The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-03-14
ROnda'S Philosophy.

We live in what is truly called a pro-
gresSive age. EXCELSIOR seems to be the
motto of all things, whether they tend to
good or evil: religious denominations claim
accessions to their numbers; 50 may the
prisons. Morals are improving in quality.
and divorces in quantity. War is considered
too destructive a luxury even for monarchs;
yet the foundries of the world must work
night and day to fill orders for militant
utensils.
Notwithstanding these facts it is pleas
ant to note that our better nature is imprOv-
ing in the greater ratio, and is slowly but
surely croWding out our evil prOpensites.
There are friendships to day, as strong as
the one recorded in the time of Dionysius
of Sicily. Men are not in the habit now of
thrusting their arm in the flame to prove
their courage, but we have before us daily
as noble examples Of Self-sacrificing matt
as ever Roman showed. Men and women
of culture and refinement, foregO their own
comfort and pleasure. that they may aid
their fallen brethren. One great drawback
to healthy progress and the ultimate ex-
tinctiOn of crime is the preponderance of
theory over practice. The greatest thinkers
of the day-men who devote their time and
energy to the advancement of their fellows
show us wherein we are wrong, and how
to right ourselves, but that is the end of it,
Their labor is valued only for its literary
merit. No thought whatever is given to
enacting their suggestions into laws unless
the people unanimously demand it. Every
thing of a commercial nature is given the
greatest attention. and Ofttimes too much
so as though the word money" in itself
was all all-powerful wand.
II any Of the many good laws recently
proposed by penOlogists and reformers We're
Put into practice. the result would certainly
b. gratifying. But even those who so will
ingly devote their time to retrieve the GRIM
inal. have not that knowledge which is es-
sential to matured thought. This is not
any fault of theirs. TO gain the knowledge
L speak of. IL is necessary-if | may say it
to be criminal, or to associate with him
for time without appearing other than one
OF his i'll Jerry McAuley could touch the
heart of the thief and murderer because he
was in full sympathy with then thoroughly
knew their weak points and could appeal
to their better nature. 1t has lately become
an advertising fad of some metropolitan
journals to have Oh their staff what | would
call Neutrality-suspicious. for the purpose of
following up criminals. If these enterpris
ing newspapers would use an equal amount
of zeal to trace out the causes which lead to
crime. their actions would be equally it not
more appreciate.
A large portion of the people have an
idea that prison and jail officials and de-
tectives are complete encyclopedias of Grim
inal matters. and that what these cannot do
to lessen crime, it is useless for others to at
tempt. AS far as the detective is considered,
have yet to hear of him half as much in
terested in anything as in drawing a con-
fessiOn out of an innocent man by means of
the sweat-boX and his pugi!istic abilities.
If you wish to know what a sweat box is.
imagine the heat of the sweating room of
Turkish bath increased far above the power
of the thermometer to record. If you want