The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-01-26
g. TERMS

think that they know all there is to be
known about the means and methods
required, but who, if they could put in
few years among us and be possessed
with half the intelligence and keen OBJ.
servatiOn that characterizes many of
the inmates, they would learn more
every year than they ever dreamed of
in that line. 1 am of the opinion that
several very serious mistakes have
been made by, perhaps, well-meaning
people, intended to hasten the advent
of the millennium by the suppression of
crime, ETC., that will not produce very
marked results favorable to that end
But it is not my Intention in this
letter to ventilate my views and
opinions in regard to those
matters. l desire to express my
views relating to more delicate
subject, and one which is likely to
become of great interest to persons in
many OF the States. l refer to the work
inaugurated among prisoners by Mrs.
Maud Ballington Booth. At the pres
ent time she has organized what is
termed "Volunteer Prisoners League"
("V. p. L.') societies in the State pris
ons at Sing Sing, Clinton and Auburn,
N. Y, Charlestown, Mass, Trenton, n.
j., and San Quintin, CAL
There can be no doubt of Mrs.
Booths earnestness and anxious desire
to promote the welfare of discharged
prisoners and to make good men out
of bad men. Her nerve, determination
and perseverance are simply wonderful;
but the wisdom of admitting her to
carry on her work in prisons, for one
seriously question.
We all know that there is a class of
men in prison who are delicately soft
towards the feminine profession, and
when one appears in our Chapels and
prattles lovingly and pleadlngly to the
inmates, they become completely
melted and ready to fall at her feet and
worship her, and each man is more
than anxious to secure special personal
recognition. The emotion that prompts
it, to say the least of it, is nothing
that has any deeper root than hyster-
ical, sentimental impulse that is entire
ly outside the bounds of all reason and
common sense.
Mrs. Booths method is to be ad-
mitted to the Chapel service of a prison
on Sunday, and being fine, eloquent
speaker, she very forcibly states her
mission, and tells the men how much
she loves them and how desirous she
is to help them to better, higher life.
She tells them that she is establishing
homes for discharged prisoners, where
they can find shelter, good fare and a
safe retreat from the police for an in
definite length of time, and that all
who will become members of her "V.
P. L." will be perfectly welcome until
they can obtain situations. These re-
treats are called "Hope Halls" Three
of them are now open, one near New
York City; one in Chicago and the
other farther west. The idea which
she conveys is that at these retreats
you shall live high and have just jolly
good time while you stay and one
needn't be in any hurry about leaving.
What grand opportunity for an ex.
cursion to the country's chief metro
polls, and to be sure of free hotel &C.
comodations. And the conditions are
so easy they can all be complied with
without moments hesitation, at least,
it only requires certain class of men
the limited time consumed by Mrs.
Booth in her first address to them to
decide them to accept her terms and
conditions, and when, at the close, she
calls upon those to arise who are will
ing to join the movement and who
have feigned or serious desire for a
better life, two or three per cent of the
audience Immediately spring to their
feet, and no matter what they are or
what they have been; no matter if
many of them are men whose practices
have been such, even in prison that q
sensitive, self-respecting man would
feel compromised If seen speaking to
one Of them. Yet that act of rising