Men are like cigars. Often you cannot tell by the wrapper what the filler is. Sometimes a good old stogie is more popular than an imported celebrity. Some men are all right in the show-case on display, but are great disappointments when you get them home. No matter how fine a man is, eventually he meets his match. A “two-fer” often puts on as many airs as a fifty-center. Some men never get to the front at all except in campaigns. Some are very fancy outside and are selected for presents. Others have a rough exterior, but spread cheer and comfort all about them because of what is inside. But all men, as all cigars, good or bad, two-fers, stogies, rich or poor, come to ashes at last.
Sterilization in New Jersey.—Governor Wilson has announced the members of the commission provided for in the sterilization bill passed at the last session of the legislature. The bill stipulates that George O. Osborne, head keeper of the New Jersey state prison; Dr. Frank Moore, superintendent of the Rahway reformatory, and Dr. George B. Wight, commissioner of charities and corrections, shall be members of the commission ex-officio. The Governor has named Dr. Henry D. Costill, of Trenton, and Dr. Alexander Marcy, jr., of Burlington, as the two other members. Dr. Costill’s term is for three years and Dr. Marcy’s for five years.
The bill provides for the sterilization of such criminally insane persons and defectives as in the judgment of the commission it would be wise to treat thus.
Big Brothers Show Results.—The big brothers movement in New York has been given a 230-acre farm in the suburbs of Trenton, N. J., and $4,000 cash from two anonymous persons.
In the last year 2,195 boys, nearly all of whom had appeared in children’s court, came under the influence of the big brothers; of this number only ninety had to be brought a second time before the court. Of the total, 1,208 boys were cared for by the movement in 1910; 840 more were arraigned in children’s court this year on various charges; 117 came from institutions, and 1,202 applied at the office for advice or to seek employment.
All for whom places were obtained proved efficient. Permanent homes outside the city were obtained for thirty-seven, and but one could not withstand the lure of the city and moving picture shows, and returned.
Making Prisoners Useful.—At the federal aid good roads convention of the American automobile association in Washington on January 16 and 17, 1912, a session will be devoted to the question of the utilization of prisoners in road building; speakers will be heard from the national committee on prison labor and the American federation of labor.