The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-04-25

GETTING o. Square Deal.
The following experience was related recently at
the City Club, Cincinnati, by F. Emory Lyon,
superintendent of the Central Howard Association of
Chicago whose object is to assist prisoners of our
penal institutions both while in prison and upon their
discharge The association had secured employ
ment for man just released from prison. In few
days he returned out of employment. Another job
was secured for him. This was repeated several
times with the same result. Finally he came COM
pletely discouraged, defeat written every feature
of his face, and said: "Oh, am so tired of men.
don't want to see another man in all my life Can't
you get me job taking care of animals, of horse
or two, so that can love them and be enduredP'
Such position was secured for him and he is now
doing we'll.
What scathing arraignment of man, the image
of God! A poor brother, who has temporarily lost
his way in lifes maze, despsed and rejected by man,
turns to animals for company. Refused the helping
hand by his kind he seeks solace in association
with dumb beasts that will treat him fairly. And
this is not an unusual experience Who are these
poor mortals from whom we better and nobler crea-
lures turn with contempt? Men who have made
this phase of life study state that the vast majority
of men and women in prison we're not really crim-
nails at heart originally; the majority not led to
crime because of inherent weakness, but because of
their surroundings
We are ALL more or less the victims of en-
vironments. Good surroundings make us, and for
this how little credit do we deserve: bad surround
ings unmake US, and again we should receive but
little blame. We who were born in healthful at
mosphere who have received kind and watchful care
of loving parents, who guided by conscientious
teachers influenced by wholesome books and assisted
by good friends, let pause for moment and place
ourselves in the ex-prisoner's surroundings. Born
in poverty; perhaps drunken father; mother who
after life of suffering and poverty has about lost
hope and energy; friends, persons of like conditions,
detriment rather than aid; of books none, or if
any, of the most unwholesome class. His home un-
attractive he wanders about in the streets oiters
in low dives. His more fortunate fellow-man turns
from him. To his unframed, tainted mind, he owes
no duty to that more fortunate person The phil
osophy, of the gutter his philosophy, teaches him
that the world owes him living. He ofends, he
falls and forevermore is cursed.
Does not such picture frighten us? Down in
the bottom of our hearts we know that we in
that mans place we would probably be no better.
By what right, then do we condemn? He has not Of
Tended society as much society has sinned against
him. He has robbed, perhaps maimed man;
society," in it's treatment of him, is destroying SOUL
It is not charity that this poor fellow asks he asks
only square DEAL " an opportunity to be an honest
man and decent citizen. He does not want an os-
tentatious gift by rich man, accompanied by APP
propriate newspaper euloges the giver ofcourse.
But what he does want what he cries out in vain
for, is little brotherly love- little encouragement
He wanted to feel that he was not abandoned, that
there was still room in society for Aim.-St Paul
Rural Weekly.
WHEN in doubt mind your own business. FL
bert Hnhlard