The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-05-30

earnings, UuIlU nun d uOlllc, anu tlltll Icdl
lied that steady employment at moderate
wages was the best i'm the end. When a
man is running around looking for work and
higher wages. he comes III contact with
numerous temptations that would be
avoided were he in some settled situation.
Take ninety per cent of the rowing working
class to day aid they can attribute their
lack of money to spending it in saloons in
order to kill time Two or three men will
start out together in search of work and big
wages--the latter being the main object
they will get into town where the labor
market is glutted they can't get train out
till some time during the night or perhaps
the next day, and in order to pass away the
time. a game of pool or cards is suggested
followed with the usual trimmings of beer
and whisky. They become so interested in
their amusement. elated and overcome with
the intOXcants. that it is possibly three or
four days before they discover they have
not started. and that they are each out of
pocket ten or fifteen dollars and perhaps a
larger sum. Well. it IS a hundred chances
to one they are strapped or nearly so before
they get to work. The same play is enacted
year after year until they find that time is
beginning to tell upon them. They call
halt but in nearly every case. it is too late.
They have no place they can call home:
have few go as YOU please friends in va
riOuS towns throughout the country. When
they become unable TO work. owing to nat
ural intrmities, the poor house is their only
resource.
am under the impression that quite a
number OF the inmates of this institution
can blame the feeling of dissatisfaction they
allowed to overcome them years ago. for
their presence here. They probably were
raised in comfortable homes and every fa-
cility offered them to make good start in
the world; but owing to that yearning to
see something. they have gradually been
lured to bad habits and evil associations
which has brought them. step by step. on
the downward path. Now. if each one of
us. when we leave here. will make an earn
est endeavOr to locate in some place where
suitable work can be secured. apply our
selves diligently to our daily labor. live life
of sobriety and strict integrity, there is not
a shadow of chance Of our endeavOro
meeting with defeat
We have recently heard some good advice
on the manner in which we ought to con
duct ourselves when liberated. There is
one thing which l am perfectly cOgniZant
| of from experience, that a large city is the
| last place stranger ought to go to find
work. There are various industries in the
cities that a man, wishing to work, can ap-
ply himself to if he can get the chance. but
take the Twin Cities more especially Min
neapolis there are train loads of emigrants
unable to speak English arriving daily who
are willing to work for merely nominal
wages and quite number of them 90 un-
employed at that. In this northwestern
country there are numerous opportunities to
find work of some description, the grand
question is. never say you can't do this vr
you can't do that-try it. and if you have
any backbone in you at all and show will
ingness to apply Yourself and be generally
useful, there is not one employer in a hun
dred who will not give you the best kind
of show.
The great trouble with the majority is.
they say: Il never did any of that kind of
work and ] don't think | can make it,
When man makes everything an imagi
nary obstacle to his future welfare he may
as well give up the ship.
When you throw Off the stripes and walk
out of the prison gates. have a determined
resolution to SurmOunt every barrier that
lays in your path; tackle the first thing that
comes along: 60 at 1t with an indOmitable
vim and show your felOwman you are will
ing to try. By displaying that spirit sue
cess will follow.
Some of you will say practice what you
preach. l will admit right here have been
one of the rowing. discOntented and dissat-
isfied individuals. | left good home and
position and, like great many others. came
to the Land Of the Free. expecting to pick
the dollars off the trees or find gold NINE
After all my wanderipgs. working in many
places always dissatisfied, never could get
wages enough. and ready to jump on the
smallest preteXt. [ find myself behind the
bars through habits contracted in my
travels.
am certain that two thirds of my breth
rem in afflictiOn. when on the outside, were