The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-07-11
called a good fellow.

Good people, how do you find justification
for sending poor ignorant boy to prison
for stealing a few dollars and letting such
men as these 60 free? And again. Which
is the greater criminal. the wealthy
professional gambler who every year initi-
ates hundreds of young men into a vice
which. in many cases. leads to all other
vices and crimes which ruin men. or the
frail woman who has been dragged down
from her high estate by the beastly lust of
man and made forever an Outcast form all
that makes life dear to woman? Both are
criminals before the law. THE first is
summoned to appear in court and plead to
the charge of keeping gambling house.
He appears. exchanges greetings with the
officers. pays his fine of fifty dollars, bows
and returns to pursue his calling. The
second is arrested on the street. conveyed
to the lookup and next morning conducted
into court. The ''courtiers' exchange
knowing winkS. his honor looks grave. de-
livers lecture ON immortality and imposes
fine of fifty dollars. The ''criminal'
hasn't thing in the world but the garments
she wears; she can't pay the fine: his honor
can't excuse her: she is assisted" into the
''Black Maria and soon landed in the
wOrkhOuSe.
Oh. you good men. who are making such
all outcry against the Sunday ball game. if
you would make half as much noise about
the glaring evils that you know are doing
mere to foster sin and crime than would a
ball game at every church door in the city,
you would arouse such public sentiment
that there would not be left a gambling den
or den of shame in the city. So long as you
prefer to keep silent about these evils you
will continue to have the longest criminal
calendar in the state and to furnish this
place with more inmates than any other
three cities in the state. Your city is the
| crime center of the northwest and attracts
| to itself criminals of all classes from every
part of the union. | know that what | say
is true, for have been there and seen for
myself, and have heard the opinions of
criminals in various cities and they all name
it as a good '''hang out"
If the social evil cannot be dispensed
with why don't you demand that it be made
lawful and placed under proper and just
regulations. If it is unnecessary and GRIM
inal insist on it's suppression, and that the
penalty be made to reach and punish the
man, and not the woman alone as it does
now. And do not stand by and permit the
poor the friendless and ill-favored to be drag
ged forth and sacrificed to quiet the clamor-
| ings of the Law and Order League while
| those who have grown rich and influential
/! through trafficking in human flesh 20 un-
punished.
What has become of the White Cross
society that was to do such noble work in
the cause of purity? Has it merged into
the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
| to Animals. or is it gone to mend the streets
of that place which is said to be paved with
good intentions?
Oh. you ministers who rail against Sunday
amusements, theatre going and such minor
evils, why are you so silent about the giant
evil that stands glaring you in the face,
poisoning the very well-springs of humani-
ty, and dragging more young men and wo-
men down to perdition, than your learned
and smooth flowing sermons on Immortality
and christian duties send upward to rest in
the arms of Him who said: HE that is
without sin among you, let him first cast
a stone at her-Woman. where are those
thine accusers? Hath no man condemned
thee? Neither do condemn thee: 20. and
sin no more" ALEXIS.
VVOulAnSt Re Foil.