Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-01-29

nave demonstrated Time ana asalH,
that woman may be tempted from the
path OF virtue and return from the or.
deal strong in purpose and power to
enrich the world by a faily Of respect.
able and respected children.
Recognizing these things, this or
%ganiZation is reaching out, %endeavor-
ing to save to the world this force
that the world itself seems inclined
to allow to go TO waste. Surely a
great effort at conservation of man.
hood. .. .....,".
The next great work of conservation
that the society is engaged in, Is in
connection with the discharged in.
mates of criminal institutions. Here
again it is met by a wrong attitude
on the part Of society. ] cannot go
into statistics and it is not necessary.
We all know that in the country, rs a
! whole the prison doors swing open
every year and close again behind
tens of thousands Of men. who find
themselves hopeless and alone in an
%unfriendly and %unfeeling and unleel.
ing community. Many of them so long
cut of touch with the worlds progress
that they know not their surround.
ings. Wherever they may turn their
faces they find mans hand raised
against them. Perhaps they arc rail
road men. The com2any's rolls are
closed to them. Perhaps they are
skilled mechanics. Upon application
for a position the first question is
where have they last had employ
ment" Upon disclosing their prison
record the door is closed upon them.
Or. if a kind.hcarted employer takes
them in, their fellow-workers refuse
to work with them. Are they book
, keepers or clerks, the merchant or
banker cannot trust them with his
goods or monev. DO they scatter to
the country. the farmer is afraid they
will steal his horses. Where can they
20? What, can they do? Oh. men Of
hearts. Oh! men AMI women who
have boys out in the world! Where
can they 90, what can they do? They
go back to the prison; they can do
nothing else. They 20 back because
you ask, rs Cain asked: Am ] my
brothers Keeper" ana YOU have re-
fused to listen to the voices of con-
science when it answers eyes" Yet
four out OF five of these e are mere.
ly accidental criminals. They were
good boys as boys 60. They were the
same as your boy and mine, until ac-
cident interviewed to change the course
CT their lives. Your son and your
neighbours passed their childhood to-
gether. They played the same games
read the same books, went to the same
school and entered the world full Of
hope together. Your hopeful entered
a shop and by application quickly rose
to the position of foreman. He handl,
ed men. His friend entered a bank
and by application quickly rose to the
position of cashier. He handled mon
ey. He needed money to use. he took
j., a hundred dollars, or a thousand
dollars, and put a slip in the cash
drawer. fully intending to replace the
cash. But his plans did not material
ize, something went amiss in his bust
ness deals; before he got the money
back the bank examiner came along
} He was an embezzler. a felon. a brand
ed man. not because he was any worse
than The other boy, but because of the
circumstances. Or maybe | have it
wrong. your boy has trouble with a
vicious crew Of men, they refuse to
perform their duty. They shirk and
insult him because he is young: they
turn on him; and threaten him; he
siezes a bar Of iron and in Indignation
oversteps the ]nice-drawn line Of self
defense and mains a a He then
is q felon, a convict, a branded man,
because Of circumstances. He must
pay the penalty. but so far as criminal
| disposition or nature is concerned, nc
is no different after than before the
crime. He would be less apt'to com
nit Il second oifcnsc than he was the
first.
Yet these boys will leave the peni
Tertiary m%iddle-agcd men. homeless,
%rriendlcss and broken in spirit and
your ncighbors will refuse them the
privileges Of earning their daily bread
and point to them as unfit to associate
with the rest of mankind. Take il
home; they are somebody's boys,
This society and other kindred SO
cicties throughout the country are ell
d%eavoring to meet the obligations Of
society, as a whole, and lead these
men into surroundings likely to pre-
vent their being thrown in the way d
new temptations. 1t encourages them;
it finds employment Tor them; i: hide;
them from the rrying eyes OF the
world. .
A great awakening is taking place
That the world owes to these ulfor
%tunatcs the support and help that hi
society is giving is being recognized
BY thousands, who a few years ago dc
MED the obligation. 1t is an cncour
|aging thought for humanity that the
sentiment has grown even TO the ex'
tent that such societies can exist.
This work cannot be done without
organization, and organizations can.
not be carried without. support, both
moral and financial, and the Christian
people of the world must dig to the
tenderest Fart Of their anatomy, their
booklets, and produce the wherewithall
to carry on the work. or the weary
years of effort and sacrifice of time
and talent by the pioneer workers and
the value Of their example will be
lost.
/ y. annual IN WIN mt IN Ina this Thin u