The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-09-10
HE TAKES EXCEPTIONS.

The folio wing letter is self explanatory.
In our next issue we will endeavor to make
clear THE MIRRORS understanding of the
matter:
Editor of THE PRISON MIRROR: Your issue of
Aug. 20 contains an editorial under the headline
1.-THE Creed Of Liberty" In your remarks on that
publication you refer to Jed Jukes in a rather un.
certain way-uncertain a personal statement.
and uncertain as to what individual readers are to
gather from it. Allow me little space in THE
MIRROR to elucidate your statement. and my
position VS.. that of ex-convicts.
You use the term "ex.convict" in a way thai
contradicts your reference to me. 1t has ap.
peared to you that held that there was little
good to be hoped for in the ex.convict" The
term "ex.convict" evinces Of itself the fact that
there is some I'm uch) good in him. or the ..ex.,
would be omitted. and FOUNDER or ''recidiyist,,
used. There is always much good in an ex.con.
vict. so long as he is one. When he ceases to be
such, and is sent up again, there is still much
good in him. You have Inexperienced nv
animadversions in my New York Herald and St.
Paul Dispatch articles You remark However.
perhaps we misunderstood" and, though the in.
definite doubling. and dutiful but follows your
remark, this gives me slight hope that you are
not Of that prejudiced public that guages every.
thing earthly by superficial pair of calipers but
(O that you can consider second and a third
time any subject before passing Judgment upon il.
Beware. Mr.. Editor. of first Impressions; in ten
cases out Of ten, ten are wrong ones. Ihave found
such to be the case, and that is where ..public
prejudice" gets in its retarding and downstrikinp
power when any original mind undertakes the &C.
complishment Of "a big iob''
Perhaps you can imagine The bigness of the lob
have on hand; but am of the opinion (without
dissenting from yours that only realize the ex.
tent. on all Sides up and down and round about.
of the task have to perform, or little Of it, If
you knew what have had to encounter during
the past two years from newspaper men and
book publishers you might obtain just an inklng
of the real bigness of reforming public prejudice
even in small a matter as that bearing on
crime and criminals. Moreover, you might also
dsabuse yourself of the idea that assumed q
tone concerning ex.convicts," in my newspaper
articles, Every dissimilar to that we (you) find in
The Creed of Liberty" Read those articles
again. and bear the following facts in mind be-.
fore you begin: Since they were written l have
been converted to the saving power of Jesus The
style of the articles necessarily conformable
to what is termed newspaper matter or stuff, lust
as you will; consequently. to be marketable, this
thing had to be considered. especially when
man was on the point of sinking foot or two un.
der ground as the writer was at the time. It
might interest you to know that two of those pa
pers were rewritten four times before being &C.
cepted. had TO entirely abandon my original
ideas of treatment and to lust be descriptive" If
wanted to earn $40 bill, and 1 did want, very
much. Then. again, my dear Mr. Editor would
remind you of the facts that am "outside." and
you, presume, are "inside'' prison walls; that
have studied on certain lines necessarily diver.
gent from your own; that am. therefore, original
in one direction, while you are in another, and
this should tend to show that both are liable to
err. Probably you are original thinker; if you
are. pity you; nevertheless. give you credit for
originating the idea that my two "tones" are dis.
similar All no! The style may be; but thirteen.