The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1894-06-21
SALTWATER, MINNESOTA JUNE 21, 1894
SHOULD CRIMINALS BE cLAss1-

SHOULD CRIMINALS BE CLAssI-
FLED.
No Person Was Ever Reformed By Iso-
lation or Through the Agency of
Harsh Measures.
When in moment Of weakness man
commits crime that is brought to the
light of day, instead of giving him the
hand of brotherly love the world is too
prone to turn its back upon him; shun
him: force him to seek other associates,
which in too many instances leads him
on step by step to the commission Of
other and greater crimes, until he has
reached the level of confirmed crimi-
nails, Stunned by those who once re-
spected him, ostracised from all society
save that of the depraved; or, if he has
remaining in him a spark of that manly
feeling which would make him abhor
the depraved, If he possesses any Of
the elements that look to the higher
principles of life, he is forced to live
within himself, prey to his own mis-
cry and shame; not word, not kind
look to encourage him, he is indeed lost.
This is too true of the outside world
And now, would-be reformers would
carry this principle inside the prison
walls, where communication only at
: rare intervals is permitted, and where
, each man is as separate and distinct,
; almost, as if they were living in sepa-
rate communities.
/ IT in classifying criminals we were to
: place all the hardened together, and all
! the mot quite so hard"-tor want of a
better term-also by themselves, who
a would ever be able to classify them
S And how? Would it be from his rec
: ord while in the world at large? Sup
: posing he had committed crime after
t crime and was known as an habitua
S criminal to the law and his friends
: who knows his heart? May he not
g have become so through the very
y course above mentioned? Everybody
y stunned him; forced him to believe ht
e was lost and not fit to mingle with
those who were supposed to be better
to many of whom the words of thu
. Master, "He who is without sin let hin
cast the first stone," would be applica
ble-and not from any natural impuls
= or desire to be criminal.
=, Should these supposed hardene'
= criminals be isolated from what the
:, would term the high-toned wrong -doer
;, Does any reasonable being imagine
- would have a tendency to soften thel
~ hearts? Would it not, on the contrar!
~ have a tendency to harden them
:, Would he not cry, 80, Justice. has
;a come to pass that there are distinction
= in thieves? Is the man who steals
- thousand dollars better than 1 who onl
~ stole loaf of bread? If SO, I'll tt
- next time to get the thousand dollars
", Do not for one moment fancy that
will fill his heart with noble impulse
,o to not steal at ALL
The man in prison naturally tries
an do the very best he can, and tries har
~ too, so that he may earn the respect {
%, his keepers, their confidence, and COZ
w sequently obtain all the benefits allowe
-. for good conduct and faithful perfor1
ance of duties, and there is nothing
:499 wholesome as to throw them Z
oe together, as practiced in this institutio
- so that the faithfulness and good co
~, duct of one who would be better, wi
nd would try and be man, will be ev
before them, an incentive, an encOurag
M au ment 1t teaches man to try and
~ velop the good in him; he realizes tn
even in prison, life can be made endr
.- able, it can be made pleasantsr, bright
;+h by doing his utmost to obey the Law
- The fact is brought to him with t
greatest force and truth that, "that m
49, is no better than 1; it is his conduct;
is compelled to eat, sleep and labor
same as I, and nothing prevents ]
it. from being his equal. He cannot ia
ins the other side of the street when he 81
ver me approach, he cannot wear any bet
,ole clothes, he cannot perform any mt
div or better labor, if I concentrate all ]
faculties. The only difference betwe