Responded in a graceful way to the addresses of welcome. He outlined
the objects of work of the Association at some length. Dr. Wines is
the Assistant Director of the United States Census, and, as Assistant
Director, thought he ought to be the most popular man in Cleveland. He
said he was very glad to come to Ohio, for it was his birthplace. What
the Governor has said about the object of this organization was right
so far as it goes. Not only do we mean to look after the interests of
prisoners, while they are in prison, but also after they have been
released, and even before they are put in prison. We want to know with
reference to the prisoner what is desirable and possible to do for him.
Dr. Wines spoke of the different theories held with reference to the
criminal class. One view, he said was held generally by many religious
people, and it was that since all people were bad, the so-called prison
class was no worse than the other class except in being less fortunate.
The other extreme view was, that the average prisoner had so inherited
criminal tendencies, that all efforts to reform him would prove futile.
The truth, he said, lay somewhere between these two extremes.