The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-10-15
Prison Reforms.

The prison congress, while in
session here, this week, discussed
"'prison reforms" subject worthy
of considerable attention, for there
is no denying that the prisons Of
the country could be made much
better institutions than they are,
and the result would be beneficial
not alone to the men confined in
the prisons, but to the entire pop
nlation of the country.
The common practice now. is to
take man who has served his
time in prison, and turn him out
into the world with a miserable
suit Of clothes and ten dollars in
money.
1t is an extraordinary man, or
a lucky man who can start out in
to the world with ten dollars in
his pocket and make fresh start
in life.
There is some talk of aid socie-
ties in connection with prisons, to
take charge of men discharged
from prisons, and see that they
get started on the right road. This
idea is very good. When a man
commits a crime and is detected
his crime is measured by the law
and he is sentenced to pay GER
tain number of years of liberty.
When he has served that time, the
man has paid the. debt and society
has no claim against him.
But the ex-convict is forced to do
more than the law has demanded.
When he comes out of prison he
finds that his fellowman has de-
serted him, and that he has come
into the world again, almost as
helpless as an infant-unless, as is
often the case, he goes back to a
life Of crime.
Not long ago, the man who got
drunk, was punished for it, Now,
there are Institutes where the
sdrunkard is given a treatment for
his affliction and is fitted to return
to society.
Why not, then, make the prison
an institution for the reformation
of man?
The drunkard is curse to him
self, and to his country, yet he is
reformed and restored to society,
and many of the men confined in
the prisons Of this land. are sober,
industrious, intelligent and tai
ented, and worthy of assistance in
an endeavor to reform.
The aid-society can do much
good. 1t can receive a discharged
prisoner and see that he is given
chance to show what he is made
of, and the majority will take the
right road. The principal thing
in the beginning is full stomach.
Keep a man well fed and it will
not be an easy matter to lead him
to commit a crime. The next thing
is to secure employment for him,
and, nine times out of ten, he will
do the rest.
Much could be accomplished if
prisoners we're given an opportu-
nifty to accumulate money, while
serving their time. Itwould slim
ulate them to industry: it would
fill their hearts with hopes for the
future and give them courage to
face the world again. and when re-
leased, society would receive i'm
mediate benefits.
This plan could be given trial
at least. 1t will certainly do no
harm, and in many cases will do
great good. Money rules the
world, now, and without it, man is
not far from hades, and to turn a
man into the world with only ten
dollars in his pocket and no en-
ployment in sight, is criminal.
And. since money is such an abso-
lutte necessity, it would be wise for
the state to give prisoners during
their imprisonment, chance to
prepare themselves for the battle
they will be called upon to fight
when they once more enter the
world as free men. Milwaukee
Record