged to them
| II is fair that such men should be
| ma rdopod cr noroIod ox,+ ro,4oh cow,
er than the men who were familiar
with our laws.
| Few of the men here ever saw in
| side of a court room before they
WeTe--tried. aaeds r - esAnt nere--a ere
| Before going further i shall en-.
deavor to follow Shakespeare's adj
vice, ITO nothing extenuate nor set
down aught in malice" / have no
theory to propagate:
In all respects the Raiford prison
is now a model prison OF course one
does not expect to find an Utopia, or
ideal conditions in a prison, and in
that he would not be very badly dis
appointed but in talking with men
who have been through other state
prisons, the general opinion is that
this prison is the best in the country
VI course some of the others have
better grounds and buildings but
none are so sanitary and comfortable
in general
There is but one thing that should
be criticised; that is the uniform
worn by the prisoners the striped
uniform : as is worn now should on
out OF existence entirely. Other
states have done this and we shoulo
DO likewise. 1t makes the man a
downcasted coward from the start
IL brings tears when other things fail
ana sets him apart from the thouebt
OF ever being man. The material
raw and thick, adds many discern.
forts through the long hot DAYS in
the summertime. Thanks to Sinner.
intendent Bitch for recommending .
better uniform and for doing owov
Win the stripes The board of state
institutions have this recommends
ZION under consideration. but thue
far they have not acted.
me food is good and plentiful: no
man need go hungry, and the beds
are far better than most prisons. The,
oincers are gentlementJno other kind
would be tolerated by our super;n.
'enoent' | am sure. Mr.. Bitch. the
superintendent, is a godly. kindly
humane man; he is loved universal,
~, and it is useless to saw 70 .na
people of Florida that he is the hoe,
man on the so;J De0'