The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-11-21
saltwater Minn, Thursday, Nov. 21, 1889.
Five Gents,


Does n Convict Hate Himself!
To answer the above question would be
equivalent to answering the question. does
man hate himself? There is just as much
difference in the disposition of four hun
dred cOnvicts as there is in four hundred
citizens. Those who would make dis
tinctiOn between them are poor stu
dents of human nature. The lawyer, doc
tor, preacher, farmer, clerk, barber, saloon
keeper, waiter, hodcarrier or bOOtblack
will retain the same views of life in prison
that he held outside of prison and about the
same as are held by his free brethern of
like calling. 1t is true the convict has got
off the track in some particular instance,
but upon the whole he is the same man
still. and holds sacred most of the noble
works of God and man. He is just as open
to conviction and conversion and as SuS-
ceptible to good influences as those of his
class on the outside. l am well aware that
some old prison officials will say oh. have
known many cOnvictS to work the religious
dodge with the purpose of enlistipg the
sympathy Of piOus persons who would help
them out of prison. and often those very
men were the worst in the prison. / will
not argue that point. but admit that such is
too often the case; but will ask, have you
not seen similar cases among free men?
Have you not known Of men and women
who professed religion and joined the
church with selfish aims in view-sOme to
get into higher circles of society. some for
financial reasons and some for political
capital; but is that sufficient reason for
looking upon all church members as hypO-
critics? Certainly not, vet it would be just
as reasonable as it would be to call all con
victs frauds because occasionally slick
tongued scoundrel deceives the good people
who help him.
Now, if there is no such thing as refor-
nation, Christ'S mission on earth was all in
vain. We are taught that mankind had
become so depraved that God sent His Son
to call them to repentance; in other words.
to reformation, and we are also taught that
some OF the first reformed were the most
wicked and that they ever afterwards lived
upon the high plane of purity and holiness;
and their lives have been pointed to during
the past eighteen hundred years by teachers
of Christianity as models worthy of emula-
ton. How were those first bright lights
reclaimed from sin and crime? Was it by
brute force like that used in some OF the
old eastern prisons to maintain sOcalled
discipline. the same which some self
constituted wise men from the east would
introduce in the prisons of the west?
No; not a bit of it. Christ thought the
better way of reforming men was
first to inform them. With humane feel
ings for all, He, with the kindness of
brother. pointed out the way to higher
and better life. He taught men how to
rise above their animal nature and live on
the mental and spiritual plane. None were
found perfect; no, not one, and it is the
same to-day.
On the theory that everything reproduces
itself, like begets like, kindness begetS
kindness. and humanity begets humanity,
then brutality begets brutality. If a
prison is managed on the silent system and
carried to the extreme by brutal force. the
weak minded will become cranks and the
strong minded will degenerate proportion
ateIy. If they are ground down and
treated like brutes until the warden gives
them their discharge at the gate. they will
go out into the world half crazy. nervous
and cowed down, without home or friends
to go to. and but little money to keep them
up, yet they are expected to act like saints.
prison in a nervous. dispirited condition; he
remembers one place where he will be well
coined, that is at the saloon; and there he
goes and braces himself up with few
drinks. Owing to his weak physical and
mental condition he is soon a drunken ma
MAC. The police must keep the peace. so
off he goes to jail. Then he hates himself
and the rest of mankind if he did not learn
to do so while in prison. If his manhood,
and self-respect are all gone. and he Is
ready for any crime, who is to blame?
TEXAS.
&c hsv,or oil hn