The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-11-28

teligent adding one and then another to an ever
widening circ'e of influence. Gaining strength as
they proceed, the oppos;t on Will gradually melt
away, until it will be found that the great mass
have come to that the battle against legalized
and proper authority is proftless That
after all, there is perfect harmony of interests
between the governing power and the governed.
This is not sy stem of espionage which no ac-
count must be encouraged. nor are the workers to
receive personal benefit from it, which would so
weaken their influence to make them powerless.
They may, however. be able to see, as with all the
others. that as confidence and good order improve
phi! steal conditions and will improve.
This operation will most certainly bring under
its influence very large proportion of any GRIM
inal population. Some of them will be feeble in
their efforts. Fitful and changeable. they will &C.
casionally break over all restraints, but ins the
main it will keep them in good order, faced in the
right direction. 1t will also leave outside and un.
provided for little band of persistent types that
resist every advance like Gagged hyena and these
are the men for whom would provide separation.
They would be by themselves where their
venom could only operate upon each other and it
might prove blessing to permit them to fight IT
out. am able to say from experience that the
work of the men in thus preserving good order
among themselves through their efforts is
most benefcent and effective.
1t will soon be found that the men perez We
their true interests, which are certainly with the
administration and that they no longer entertain
the convict notion that they should assist and de-
fend each other in all kinds of crookedness and
deceit but that rather the manly part is to pre-.
vent it by persuadng others to stop it, but in
event of failure they will publicly report it if nee
essary rather than have the privileges of all i'm.
periled by few.
Purely punitive prisons are coeval with the his
tory OF the race. Conditions of society which
made this possible and which have continued
them in constant operation, notwithstanding their
utter and complete failure to perform a useful
part, are operated still.
With abundant experiences, which furnish the
most abundant proof that seventies have never
at any time furnished any effective protection
from the recurrence of crime, we find that the
would continue it now. 1t is force in society
which would resist any change in the established
order of things.
Another element, shocked by the barbarity and
cruelty of the older prison systems are filled with
a maudln sympathy for criminals which would
protect them if possible from the rigorous disci-
pines, which are sonnet mes absolutely necessary
to their advancement. These unthinking people,
actua ted by the best of impulses. would place the
worst and best of prison populat ion upon the
same plane. and capture all of them by continued
kindness.
These are among the difficulties which the
prison warden Of to-day must encounter. His
place IS between the two. He cannot perpetuate
the errors of the past.
new system at least gives promise of success,
the old is certain failure.
He must strike out from the beaten paths which
have been so long followed with the absolute Ger.
tainty that no greater mistake can possibly be
made than to continue in them.