The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-04-03
from deficient manual and mental equip.

to wrong doors. The OBJECT OF refOrmatOry
treatment is to put resisting force and sus-
tanning power into prisoners, so that they
can stand according to their own desire to
do and be right. Therefore the processes
of manual, mental, moral and spiritual
training and development are set in opera
ton for and within priSOners-criminals if
the term is more significant.
In reference to what the Judge SAYS of
the preIenses of prisoners and their cOntri-
ton lin order to gain the sympathy of the
would be phlanthrOpistS, and what is of
far greater Importance, the tobacco, fruit,
books and delicacieS in which such sympa-
thy finds expression" we have to say while
there are real philanthrOpiStS, who are in
tent upon doing good for their fellows there
is not host of would be philanthropists
who are freaking in tobacco, fruit, books
and dellcacieS; certainly not enough nor
pervading enough to Shun real philanthrO-
pists from the main track of good will to
men! A fairly wise superintendent or war
den recognizes stimulation as a manifesto
ton and feature of prison life. Such Off
GERS know something about pretense, and
feigned cOntritiOn; but the fairly wise super
intendent or warden does not shape or base
his administration upon the fact of simula-
ton or the existence of pretense, felgned
tratiOn are laid for the recovery, the re-
form, the regeneration of real. sincere,
earnest men. who are so even though they
have been criminals, have repeatedly Of
Tended human and divine law. We deplore
stimulation. hypocrisy, pretense, feigned-
ness or fraud on the part of the men who
are prisoners, on their account; for they
are cheating themselves far worse than they
can cheat anybody else. Again, we trust,
the Judge is limiting his vision and sugges-
tiOns to smaller class of prisoners. rather
than taking in the wider field and larger
class-he cannot refer to those who only
need to have light and truth come to them
in their beauty and power to make them
loyal subjects for God and the right.
The second paragraph of Judge Glider
sleeve comes to the subject of methods and
privileges. He thinks lit might be wise
policy on the part of our legislators to en-
act laws prohibiting prisoners from recev
ing flowers, fruit and other delicacies at the
hands of anybody. and also restricting all
visits to those of their lawyers. (the Judge
has warm side for his profession clergy
men and immediate relatives" How about
flowers and pleasant gifts to prisoners?
That depends upon the purpose in regard
to the prisoners. If the aim is to finish
mo flowers" But if the purpose towards
the prisoner is to lift him out of wrong
ways up to right ones; if the methods are
to place right living before man in it's
value and perfection, with all its attractive
ness and benefits, why not flower? why
not books? Why not all the acts of help
which they may symbolic? If we are
seeking to allure men to right living by the
attractions of earth and heaven, why not
illustrate and enforce the presentation and
the pleading by thing of beauty which
may be a joy forever? If we are endeavOr-
ing to make a wrong going man right
doing man. why not stimulate his endeavOr
which may have been awakened, by the
thoughts and words of some great author
who has thought wisely and profoundly on
the things of life? Prisoners are men and
may be moved as any other men are
moved. The properly bestowed flower.
the right book wisely given help to pris-
Oner, it may be in greater degree help
than such to free man in whom there is
no guile.
The class of prisoners which the Judge
apparently has in mind are not by any
means the most numerous class: nor are
they the class which should constrain prison
policy or forms of administration. Nor do
morbid or would be philanthropists have
sway in prisons so far as our knowledge
goes. Therefore we cannot endorse the
sentiments which so largely control the
paragraphs which we have quoted. for any
general application. Very much which
Judge Gildersleeve says is substantially
right, especially in regard to some criminals
and certain proceedings. But when action
is to be taken in reference to majority of
prisoners, when administration is to be
shaped for their welfare and reform. and
for the larger interests of communities. then
their must be recognition of the fact that
erring men, criminal men. are fellow
men, subject alike to reform and regen-
GRAFTON with other men; and the processes
for changing wrong life. the means for
building up and establishing right life, are