The mirror., 1896-02-27

ber could find nothing to caVll at. Al y A. NJ. we
marched into the chapel hail. those who were to
take part in the program. and large number OF
visitors who honored the occasion by their pres
ence being already seated on the platform.
Warden Wolfer. according to his usual custom,
briefly outlined the program. He regretted to
say that one of the members of the Eastern Star
Quartet of Minneapolis was unable to be pres
ent but we had cause for cOngratulatiOn in hav
ing with us the better three-fOurths of the quar-
tet-Miss Belle Rolston, first soprano. Miss
Nellie McCollom. second soprano and Mrs. j.
w. Richmond. second alto. The vocal selections
-triOs. duets. and solos were interspersed with
dramatic readings by Miss Edith Cline Ford, of
st. Paul. and reeitations by Miss Cornie May, of
Minneapolis every number rendered being Wig
orously applauded. One of the pleasant features
of the occasion was the evident enjoyment of our
entertainers ladies responding to encores
with pleasant smiles which showed that they
found pleasure in bringing sunlight into the dark
ened lives of their audience.
Warden WOlfer, in introducing Governor
Clough said that the Governor would grant
brief interviews to those of the inmates who de-
sired to see him on business connected with their
cases. and those who desired to avail themselves
of this privilege would have it granted by max
Lemon at the close of the entertainment. Gov
ernor Clough's address was as follows:
"Mr. Warden-YOur kind invitation to visit this
institution this day has been a source of much
satisfaction to me. Not only since have been
governor, but for many years before. l have been
greatly interested in the problems which you
have here set before you for solution. You ask
me to say few words to those before me, and
you will permit me to speak as plain man. as
always like to speak in a straightforward way.
The larger share of those before me are men.
shall speak to you first. | wish to speak to you
as do to the men meet in business and in daily
life l like to preserve the memory of early life
and its hearty associations of good will and call
those whom meet, "boys.' shall call the men
before me by that name. Now, boys l will say
few words to you. cannot say that am glad
to meet you here. for l am not glad to meet any
one in this place. l would, however, be glad to
see any of you in almost any other place. hope
may see and meet many of you in other places
in the years to come, in places that will reflect
honor and credit upon you and upon your fathers
and mothers. l hope l shall thus meet some of
you. when l can say that l am glad you have
proved yourselves true. honest and honorable
men. and that you have corrected the mistakes
and wrong deeds that brought you here. Your
future and your reception in the world will all
depend upon yourselves. The State and its Off
GERS all wish you we'll, all desire to aid you. The
laws governing this place and all the acts of the
Warden and others in official positions over you,
are dictated with the purpose and desire of aid
ing you to rise to honor, to usefulness and true
success in life. Here are created the conditions
that ia life itself govern success and advance
ment In the world at large dishonOrabe acts
never bring permanent success. A man must
prove himself a man to hold the respect of his
! fellows. Those who succeed must learn to aban
don those associates and habits that in jure them
There is an old saying that used to hear when
a boy that will here repeat. 1t is this: If a
man cheats you once, that is his fault. If he
| cheats you the second time, that is your fault.
| No one should have dealings second time with
| a man who has deceived and defrauded him
This fact should be borne in mind by you, wheL
you leave here. Some of you have been brought
here by reason of bad associates. You have not
enjoyed life here, even though the Warden an(
his associates have done all in their power t(
assist you. But this place and your life here is
better than many of the places into which yol
were led before you came here by reason of bat
companions. Those companions led you Ovel
hard lines, possibly, nay probably. some among
you were in all this more Sinned against thai
SHINING, but if you 60 out from here and return
to those companions it will be wholly your owl
fault. Those companions will surely do for yOl
again what they did when they brought yOl
here as a result of the false advice and bad hab
it's into which they led you. will say the sam'
about another matter. Many of you wer'
brought here by drink. If drink brought an.
of you here, treat drink as you would the bat
} companions. Let it alone entirely. Don't par
ley with that which injured you by leading yo1
: to do wrong and thus brought you here. Wha
! have said have spoken more especially TO
those who are about to leave this institution. l
is also for you to think about when you are plan
, ming for your life after leaving here. Permit m
to say, however, a few words about life here il
this institution. That life here is planned to as
sst you to an honorable, useful and successful
career after you leave here. 1t is planned to as
? sst the great majority here to make their sta
in this institution the shortest possible, to ali
I them to leave here on parole, ito enter hOnOrabl
and useful work, and finally, to return to cit
zenship where you will have all the rights an
privileges of the most honored and favored il
our midst You can. if you will. leave here afte
only comparatively short detention. You ear
if you try to be honest, keep away from ba
: company and let drink alone, soon thereafter b
restored to citizenship. There are many pleas
ant acts which do as governor of Minnesota
but there are none that gives me greater joy an
t satisfaction than signing papers of men VIII
t have been in this institution and on parole hav
earned, by right living, their right to citizensh
l again. 1t is pleasure to every right-minde
: man and woman to welcome one back to citizen
l ship, as it is for me to sign the papers for sue
return.
All that have said to the men here will sa