It is a good thing to call the attention of the public to the deficiencies of the convict prisons, and the public ought to know that Sing Sing is, and has been for many years, far worse than Auburn. Think of a prison where rheumatism and tuberculosis form an inevitable part of the prison sentence for a large proportion of the prisoners, whose number can be definitely predicted! But the prison problem of the State of New York can only be solved by a thoroughly organized and persistent attack under the leadership of men and women who have social and economic vision. And the prison problem of the State of New York will not be solved until it is recognized as a technical problem, demanding the services of tried and expert men. Prisons, like other educational institutions, should be headed by superintendents of demonstrated training and efficiency, selected without reference to geographical lines. THE NEW FREEDOM AT AUBURN PRISON By O. F. Lewis, General Secretary, Prison Association of New York. [This article has been reprinted from The Outlook, by special permission of that periodical. The editor of _The Delinquent_ begs to say, that although he himself is the author of this article, he believes the new development of self-government at Auburn, as described in the following article, is of sufficient importance to warrant being called earnestly to the attention of our readers.] The afternoon of the Fourth of July was drawing to a close in the long building-inclosed yard of Auburn Prison, in the State of New York. Fourteen hundred gray-suited inmates were playing a score of different games. The afternoon’s track events had come to an end. The South Wing, with between four and five hundred prisoners, had won from the North Wing, with some nine hundred prisoners, in the varied contests. A silver cup, given by the president of a prominent mortgage company in New York, was the tangible goal of the exciting battle. Suddenly the clear bugle notes of the “Retreat” sounded far down the yard, slowly and melodiously. Instantly the boys in gray began to fall into line at their appointed places. There was now silence where a moment before there had been bowling, baseball, running, dancing, piano, band, and the shouts of swarming inmates. Then came the first bars of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” played by the prison inmate band. Off came the caps, and down across the breast. The flag sank slowly, lowered from the tall pole by three inmates. The music ceased, the caps were again donned, and from the extreme end of the yard rose suddenly a cheer: “Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! South Wing! South Wing! Rah! Rah! Rah!” Then, preceded by the band and with banners flying, the victorious athletes of the South Wing marched up the center walk between the files of other prisoners, to receive the silver cup from the hands of the donor, Mr. Richard M. Hurd.