Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-03-06
Prisoners Pay
(Lewiston JournaD


There Will be a divided report on
the Prisoners Pay bill which Prison
Commissioner IIichborn championed
in a speech, that we believe to have
been as able and as moving as any
that ever was delivered before
legislative committee in all time.
This newspaper is on record on
this. 1t has favored and does favor
something better than we are doing
for the prisoners of our State.
What hard luck some things nave
and what good luck have others.
This proposal comes at moment
when economy rules. Things that
are. seem to continue, with no sug-
gestion of change. Such depart
ments as Public Health, Charities
and rrectionS-cOntinuany adding
to. their overhead until probably they
are running today far in excess of
what Maine can afford. And here
in this Prison bill is depth of de-
spair, a situation of crushed ana
mangled souls, a continual record OF
injustice that is set aside because
forsooth all our money is gone.
Wearisome to hear the fortunate
outside the prison walls talk about
the evils of "babying" prisoners.
Many "a man is walking free who had
been in prison except for good luck.
Many q man is free who has never
been tempted. l recall man who
was good and decent and who be-
came ruined by fascinating woman.
She unseated his mind; flung him
away for another man and one day
he killed her and shot himself, un-
fortunately for him, not fatally. Had
he happened to have gone to an
other boarding place than that in
which this woman boarded, he had
been walking the streets all his days,
free.
Men or women, who have passed
any length of time in Thomaston
state prison, should not be turned
out pennileSs on the world.
The amount they should receive we
do not know. ii it be matter of
economy it ought to be enough to
make man, going from prison in
least out of the environS of despair
and has a place to put his head in
peaSe. ,
We especially derogate and de-
spise that type of person who makes
sport OF efforts to help the prisoner,
The State took the man away from
his life. The State has assumed Il
great deal with a Godgiven life.
When the state. therefore turns n
man out of confinement in prison
of perhaps many years; sets him
again outside gray walls, on his own
feet, with nothing to his name but
five dollar bill and with nothing to
wear except a suit of clothes that
fairly reeks of prison (by its cheap
uniformity with all others Of the
same origin, and says. Get along"
there is not much in that mans life
to look forward to. Get out. Get
along Move on" Forsooth,
He has about money enough to
get to some resort in Portland or
Bangor. There has the prison rec
ord, the prison view, the prison
turns back to crime and We have
him back again, perhaps to serve
anew. Probation has done Won
ders. But a sum of money sufficient
to get the man into some en-
( ployment would be also good. Let
the State give the man certain sum
or pay him wages which he will
| earn and does earn.
This is no experiment. Nearly
every other state in the North has
adopted it. The International Prison
Reform, the National Prison AS
ISOLATION have adopted it and they
reformers.
| It's morally sound and economically
wise.
It's a man maker and n money
maker for the State.
1t gives men the self-respect that
is the first step toward Salvation,
1t teaches them to love work; it
fits them to earn n livelihood when
| they so back into society.
It's worth more than all other
things else to put them on the road
to citizenship.
| 1t will do more than all else to
stop the fearful economic waste of
prosecuting the same men over and
over again.
We can't save all; but If we can
! cut down the waste and the
money-waste onc-half, the gain is
beyond computation.
And the bill is only permissive.