The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-02-13
StillVVa ter, Minn, Thursday, Feb. I3, 1890.

S15. the gift of the state, the product of his
five years of hard labor. H is first thought
is to procure an OvercOat. otherwise he will
freeze to death. AS he steps from off the
clOthier's threshold he holds in the hollow
of his hand the munificence of the state the
balance So. by which he is supposed to be.
gin the battle for honorable existence.
Is this, l ask. carrying out the idea of the
learned and thoughtful one who says THAT
everything should be given him consistent
with the safety of socety." He is ordered
out of town and not having the wherewith
sufficient to reach his family. he seeks en-
plOyment in some of our large cities. Here
his arrival is anticipated; he is quickly
sized up by the keen eye of the pre- informed
detective and as he locates the unSuSpecting
eX. he says to himself: IF any great crime
is committed tonight, I've take on sus-
piclOn.
Next day work is sought for in vain, he
has neither money or friends. and as the
shades of night begin to fall, he finds him
self outside a habitatiOn the interior com
forts of which are portrayed by the happy
voices from within. laughing to scorn the
howl of the frosty winds without and the
glare of lights which fight for liberty with
the richly curtained windows to brighten up
bouO pun uVlCI WCdIy tOOCSlCpS
outside. IT'S the home of the law makers
counselor and guide. who stretched upon his
couch of down, his feet encased in velvet
slippers is lulled to slumber by the gentle
touch of some fair hand at the piano. the
bliss of when is only disturbed by the un-
happiness he has experienced since the last
meeting of the state legislature when in his
opinion he should have made. the penalty
for habtual crime thirty years instead of
twenty. The gifted Ingersoll says: THE
powerful should never be cruel and in the
breast of the supreme there should be no
desire for revenge" Our christian rulers
say "ReductiO ad absurdum." Is nay pic
ture all imaginary one? Alas no! unfOr-
What wonder. l ask. if an opportunity pre-
sent itself to that young man that he should
again fall? Society is robbed yearly of
thousands. nay millions of dollars, yet it
raises its head in holy horror when it is
asked to pay the unfortunate one for his
labor during his retirement, and thus give
him at the expiration of his sentence, the
means by which he can reform. The object
of preaching SO sermons to him during the
year is not by any means to be despised
but l have yet to learn the quality of spirit
ual consolation sufficient to fill an empty
stomach.
1t is a recognized fact that the people of
Minnesota are far ahead of any other citi-
zens in the Union in their earnest desire to
advance the interests of their erring
brothers. but how far short fall the means
adopted in the realiZatOns of their wishes
are sufficiently shown by the long criminal
calendar periodically read from every tenn
pie of justice in the state. There is but one
way. and one way only, to reform the
criminal and keep crime at a unit. The
place s at the prison gates-the time, when
man steps from behind them a free man.
Meet him then with a liberal hand. give
him two. three or five hundred dollars &C
cOrding to his term of service-it is not
charity. he has earned that four times four
and tell him to 60 forth strong i'm the
knowledge of his independence and in his
ability to successfully combat every wave
OF temptation that may arise to impede his
onward march toward the landing stage of
honesty and honest success.
If we but had a few more Ingersolls in
this great land of ours to day. this happy
cOnsummatiOn-devOu to be wished
would soon be realized. crime would be
hurled to earth by the weapon of self pro-
lection in the eX criminals hand, and So
ciety free from the fears and anxieties
which Eeralded the criminals former ap.
prOach. lisp in gratitude, love and PRAYER
the name OF hun from whose biz heart
flowed the waters of justice. kindness and
peace. INNIsFALLEN.
The manner in which criminal Offenses
are regarded by the people of Malta is to
say the least, peculiar The code annar.