The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-12-21
THE CONVICT
DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF THI
NAM DRurNT> s,rrIrr nADc

DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF THI
! MAN BEHIND THE BARS
! (The following comprises the
main portion of the page):
"I'll be glad TO hear from anyone
who knows something about prisons
about prisoners, the criminal, law
the jury system; any form or rela-
ton of forms bearing directly upon
the subject referring to the accused
man, his trial, conviction, and sub
sequent disposal of the case.
Also, those that think they know,
I'll appreciate the forwarding of
their views.
And all those who have served
their time, I'll be thankful to them
! if they will but tell me of their ex-
periences. No name of anyone thus
submitting their views or relating
their experiences in the law, or as
convicted persons shall be published
unless permission be distinctly given
in letter delivered to me.
One hundred copies Of this edi-
ton are being sent to leading socio-
logical workers in the different parts
of the country. One hundred more
to the various publications within
the prison walls, offering at the same
time, to reproduce. the best of origi-
nal compositions appearing therein"
There are a number of quotations
closing the page, as >you will see.
But il someone were TO have told
me that such an effort would meet
with the ready response that this
one PACED edition called forth, /
should have doubted the truth of
such a statement.
1t certainly surprised me, as did.
also many of the items / found in
subsequent and greatly enlarged
copies of The Convict"
thought it would devote its col
umns largely to visuperation of one
or another.of prison officials, or to
some Of the many prisons, but what
was my surprise, and | don't doubt,
it's practically phenomenal growth,
was that the subjects discussed were
intellegently presented. and though
quite frank with now and then de-
cided sting or two, the views of both
those in authority and the men con-
victed of crime, were solicited and
impartially commented on or critic
Used.
That little paper has come to be
an influence in the nation. From
its then radical adyocasy of certain
reform measures no where near all
dealing directly with prisoners, but
reaching out into the surroundings
of direct home environments, it has
produced a counterpart in the al
most unbelievable transformation
from crime conditions into channels
of assured usefulness, and has made
Of our prisons all that could possibly
be made of them even from the
point of view OF an idealist, and has
decreased prison population nearly
eighty per cent. Think it, friend!
Today, instead of the hundreds
we could have reasonably expected
our prisons to contain, we have that
one time little one page publication
to thank for the tens aud twenties
we now count, in place Of the humid
reds.
1t was splendid achievement,
and our Black Shepherd has given
us ample proof Of his theory con-
cerned in the word restitution.
Since that Christmas Day Of ten
years ago. the man who today has
won for himself a warm spot in the
hearts of thousands of his fellow
men, is man whose hand / am proud
to grasp, and whom / esteem as one
of my foremost friends. And thank
God that other men are following,
as has been aptly stated by Mr..
Sheldon in the title TO volume des-
tribed as, In His Steps
Christmas comes but once year,
but with the coming of each ami
yersary, the inauguration of some
advance step concerned with the
wrong doer has taken place. And
one Of the greatest of such steps,,
both from its humane side as asso
ciated with the daily life Of the pris-l