Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-10-03

asked the little rabbit. Your feather
coat is such pretty blue hope you
angle of approach. Has the State
any right in the name OF society and
ostensibly for it's protection to in
flict restraint upon human beings
unnecessarily tending to make them
and society worse physically, men
tally or morally, to return the in
dividual at the end of his term &c
work his will on society after having
made that will more vicious? l,
must in the end be suicidal for So
ciety to tolerate such a thing. But
even so, there are endless prejudices
to be overcome. Some must be made
to see the light who do not wish to;
in short the problem of penology has
so many angles, is SO intricate. that
enc must indeed be of a somewhat
reckless or crusading spirit who Ven
lures into it's mazes.
Where Find Dauntless Spirits
And where and why is it possible
in this world, which so many of us
doubtless including most of the in
mates of our penal Institutions
| think of as so selfish and not with
out reason. to find those dauntless
spirits? Well, the writer thinks he
may have discovered a hint. While
sitting in the office of a prominent
banker. who at the moment was
deeply engrossed in making money
for other folks and possibly him
self-it wouldn't be much fun to be q
banker otherwise-the objects i'll the
room presented a way of relief from
waiting. without thought of prying
and really it wasn't mere curiosity
nor desire to acquire insight into in
innate affairs which prompted the
| looking about. it was by chance that
little object on the mantel. par
TALLY concealed from view by its
associated objects caught the eye. II
was nothing more than little clip
. ping from newspaper, verses or
paper yellowed by time but neatly
framed as though cherished. These
verses began:
| ITO sin by silence when We should
protest
Makes towards out Of men,
Perhaps the banker sitting there
epgrossed in his work could have
told just what those lines had meant
to him. He was not asked.
And then it might be difficult to
understand why at the time, when
conditions for a change impended In
the Institution. which had caused the
eminent visitor shame whenever he
visited it fire should break out
there, why the water pressure should
prove inadequate, in consequence oil
which the old eyesore was wiped out,
or why the inmates, in whose well
fare concern was being felt in NOV
ing minds. should have behaved
with credit to themselves. taking no
advantage of the confusion conse-
quent upon the fire. nor embarrass-
ing their keepers in any way.
There are things which the wise OF
earth, possessed of all the advan-
tages of freedom. do not understand
any more clearly than the occupant
of a cell, hoping to regain liberty.
Readers of the Journal recall the
event of the dedication of the new
buildings. 1t is said by those pres
ent to have been a remarkable &C.
casion. the most impressive scene
ever witnessed" was the way they ex-
pressed it, The story has been told
IT would bear repetition again and
again, but here be it said without
fear Of contradictions: no person then
present will ever forget 1t. the i'm
rressive but deadening silence in
which doubtless there was measure
of incredulity The men saw about
them the evidences on all sides of a
very material change from squalid
unsanitary quarters to modern.
wholesome surroundings Well. that
was no more than it was the States
bounden duty, to , provide: 1t had
value received. o. yes. they were
glad enough of the comforts afforded.
but 1t was all in the days events of
their checkered careers. Did anyone
imagine for an instant that they were
obligated to feel gratitude? Oh. yes.
the Governor was good man. He
and that man, Hicbborn, the Cover
nor had put on the Board. had
shown a lot of interest. They want
ed a prison creditable to the State.
They deserved credit. of course.
Then Mr.. Hichborn spoke. There
was no installing his zeal but what
was he driving at? Was he asking
them to believe that he really was
interested in them as fellow men.
sympathiZing With them. wanting TO
help them in every possible way?
What was that. asking them to exer-
else their own powers of control, to
help and be helped in the doing of It?
and that plan of his could It be
true they were to have an oppor-
tunity to speak their minds. to ask
FOR things. to make complaints with
out being branded? Why, the man
actually had confidence in them. con-
fidence they could and would be
trustworthy, why, why!
The Waters Moved
The Dead Sea sparkling lake OF
pure. fresh water in an instant? A
miracle? Anyhow the waters were
moved to the depths. restraints Of
years were broken down; strong men
whose eyes had been dry and hard
since childhood were NOW unashamed
of the tears rolling down their
cheeks. That Is somewhat of the
story. not told as it should be, just
alluded to. but does anyone wonder
they love Charles Hichborn, that
they look ahead to his regular Sun
day visits, or that now they are con-