The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-12-01
DISCIPLINE MUST BE MAINTAINED

We are beginning to learn that there
are few who are so depraved in this
prison as to be destitute of redeeming
qualities; and that there are as few who
are not made malicious and revengeful
by cruelty and tyranny. These truths
must enter into every act of discipline
and become part of it. Redeeming
qualities must be cultivated and while
implicit obedience is required, cruelty
and tyranny must be avoided. AS dis
cipline is one of the means of reforma-
ton it should never be neglected.; but,
on the contrary, it should be made
study, and the feelings and motives
which affect it should be learned and
appreciated.
There are two kinds of obedience.
One proceeds from slavish fear, and the
other from principle and sense of
duty. The former not long since pre-
vailed in all penitentiaries. and does
still in many. We are endeavOring to
introduce the latter. In passing from
one system to the other, every sensible
convict must admit that it is almost
impossible to prevent occasional errors.
Some officers will miscOnceive their
duty-OverOOk acts of disObedience -
and while intending to be kind will
actually wrong those under their
charge The difference in the capacity
of officers for this kind of government
is as great as in that of teachers for the
government of schools. And while
errors on the side of humanity appeal
to our sympathies, it will not do, in a
prison, to allow them to become a rule,
or even very common. Systematic Or
der must be preserved at all hazards.
1t is not at all inconsistent with much
liberty, but that liberty must be regu-
lated and made a part of the discipline.
Clear as this is. it is not easy to put it
into practice and reduce it to a system.
That it can be done there is no doubt:
and with little patience and much
perseverance, the gloomy aspect of our
prison may be changed to comparative
cheerfulness, by the riUi7y obedience
and hearty SUBMISSION Of the cOnricts
We have endeavOred to render our
prison refOrmatOry institution. We
think we have succeeded. to some ex-
tent at least What has been accom-
plished is the result of slow and patient
effort That mild treatment. reason
able indulgence, and rewards for good
behavior are consistent with safety and
discipline, is fully established. That
there is better feeling toward the
state on the part of the prisoner. and
more cheerfulness i'll the performance of
labor, is very evident.
From a purely punitive institution,
our prison has become both punitive
and refOrmatOry Cruel and degrading
puniShmentS are not cOuntenanced
That convicts have rights and may as
sert them has been acknowledged and
acted upon; a spirit of manhood. re-
spOnsibility and self-respect has been
cultivated; and that which was revolt
ing to both bond and free has been
discontinued as fast as practicable In
endeavOring to produce reformation
we have kept in mind the primary
cause of crime, and have endeavored
to supplant vicious and erroneous ideas
of life by those Christian truths which
are the basis of all our morals and our
superior civilization. There are many
in as well as out of the pententiary
who are proof against such influences,
and there is about the usual proportion
| in both situations whose minds and
cOnSciences may be reached and who
can be influenced to fOrsake the wrong
and cleave to the right. This branch
| of the public service is but commenced