The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1913-09-25
II TAKES A JEWELER
TO REPAIR A WATCH
II Takes a Man Who Has Been, oris Be-
ing Reformed to Write on That Sub
ject. Neglect Of Parents and Indis-
eliminate Marriage Helps to Fill
Penal Institutions.

Many great and learned men
have written on the subject of
reformation and perhaps the things
they have said were, in way, cor
rect, but, in my estimation, the man
most capable of writing on the sub
iect of reformation is the one who
is being, or has been reformed.
Can farmer fix watch, or a
railroad engineer navigate ship?
Of course not. No more can the
person who has not made reform
work his life study, or has been, or
is being reformed write treatise
on reformation.
The root of the evil that is caus-
ing so much trouble to organized
society is in indiscriminate mar
riage. Many states are coming to
recognize this fact and as con-
sequence more stringent laws are
being passed every year to
cut down the percentage of the un-
fit.
The next factor that helps to in
crease the populations of the state
institutions is the attention given
the child by the parents.
Statistics prove that the majority
of the unfit in the world today are
the offspring of the working class.
This goes to prove beyond all rea-
sonable doubt that the working
mother, or father, is, in a way, re-
sponsible for the criminal tenden-
cies of their offsprings. Many rea-
sons can be given why this is the
case.
The poor mother, after working
hard all day, is only too anxious to
have her boy or girl go out after
supper with the bunch" in order
that she might have moments rest
and peace, and the father is the
same way. That is one of the
things that is cansing the percentage
of the socially unfit to increase.
Another: Some mothers are too
lenient, just as are some fathers.
They simply cannot refuse the flesh
of their flesh any request that may
be made, regardless of consequences,
and even when they do try to
refuse, they allow themselves to be
wheedled into submission by hon
eyed words and big promises, when,
by exercising little frmness they
might save their children from a life
of misery and shame.
On the other hand, it is just as
bad to refuse to allow child to in
dulge in childish play. to let off the
surplus steam as it We're. Some
parents are so strict that their child
rem will prevaricate rather than
take the risk of parental displeasure.
From lying, it is only step to
stealing and other sins, all of which
are done on the sly by the children
in order that they may participate in
the pleasures enjoyed by their play
mates, and which are denied them
by their parents.
have read a number of articles
speaking against the young girl who
goes to the movies, or parades the
streets in the evening, either un-
accompanied or with a girl friend
of the same age, and / have often
wondered why the same girl comes
in for so much criticism and moth
ing is said of the boy who does the
same thing.
This brings to my mind poem l
read years ago in some foreign pub
ication:
Earth is never tired of lying
In the embraces of the sun.
Ocean old is ever signing
For the moon when day is done.
Soothing winds caress the flowers,
Rivers rush to wed the sea;
Nature urges through each hour,
love you. Do you love me?
A man lived by this song. and, well.
The world said, Hush. my dear, don't tell,
He sees the error of his ways,
Repent; he even mourns and praYs,
Forget!