The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-03-21

StructiOn Of thousands of souls Of civilized
community. For. admitting for arguments
sake the Tribune to be right, so far as the
rule is concerned, would it not be a cold
bloOded, unchristian, Outrage-an outrage
worthy only of barbarOus mind, to lock
up for life, the ''eXceptiOns;" to treat them
harsher than even the criminals suffering the
penalties of the highest crimes on the cal
endar are treated? For even such-among
whom may be classed the cruelest hOmi-
cideS and the most immoral of ravishers-
have the hope of regaining freedom after
number OF years. Yet the Tribune would
have 1t so, and as much as rebukes the SEN
ators for not having made it so. But where
from does it take its knowledge that habit
ual criminals, even as rule, are past re-
demptiOn? 1t is merely a self-assertiOn
there appear no facts in the article to SUBJ
stantiate it. The sentiment it expresses
bearing nearest to the point is this: '"The
fact is. crime Is trade or profession, so to
speak; and the most dangerous criminals
are specialists or professionals. The tend
ency to commit crime runs in grooves &C
cording to the moral and physical cOnstitu-
ti0nc surroundings and training of the respec-
tiveindividuals." refute the above assertit n
with another Observation-Disclosures how
ever by an illustration to the pOint-that
crime is not trade or profession, and that
the tendency to commit crime does not run in
grooves according to the moral and physical
constitutions of the respective individuals.
A man in committing his first burglary has
no thought of following in that branch per-
manently. In committing his second crime.
he naturally prefers burglary. from the fact
that his first experience has given him some
knowledge of that branch. whereas of the
other branches he has none. In the COM
mission Of SuhsQOuapf OffoDcoc tho como
reason is taken into consideration. When
man who has had experience as grocery
clerk is looking about tor situation, would
you expect him to look for position in
dry goods store first? Would it. not be only
natural to see him looking for work in the
line he has had some experience in? But
to come back to the Tribune's assertion
that habitual criminals are past redemption
Allow me to say. that it does not lie within
the capabilities of any man to pass correct
judgment-nOt surmise. but judgment--on
the mental life of another. Chance might
assist and thus correct opinion be formed,
but rational beings would not care to take
so hazardous structure as Chance for the
foundation of judgment wherein the life
and liberty of fellow beings are at stake.
They would rather take Reason-upon
which all laws should be founded-for their
basis, and at the same time temper justice
with mercy by giving the habitual criminal
the benefit of the doubt, in that he be given
the benefit of the parole law after service
of the time the law prescribes for his offence
committed. The mind, like the body. is
never at standstill. There is fresh food
constantly added. Hence it is not beyond
all probabilities, that in the course Of few
years OF confinement in prison-where in
creased reflection becomes natural
CoruaOca--a mind will updorpn OF
change. In the minds of such at least, who
are intellectual enough to reason. This
mental change did not take the proper shape
in the first. nor either the second instance
of the habituaPS Imprisonment, but we must
cOncede, that in the third it may occur.
There is no evidence to the contrary, unless
the fact of his two previous convictions be
taken as such. The Tribune goes on rating
the professional habitual, and winds up
as follows: lat any rate, we should not
defeat the object Of our reformatories by
making them receptacles for the worst of
all criminals. those with whom crime has
become habit" Without some note of
explanation, this statement would appear
somewhat strange. The reader might in
fer that the Tribune wishes the reform
atories only for such as need no reforming
such as are not by habit, criminals But
even with due explanation the statement
remains very strange one to come from
the source it does. A reformatory must
remain reformatory. and accomplish, or at
least attempt to accomplish. all that the
word implies. Would the Tribune have it
otherwise? Il Is article it gives expression
of sympathy for such of the unfOrtunates
coming under the habitual criminal act, who
may have drifted there by accident-who
have not committed succession of similar
offences not professionals. Such
an offender, in the eyes Of the Tribune, is
by no means an habitual criminal, HE is
rather undesirable and unsafe fellow-cti-
zen. but he is not an habitual criminal
For these. and others not by habit criminals
the Tribune would open wide the doors of