TROISIÈME SECTION

— 397 —LETTRE DE MADAME MARY ESTER IDEadressée au Président du Congrès.The products of convict labor should be sold at a pricewhich would not enter into disastrous compétition with freelabor,and to which the trade unions object so strongly.Permit me to make a few pertinent remarks and suggestions,as the following questions are to be taken up by theCongress at Washington.1. Is the death penalty longer advisable for capital crime?Dear Sir:In view of the International Prison Congress which willconvene October 2nd, at Washington, D. C, I désire to calljour attention to reform measures in which I am interestedand which should have the attention of the Congress.I believe that the reformation of criminals should be thefirst object of their imprisonment ; but how rarely is that effected.Many convicts are embittered by the knowledge that thoughthey are working daily, they have no personal interest in thework. On one hand, loved ones are suffering from want- of thenecessities of life, while on the other hand, idle and dissolutecriminals are cared for at the expense of the public. In eifhercase, wife and children may be driven into the marts of compétitivelabor, or become charges upon public or private charity.Idleness has oeen demonstrated to be seriously detrimentalto prisoners, hence they should be employed in remunerativeand suitable industries, according to their ability and circumstances.Each prisoner should be credited with the results of hiswork. The payment for this work should be used first, to meetthe expense of his maintenance and the remainder paid to hisfamily and dependents, weekly or monthly.Where the prisoner has neither family or dependents, suchportion of his earnings that would be paid to his family ordependents, might be used to reimburse his victim, or be collectedby the city, county or state whose laws he has failedto observe ; and a portion of his earnings be set aside to beclaimed by the convict upon his discharge.Earth and sea produce bountifully for the provision ofail people, and to make them happy. The human brain is limitlessin its power to invent and create means for gratifying aildesires. With every material means of happiness within thereach of mankind, why ask for human life in expiation of acrime. A life that no man can restore. Would we not be doinga greater service to humanity and to the country, to shut uppersons who have abused their right to liberty and make themlabor in the performance of a duty to their family and to thepublic? They would then learn that they cannot shirk thecommon lot of the great majority because they chose unlawfulmeans to make their way. That society will no longer toleratetheir abuse ând désertion of family and duties, leaving wifeand children a tax upon the community and making themselvesa burden to tax payers. Every pair ofshoulders shouldcarry its respective burdens.The danger of their children becoming criminals wouldalso be lessened as the mother having assured support, wouldnot be obliged to neglect her little ones in order to earn theirbread. Law breakers would not only become self-supportingbut would perforai their duties to society and their families.2. What are the best means of working prisoner s in small prisons?I would suggest that they be used as waste productsplants. Here soap could be made from the oil extracted fromgarbage. The compost could be sold for fertilizing purposes.Paper mills established would provide the means for disposingof the wast paper gathered. Glass and bottle factories woulddispose of ail the glass collected, turning them into new and