The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-10-10
The Wages of Crime.

money that he can reasonably expect to
make by so doing. He bases his judgment
on the sums that others have made i'm the
same trade or profession. If they were
poorly paid he cannot expect to
do any better; if they have accumulated
fortunes he may expect to do the same. if
his abilities warrant his engaging in the
same business.
A number of well disposed persons have
talked and written about crime and have
pointed out the moral wrong of leading a
criminal career. Everybody knows that it,
is wrong; but everybody will not cease.
committing crime because of that fact. But,
every crook, of sound intellect. will enter
some other profession when he is satisfied
that his present business is losing one.
Looking at the question of leading GRIM
inal career exclusively from the standpoint,
of the all-powerful dollar, ignoring entirely
the moral and religious aspect OF the case.
and what do we see? We see two classes,
struggling for wealth, the straight and the
crooked. The former own the mansions.
the bonds. the stocks. the yachts and all
rank and file Of the other division are trav-
cling in the friendly way freight" This
is the result of the struggle of years gone
by: one class is rich, the other poor. What
reason is there for believing that these pO-
SitOnS will be reversed in the years TO
come? The conditions will be the same as
in the past. Is it not. therefore. reason
able to conclude that in five years or ten,
or twenty years from to day the result will
be the same as it has been since the Strug-
gle for wealth commenced? 1t is lmpOS-
Sible to reach any other conclusion. The
straight class will have the wealth in the
future, and the crooked will continue the
borrowing of eating money from their fort
innate associates. OF course there will be-
poor people who are honest. and rich peo-
pie who are criminals; but average the
wealth of the two classes and the result
will give very straight tip.
Why do people live straight LIVES? Some
do so because they observe the golden rule
But, nevertheless, it is very certain that
there would be a wonderful increase in the
number of crooks if straight people believed
that by leading a crooked life they would
accumulate greater wealth than they could
by continuing in the narrow path. A GER
tain proportion OF people are honest sim
ply because it pays in golden dollars to be
dISuC. 40 Jul JOuuS IAiOiu w iAhoAS
alias Shine" expresses the though, I'VE
are the chumps."
10 he honest or to be crooked? is a QueS
ton that every man must answer for him.
self. Whatever there may be of loss. what
ever there may be of gain, will be for him
more than for any other human being. Is
it not surprising. standing as a cold, isolated
fact, that men who have Lad years of ex-
perience with the world. who possess abil
ity above the average. who know the cost.
of crooked life and the worlds ind;ffer-
ence, that these men will continue to fol-
low career when their own experience.
and that of all their acquaintance teaches.
them that there can be but one ultimate
result.
1t is within the power of these men, as it;
Is within the power of every prison inmate,
to secure home of some description. after
being released from confinement. There
are millions and millions of girls who can
hear and pardon, and there are many, many
chances for making money in harmony
with SOciety'S laws.
That there is larger money and greater
happiness to be secured by living an upright
life. is fact so often demonstrated i'm the
world of to day. that reflection will bring
the truth of the statement forcibly to the
mind of every intelligent man. Therefore.
if you, reader. have gone wrong in the
past. cannot you afford to devote one day
for the consideration of question whose
decision will influence your entire life? If
you are a lover of the weed, light your best
friend and earnestly debate this important.
question. Examine the matter from the.
standpoint of dollars and cents. Even from,
that standpoint there is but one reasonable.
view that can be held; but above and be-
yOnd the mere question of money. there are.
reasons that ought to induce you. for your
own personal welfare, to lead in future a,
straight life. T. B. F.
A Loyal Tar.