He outlined briefly the mode of work of the Congress and gave interesting details of the reforms and improvement brought about through the influence of this commission.
The Congress at Brussels, 1899, had about 90 official delegates, representing 29 different countries; and 247 visitors from other countries who came for information.
He mentioned that the unification and expansion tendency of nationality might tend very largely to a healthy interchange of ideas, as the records of this Congress are made the property of the whole world by translation. States most progressive are those who confer in the general interests of life. He spoke of John Howard and his influence in all the world, and especially in England.
Dr. F. H. Wines was sent by the United States Government to meet and exchange ideas and experiences with other countries; he was not the first to suggest the organization of an International Congress, this was suggested by private men, several years previous.
“How to preserve the continuance of this Congress, each country promised a permanent commissioner. The United States failed to make such an appointment. Dr. Wines has the appointment from time to time only, but our government is now about to take it up again and resume its former responsibility. In this the United States will be fully able to take its part.
“At these international meetings no papers are read, all the papers are printed before the meetings, they are translated in different languages; then each country, answers the matter clearly in discussion, questions on reports, &c. Last year the United States was not officially represented on the commission, and the Delegates did not feel comfortable. All members are supposed to make themselves familiar with the papers on the programme before they come up. Sometimes there are too many questions to discuss properly. And even in our own country it is impossible to get some details, to give a proper answer; for instance, the United States Commissioners’ duties touching the Criminal Insane. It was very hard to get the facts from States, for there were so few that had any central bureau of information, it took the Government a long time to get any from a positive source.
“Penological questions were answered by monograph reports, such as relation of crimes to misdemeanor in the United States; reports to show the penalty and charges; result of the combined work was one of great value, for one cannot go to Paris or elsewhere to the meeting—to know that his contribution will be translated.
“He spoke of the United States Reformatory statistics being deficient, and of the prison management of the cellular or separate system in the United States department as very meagre, and now almost abandoned in the United States, and yet almost wholly installed in every country, and new prisons now building throughout Europe, with a system of centralization suggested by the State of New York, but while New York State prisoners share in the earning, all Europe is to the contrary.
“After thirty years of fraternal conference at these Association meetings, is there anything we can agree upon as principles, to lay down and not regret the cellular system? The whole matter of child-saving was conservative, but it layed on the fact of education. Alcoholism should be banished, the army canteen, etc. France strenuously opposed it. Throughout all Europe you see the influence of John Howard and Dr. Wines. England has taken prisons entirely out of politics, and the criminal insane is treated from a medical standpoint. Most of Europe has adopted the Bertillon system, and only a very small part of the United States, as yet.
“Of labor, there is no difference in any country, and good behavior earns a shortened sentence. In the United States, twenty States have adopted this rebate of sentence, seventeen the parole system in whole or in part, six an indeterminate sentence in part. Transportation as a punishment in Russia has been given up. The United States had the honor to start this International Congress, which has been continued by other countries, and now the United States again agrees to do her part by appointment. Personal intercourse and association is the bond of brotherhood inspiration.”