The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-01-19
sTILLWATER, MINNESOTA. THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1911

citation Is where they puncture them
and investigate the material used in
the blowing-up process. If there is
anything of practical nature, that
will help the advancement of prison
management, it will be used by these
hard thinkers and hard workers.
In fact. they will try out everything
that is rational and reasonable, but
it they are only bubbles, bubbles they
will remain.
The National Prison Congress, SO
far as penal progress is concerned,
is years behind the present manage
ment of the Saltwater Prison.
At the Washington conference the
delegates were just beginning to
think of and agitate movement for
prison amusement and entertain
ment along the moving picture line.
Warden Wolfer has been for years
amusing his charges with this novel
form of amusement, an various
other novelties in the form of prison
entertainments. The committee that
towed the foreign visiting delegates
around the country to inspect some
of the model penal institutions east
of Chicago came no where near the
State of Minnesota, and yet if the
penal institution of this State were
in the same class of those in the
Eastern States the Saltwater prison
would be carried backward a quarter
of a century. The Federal govern
ment, that is always an imitator in
penology and never leader, has
just adopted the parole system. The
State os Minnesota has been reaping
the results of the parole system
longer than the Federal prison at
Ieavenworth has been in existence.
/ Thero- aro- many farisnn-rnfnrnaa 4las-
the prison management at Saltwater
has introduced in it's penal colony
that could very well be brought into
play to advance prison management
in the East. In discussion short
time ago in, regard to matter treated
in the paper he delivered at one of
our Circle meetings, a very bright
member made the statement. speak
ing of his experience in the United
States navy, that he had not been
paid for the work he had done but
for what he knew. In regard to
/ Minnesota's penal management, /
would reverse the statement to, that
which cuts the most ice here at the
Saltwater prison is, not what the
management knows, but that which
it does. For the doing of it is the
proof that the knowledge is behind
it. It is quite possible that in the
wild, woody West there may exist a
system of prison government which,
| if transplanted into the so-called
model penal institutions of the East,
would bring them into the same class
with the Saltwater institution. In
regard to the work of the National
Prison Congress, in as far as this
prison is concerned, it is not what
has been accomplished through any
effort or agitation Of the Congress,
but that which has been done by
Minnesota thought and energy.
Having the brains and material at
hand, this State has formed her own
penal system. She neither copies
nor initiates, but creates her penal
reforms as she sees the need Of them.
Minnesota is fortunate in having pe-
nal reformers from modern school
Of penology that do their work eff
ciently and keep detached from its
prison management as much as pos
sible the hot air that explodes once
a year from the National Prison
\ Congress.
In conclusion, let me impress this
one thought upon your mind, differ
from it as much as you will: That
to the prison management and its
Board of Control you must look for
every reform movement in every
particular that reaches you or
touches your welfare. The govern
t ing Board and the Warden of this
prison are the only authorities, and
: there is no doubt whatever but that
!. they introduce, not theories. senti-
7 ment or absurdities, but sound, pro-
gressive measures of government
that will be creditable to the State
Fl and to the benefit Of the inmates.