The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-06-26

Fut OurSelf In HIS Place.
Not very long since. says the editor of
The Summary, young man, now on pa.
role, sent to this institution for crime
against property. complained most bitterly
to the General Superintendent because
suit of clothes had been stolen from him.
His opinion of the thief was expressed in
fOrcible and far from complimentary terms.
The Superintendent said to him: "YOu
have suffered at the hands of thief,
haven't you? A thief is a mean rascal,
isn't hep" How quickly flush spread over
the face of the aggrieved. The definition
went home. We are glad to record that he
could blush. that he had come to know the
real character of his Offense. Then he real
lied and appreciated the estimate which So
ciety places upon those of his class.
1t is remarkably helpful, as a general
rule, to put yourself in the other mans
place, and to view transaction from his
standpoint. The young man above referred
to actually changed places; you can do so i'm
imagination for little while if you try hon
estly.
thief takes some of your property.
Your first thought is revenge: some way in
which to get even with your despOiler. Such
feeling is perfectly natural. Savages
steal from thief, and think themselves
perfectly justified in doing so. Or perhaps
thief among them may forfeit his life for
his Offense, each man being his own law.
Later on, as society becomes more organized,
we find other means reSOrted to. Occasion
ally capital punishment. generally imprison-
ment for long term of years is the penalty
melted out to thieves.
You see that your feeling of revenge, of
making another suffer punishment because
he has wrOnged you, finds its prototype in
society. You feel strengthened in your con-
viction. Society is wise.
Now trace the history of penolOgy along
down till you come to the present time
You find an effort being made to-day not
alone to punish the offender. but to help
him to lead better life. Now does this
correspond with your imagined feelings
toward one who has wronged you? To love
your enemy to do him good: had that oc-
CURED to you? You do not think that it
should be demanded of you to help one who
has injured you: it does not seem natural.
How do you think that your enemy would
regard it? Probably his education has been
neglected. his moral perceptions dulled, his
sensbilities blunted, his opportunities in
life but few. Now you educate him, teach
him the difference between right and wrong,
awaken his better feeling. try to bring to
the surface all the manhood that is in him,
give him facilities for earning an honest
livelihood. How will he regard it?
Reverse the picture. take your own place,
and answer the question yourself You are
the enemy, all this is being done for you.
What advantage will you take of it? You
have exchanged places, and have seen what
mean, contemplate person a thief is; how
society has treated him. and you thought
society wise; how society Is treating him.
and-that comes home to you.
We are endeavoring to help you. Would
you have helped your enemy? Think it
over for while. Do you consider yourself
deserving of what you are receiving?
And when hereafter you hear the defini-
ton of thief, let the blush that suffuses
your cheek be dispelled by another thought
that the term can no longer be applied
to you, that you took advantage of what
was offered you by the society you wrOnged,
and now form helping part of that. So
ciety.