Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-06
OSBORNE BRANDS
Continued from page /

4. Prison contract labor is vicious in
principle and should be abolished; if
properly regulated, however, it is better
than idleness. In my Judgment, the
present system should be retained until "A
thoroughly intelligent system, based on
sound economic principles, can be formu-
lated and adopted by the proper authori-
ties. This should be taken in hand at
once. The best Judges now agree that
prisoners should receive full compensa-
tion for the work they do and, on the
other hand. should pay for all they re-
ceive-lodging, board clothing, etc. That
is not only fair, but it gives to the pris-
oners elementary lessons in political
economy which most of them badly need.
). Most important and underlying all
other reforms is that recommended by DIR.
Hart: "A limited amount of self-govern-
ment "a although 'self-government' is a
term not very accurate for real self-gov-
ernment is not practicable in prison,
nor very satisfactory-for it is very apt
to be misunderstood II would be better
to call it inmate responsibility. 1t
means the encouragement in each man of
a comprehension of his responsibility for
the welfare of the community as a social
unit, and of training in the exercise of
that responsibility. That is what makes
any man n good citizen.
6s Just what form this responsibility
should assume in an institution so pecu-
liarlv constituted as the New Castle
county workhouse, Just how far it could
be wisely carried ont and under what
forms the desired training could best be
obtained must bc matter for careful in
vestigation and experiment. There Is
danger in proceeding too theoretically, as
has been shown in some other institutions
The initiative in such eases should always
be given to the prisoners; for # the re-
SpOnsibiltv is to work for good 1T must be
their responsibility. voluntarily under
taken and consclcntiouslv carried out
Z. If the trustees are deslrous of adopt
ing this recommendation of DIR. Hart
could personally be of service, not only
because of my six years experience with
the system in three prisons. but because
can secure, more readily than most, the
confidence of the prisoners an essential
element IL the trustees will accept the
assistance can give them and the warden
will be guided by my advice | Will under
take to have the prisoners under better
control doing more work and giving
every evidence of turning away from
criminal practices. within three months.
| make this statement with full knowledge
of all the difficulties arising from the varl-
ous kinds of prisoners, the handling of two
races, and the other facts that render your
problem one of the most complicated with
in my knowledge.
s During twenty years experience at
the head Of large manufacturing cor
poration, IL was our custom, when we
found ourselves al loss to know just
TO send for an expert; and then follow
his advice Or Hart Is an expert in the
ANALYSIS of prison conditions YOU had
best follow his recommendations. have
had valuable and successful experience in
lavinp the foundations upon which the
most important Of all his recommenda-
tions must rest. am willing to place that
experience az the service Of your board
and the State Of Delaware.
Yours sincerely,
Thomas Mott Osborne.