The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-01-01

help and if possible, to hpllft and
to cure the crippled all cripples.
Pray tell me why we should tend err
| ly care for and help the physical and
mental cripple, and atrociously per-
secute and punish the moral Grip
Piles we made? Is 1t right for So
ciety to revenge itself on a wrong
ioer by itself doing a wrong? An
eye for eye" may be Hebraic, but it
Is not Christian!
Is vengeance admirable, or com
mendable? The Nazarene, greatesl
of all moral philosophers, did not
punish, but wisely, with word and
deed, helped.
The criminal is as much and
as truly our brother as is the saint
ly man; perhaps, to most OF us, he
has nearer kinshlp; the brother
hood of true saints is a small So
ciety.
We know very little of the real
character of the cultured, cunning
gentle hammered celebrity sitting
at our table and breaking bread
with us. OF his reputation? Yes.
Of his character? No. Reputation
is what he is believed to be: charac-
ter is what he is. Very well!'
says my startled reader If you
object to the punishment of moral
crlpples, commonly called Grim
inals,' what do you propose TO do
with them? Turn them loose to
prey upon society, at the risk of
ife and property"
Not the Way to Help
Certainly not. That is not the
way to help the criminal, but to
harm him. Do we turn the crazed
man loose? Real justice is not
cruel, but kind. We have SO long;
associated the word Justice with
vengeance and punishment that it
has acquired false and monstrous
significance. Wrongdoing harms
the wrongdoer, b e h e the
wrongdoer be an individual or So
ciely. No wrong is done without
great harm to the doer, as also
harm to the victim. 1t is our duty
to save. by preventative means,
both the Individual and society,
criminal and victim, from the con-
sequences of crime; it is our duty
to restrain (not to imprison), to
pity and to help the moral cripple;
to surround him. (within the ample
field of restraint) with all the
physical, mental and moral means
for help and cure. Make it known
to him that he and we are working
together, joint interest, to pro-
mote general betterment and uni
versal happiness.
| We should furnish him with the
means for self help. and teach him
self-reliance; furnish him with all
sufficient opportunity for self-sup-
port by his own productive indus
try, and as an inducement for per-
sonal industry and thrift, guarantee
to him that all the proceeds of his
industry, beyond the honest cost of
his keep and care," shall be his
very own, to keep. to give, to use
and enjoy, or to bequeath.
Study His Case Wisely
We should study wisely and
carefully as an alierist studies the
insane) his characteristics, his
tastes, his abilities, and help him to
choice Of vocation in which he is
most likely to succeed, and, there
fore, in which he will find his
greatest pleasure; give him educa-
tion, exercise, entertainment, good
humored amusement = everything
good and helpful that he needs, but
never discharge him from restraint
until he has learned the way and
felt the noble pride of self-support;
until he appreciates the dignity and
the sweetness of productive labor.
Make plain to him the fact, that
| in the exercise OF his creative
faculties he comes nearest unto the
likeness God-in that he, too, can
create good and useful things that
did not exist before.
The doing of our duty to our
| crimlnals--our moral cripples-
need involve no great expenditure
from the common fund, in the be-
] Continued on page 81