The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-01-30
HOME READING.

granted us that we would hail with so much
delight. Never day goes by but what
our thoughts dwell upon that time when we
will be called to doff the feon's garb, don
freedom suit, and with glad heart pass
out through the vestibule by Which we en-
tered with sinking heart. But how will
it be with us week. month or year
after we have left the prison. Will liberty
seem so dear, such priceless treasure? TO
some it will certainly not. They will not
have realized their prison dreams. They
will imperl its safety in the pursuits of
something of infinitely less value. They
will attempt to obtain quickly by unlawful
means that which little patience and per-
severance would entitle them to. They
will barter their liberty to crafty desire
for some pleasure that they could easily DO
without. A very small percentage of the
crimes committed are prompted by anger.
Most crimes are committed in the direct or
indirect pursuit of pleasure. They want to
dance without paying for the piper; partake
of the feast without helping in its prepare
ton; eat the kernel from which others
have removed the SHE'LL in short, they wish
to gain at one fell swoop that which pa
tient industry has been years in accumulat-
ing. Most of us are inclined to Justify our
own dishonesty by referring to the thou
sands of rOgues who have b. come rich by
defrauding the public and individuals, but
are permitted to roll in luxury nndisturbed
by the hounds of the law. We say that it
is no worse for us to pick pocket, rob a
safe. plumber dwelling. or forge check,
than it is for the tradesmen to defraud by
false weights and measures, sell worthless
stocks. etc. Neither is it any more wrong
in moral sense, but it is greater wrong
to ourselves. not simply because public opn-
ion, which rules the world, is more severe
in its judgment OF such Offenses, but be.
cause they have a more degrading, more
brutalizing effect upon the nature of the
individuals who practice their commission
The doing of such things degrades us in our
own estimation and makes us outcasts from
what we ourselves consider respectable So
ciety. We who have the power to reason
logically-and few will admit that they
have not such pOwer-muSt see that we are
not only committing crimes against those
who never wrOnged us in any wav, but
against ourselves. We are prostituting the
noble faculties given us by the Creator for
some nobler purpose than that of pander-
ing to the base cravings of a structure of
mere earth and conducting it through
brief and aimlesS existence. If the whole
human family should undertake to get
through lifes journey as many of us have
tried to, it would not be long before the
emnantS of the race would be seeking
safety from each other in mountain caves.
We have no federation for those who injure
us, therefore we should respect the rights
OF others. We burn with Indignation when
we read of some ScOundre defrauding the
poor of their hard earned savings; yet we
will excuse ourselves for doing the same
thing in some other way. See how it is
with us here in prison. We are unsparing
in our condemnation of those of our fellow.
prisoners who occasionally pllfer things
from our cells while we are absent working
in the shops. We think there is no punish
ment too severe for them; yet they are no
worse or their otfense any greater than that
of the man who robs the homes of industri-
Gus, law abiding persons outside of prison.
Some of you will say, "Oh we are like
family and should not rob each other.o
That is a good reason. but is just as applc-
able outside of prison as inside; for human
ity is nothing more than one large family
whose happiness and weli-being is regulated