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.tfi ALLIANCE HERALD, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1920
Slfc Mtattrr Hcrab
PURU miXTlXQ CO.. Owners
Entered at the poHtofflre at Alliance
NetiNfb., for transmission throuKh the
rrmiln as ifcoml class matter. I'ublished
Tuesday and Friday.
JH Editor
. . . .HuslncMg Mgr.
oeo rob i m-itn.
EDWIN M. IiL'HK. .
Official newspaper of the City of
Alliance: official newspaper of Box
Butte County.
Owned and published by The Hurr
Printing Company, George L. Burr, jr..
President; Edwin M. Uurr, Vice President.
If the present session of the legis
lature desires to make a real hit with
the public, it will lose no time in abol
ishing the infamous indeterminate
sentence law and thereby put an end
to the coddling of criminals in a mis
fruided effort to reform them, instead
cf punishing them for their misdeeds
and at the same time protecting so
ciety from them.
Criminals these days, like the far
famed "rice christians," know which
side of their bread is buttered. In a
prison where every effort is made to
encourage them to act prettily and put
their best foot forward, in order
sooner to gain their liberty, it isnt
surprising that good records are made.
A'ith such inducements, even the most
sullen convict is apt to smile brightly
whenever he sees the wardent the
guard or a member of the parole
i board looking in his direction.
It's no particular punishment to be
in the penitentiary these days. At
:east it Uocsn t compare in hardship
I wun a sentence 01 nuecn years ago.
I Convicts no longer wear stripes, their
I heads are not closely cropped, they
have the best of food to eat and oc
casioi ally the band plays while they
do it. No long hours, no worries over
coal bills or other bills. It isn't con
sidered proper to speak harshly to a
criminal. His sensitive soul may suf
fer. The real test of the efficacy of the
indeterminate sentence and the parole
system is found after the criminal
leaves the penitentiary. It's reason
able to suppose, not that he will en
deavor to live straight, but that he
will at least try to be circumspect, for
lack of caution gets another sentence.
Almost every day comes word of an
other prisoner who has violated his
parole, or overstayed his furlough.
Some of the state officers even ex
press that these criminals do not keep
their word.
The indeterminate sentence law has
not been a success in Nebraska. This
THE SUGAR BOWL
Come and Try Our Home Made
CANDY
Fancy Line of Box Candy for
Holidays
N. W. STEINMAN, Prop. 406 Box Butte
i a t -n
Luncheonette Service
You will find our place just the place you've
been looking for, when you want a hot lunch,
while down town shopping or after the show.
F. J. Brennan
New Location Next to First National Bank Building
may be due, not to an inherent fault
in the law, but to the tender hearts
of thope who have had the enforc
ing of it. However, the fact that the
evil has been pronounced under -eral
different administrations tends to
the beket' that the law itscu nevus
changing.
The court of Nebraska, the law en
forcement officers of cities fnd coun
ties, the newspapers and public senti
ment generally are becoming aroused
over the laxity with which paroles are
apparently granted. Attorney General
Davis has announced that he will
recommend changes making paroles
more difficult to secure. But where
furloughs are granted, restrictions on
paroles are of little avail.
What is needed is a return to the
old system, where the courts fix the
limit of the sentence, and where a
prisoner, by exemplary behavior, may
cut down his sentence, not a seventh
or a tenth, but just enough to make
it worth working for. Judges who
try the case, juries- which bring in
verdicts are better able to determine
whether a prisoner should be allowed
liberty than any three state execu
tives, listening to the appeals of clever
attorneys and the pleas of relatives
and interested friends.
Prisons can never be run on the
same principles as Sunday school
classes. The people of Nebraska are
not in favor of continuing the at
tempt, with crime increasing every
day and paroled offenders being re
sponsible for a good share of it. The
sooner the counsels of long haired men
and short haired women are disre
garded, the sooner will this part of
the land of the free get back to a
feeling of peace and security.
Stock hogs wanted by the Ne
braska Land Company. 103-tf
AT THE CHURCHES
CHURCH OF OIRIST
December 20th is the last Lord's
day of the old year. Have you linked
up the past with the future? Some
of the greatest lessons are learned
from the past. The minister's sermon
subjects are: "Peace, Good Will," and
"Men of Vision."
The Christmas program will be
given tonight as this is Christmas
?ve. This will be one of the best
programs our school has given. The
rommittee has worked faithfully at
. very rehearsal.
The minister takes this means of
wishing the many friends a Merry
Christinas. The fellowship and many
curtesies of the past year has been
delightful. We thank God and our
be-t wishes are for all. -
STEPHEN J. EPLER, Minister.
LUTHERAN CHURCII
A Christmas program will be ren
dered by the children tonight.
On Christmas day we shall have di
vine services with Holy Communion.
Service begins at 10 o'clock.
F. DROEGEMUELLER, Pastor.
METHODIST CHURCH
Sunday morning, the pulpit will be
filled by Mrs. Oner S. Dow of Des
Moines, president of the Des Moines
branch woman's foreign missionary
society. Mrs. Dow, who is visiting
her son in this city during the Christ
mas season, has spoken here before,
and her many friends are delighted to
know she will speak again next Sun
day. Her important position places
her among the foremost leaders of the
W. F. M. S. of the Methodist denom
ination. MEARL C. SMITH, Pastor.
Mr. and Mrs. Person left Tuesday
for Omaha.
CARD OF THANKS
We wish to express our heartfelt
thanks to the many friends who were
so kind and tender in their loving
care of our beloved daughter and sis
ter, Estelle Craig, during her illness
and death.
Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Craig,
Mr. S. A. Craig,
Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Johnson.
Here Are Christmas Gifts
BOX STATIONERY
A nice line attractively priced.
BRECHTS and WOODWARD'S BOX
CANDIES at Special Prices.
GIFTS THAT MEN LIKE
Leather Pocketbooks Leather Goods
Card Cases Cigar and Cigarette Holders
The Largest Stock of Case Pipes in
Alliance. A big, new, fresh stock of
CIGARS, CIGARETTES AND
TOBACCOS
Specially priced for the Holiday Trade. These are well known
brands men prefer and, as we have large sales, our tobaccos are
always fresh.
JOE SMITH
Corner Second and Box Butte.
FOUNTAIN AND LUNCH SERVICE
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WISHING YOU THE HEARTIEST KIND OF
Merry
Christmas
The Horace Bogue Store extends to everyone at this
time the sincerewish for a Christmas full of overflowing
with pleasure and contentment.
We also wish to thank you for your liberal
patronage during the year of 1920.
The Horace Bogiie Store
Wishing
You a
M
erry....
Christmas
and the full measure of the joys and
pleasures of the season.
May Santa fill every stocking with the
things most desired, is the sincere wish
BIERK'S
Lumber and Coal
COMPANY
Phone 22
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