The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-11-21
HBe Persfstent.,,

misstate facts and advance highly inflated
theories for the sole purpose of attempting
to prove that men in the same condition as
ones self are lying hypocrites, is wholly in
excusable.
In last weeks issue appeared an article
headed BE Persistent" the writer of which
took it upon himself to warn the public
against the hypocrisy and nsincerity of con
tributors to THE MIRROR. AS he lays
great stress on the second and third person,
plural, it is assumed that he does not in
cludc himself among the insincere con-
tributOrS.
1t is the policy of THE MIRROR to avoid
all controversy on contributions wherein
legitimate argument is used and readers are
able to judge for themselves. But in the
present instance the author of BE Persist
ent," speaks as one who has the inside
track and knows whereof he writes. There
fore. outside readers will be prone to give
credence to his statements if the other side
of the question is not viewed.
l.
paragraph and distribute ''tonic" as we
went, but as space must also be taken into
consideration. we shall rest content dealing
with the substance of the divisions of his
subject.
Firstly. he alludes to the inconsistency of
the life of many ex-cOnvictS as compared
with the articles they wrote while here in
prison. He assumes to have thorough
knowledge of the former contributors to the
paper who have gained their liberty. The
fact is that of the number of cOnvicts re-
leased who were former contributors nearly
all can be traced to where they are honestly
working to retrieve their character. 1t is
an unfortunate circumstance that three of
them proved to be black Sheep( these are ex-
act figureS)a and these three left here before
the first volume of our paper had reached
No. 26. so that they are not reliable critic
ron by which to judge all others-to say
nothing of the good record of the remainder
who are making their way quietly in the
world.
To deal with the second point of our
friends contribution, we could use column
to a very good purpose. He goes on to state
how the ex-convct is continually growing
about society and its cold treatment of the
ex-cOnvict. in search of work. and an hon.
est man, he settles the convict in the posi-
ton of man of all work. and philosophers
as follows: You do not consent to his TAX
ing your daughter out to ride on Sunday
afternoons; you do not send him to the bank
to draw large sums of money; you do not
introduce him into the family circles of your
aristOcratic friends. Who can
you blame? And if the man. seeing that
this state of affairs is not likely to change,
disappears some night with your horse, or
elopes with your daughter. or takes along
with him your plate or jewellery, you are
not so very much surprised after all. 1t
was as you expected. because he was an eX-
convict you thought it was in his nature to
repay good with bad" All what rare gift
it is to phlosophiZe thus! But is not the
metaphor little unrpe and entirely out of
place in such an article? Is it not over
tinged with random flights of the love sick
bucolic swain? What. oh what. pray. has
the elopement or Sunday ay-afternoOn- driving
did it become necessary for an employer to
introduce his lackey to arstOcratic friends?
The reader need but examine this romantic
Outburst to decide how much fact is con-
tanned in his article.
Lastly, the allusiOn that cOnvicts should
use their pen to further prison reform when
they are released is quite proper. if they are
capable of so doing, but the world will be
better pleased with those eX-cOnvictS who
say the least and practice most.
We have not gone into details in dealing
with this matter; all that is necessary is that
readers will think twice before forming
opinions on the point in question. If it
were not for the very sensible character OF
the closing paragraph of his article-the
only one relating to his subjective would
be curious to know if F. o. L. had not for
gotten to insert mate to one of the initials
of his signature. K.