The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-05-16
Five Gents.
"AGafn ,Tis MOney.o

'ASa1n Ills money!
In the last issue of THE MIRROR the rea-
der has read the following bit of news:
AN inmate of the Oregon state prison has
inherited S1OO 600 by the will of his father.
Efforts are now being made to secure par
don for him." For the sake of convenience,
the reader will please imagine particular
emphasis laid upon the word now" The
efforts were not made by the good people of
Oregon in this sinners behalf, six months
ago nor even three months ago. but NOW
now. that by the will of his father. the
crime of the unfortunate man has been
atoned for. No doubt. they had intended
befriending the poor young man right along.
for if he is deserving of a pardon. what
matters it to the good people whether he is
rich o: poor They meant well. but simply
forgot to act. But now! Oh, how different!
The will has been read and it would never
do for the good Oregon souls to let man
worth 500. 900 Ianguish in prison. Perish
the thought.
The convict in question, may be deserv-
ing of pardon. and he may not. If de-
serving. he should have been pardOned.
though he hadn't penny to his name: and
if not deserving. he should remain where he
is even though it were million. instead of
the 500. 600 that it is. But the people OF
Oregon. in this respect. are like all COM
munties the world over. They have the
same tender SpOt-mOney. Even the name
OF it thrills them. 1t is the balsam that
heals all sores. And the little sore spot
,;ol,
of these dear OregOnians. or the sore. per-
haps. which they only imagined existed
against the convict. was healed as if by
magic. when the press, cOndescending and
fOrgivingly, spread the news broadcast that
500, 600 was ready at any time to claim its
owner. OF course. this dear little 500, 900
will fret away and grow haggard and lean.
mayhap will even be reduced in flesh one
half. before it can claim its own. or, rather
its owner; but in credit to the good people,
it must be said. that if the poor thing dies
at all. it will die a gradual, and as nearly as.
possible natural death.
Oh Money, Money. Why hast thou pun
ished us so. Why hast thou transformed
us into liars and hypOcrites, into fools and
puppets. in the sight of our own cOnScienceS!
How long dOst thou propose to prOlOng the
farce?
Again. dear reader please set your i'm
aginatiOn at work over the following few
fictitious. lines of my own, and see what you
think of them: "A convict in the --
prison. we learn. has been cut off with a
cent by the will of his father Efforts are
now being made to secure a pardon for
him." 'PreposterOus. RidiculOus How
utterly absurd" you would no doubt eX-
claim. The editor who wrote it must be
crazy" And yet, dear reader, notwith
standing all Your pi0uS OutburSt allow me
to ask, what is the difference between this
invented notice. and the true one? 1t is
money. And, upon little reflection does
it not occur to you that society has reached
a very degenerate stage. when Justice and
Mercy cannot be influenced without it? Fie
on such condition of things. Is this the
example you would set, whereby the crim-
inally inclined might profit?
In this prison. as also in the Oregon pen
itentiary. and in every prison in the land.
there are now many convictS who have not
inherited S100 600; men, poor. frlendleSS
and alone because they do not possess your
god. in whole or in part; who by long years
of atOnement fully merit mercy, but who
are nevertheless compelled to carry out
their existence to the end. Does your con-
science say that this is right? Most de-
cidedly not. But the trouble is, society's
conscience is sunk deep down below that
thick crust of avariciOuSnesS. This in it.
self is sad enough. but more deplorable
STILL is the fact that it is sinking deeper and
deeper, alas! at pace that will insure it a
speedy arrival in that dark place known as
h -alifaX. where his Satanic Majesty will
take good care of it until it's owner shall
join it in the sweet. unavoidable hereafter.
1t is never too late to meud. dear reader;
and if, with you individually, you happen
to feel that your conscience is halfway
over there already. by all means recall it.
and forsake your vicious ways ere it is too