The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-08-20
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DlFFUslvE VARIATIONS
ByRer

tions of programs carried out &C.
cordine to latest methods, which
they trust will prove that the eradi-
cation of many evils has been &C.
complished and that the world is a
cleaner place in which to reside.
In late literature of this trend. tn
various methods put forth to prac-
tlce by philanthropic orders for the
humiliation of vice and the upbuild-
ing in general of the human race,
show diffusion Of ideas that when
enacted, conflicted to such great
extent that the ultimate results have
proven uncertain.
The principal cause of this uncer-
tainty seemsto have been alack of CO.
operation on the part of social sur
veys and organizations OF like trend;
for localized surveys to reach the real
conditions and bring about elevation,
must cope with state and national
methods. There must be agreement
and harmony of action if the ultl-
mate results are to prove satisfac-
tory.
1t appears that the greater OBJ
stacles in the work of reclamation
have been confronted in rural dis
tricts, where the methods. or rather
preventives, tried out for the uplift
Of small communities were not the
logical conclusions of cause, or con-
dition, as found by cooperative
methods in larger cities for the
prevention of vice and betterment
of society, but rather individual opin-
ions that when practiced upon mass
resulted in chaotic rather than in
betterment.
One rural town felt justified in
placing its low standard of morality
to the cause of it's three or four sa-
looms being open to the public too
late in the evening; contending that
if said saloons were forced to close at
8 o'clock at night instead of 10
o'clock, conditions, would be puri-
fed. Pure fallacy to believe that a
matter of two hours in the opening
or closing of saloons doors IN any
community would prove a detriment
to its social conditions.
1t seems but reasonable to sup
pose that the enactment of pre-
ventives tried out and found success
full in the elevation of social condi-
tions in cities where the causes are
varied and many, should produce
the same results, and to greater
extent, in towns where population is
small and evil not so rampant.
We recognize the gigantic prob
lem of eradicating undesirable con-
ditions that have ever infested con-
gested population and the persistent
efforts with which organizations
have eliminated those conditions
and in the success of their accom-
plishment we base our contention
that in order to accomplish like re-
suits in the rural communities there
must be Reorganization and co-opera-
ton of methods as practiced by lar
ger cities. If individualism and
independency must play a part in
this most important of subjects, then
let there be at least recognition of
principal and of modernization in
the efforts of small towns to elimi-
nate vice.
Do You Believe in Prison Friendship?
We believe it is true that prison
life to great extent is unnatural,
but that in itself does not signify
that the nature Of man undergoes a
change unless one wills it so. We
have heard it expressed occasionally
that prison is a poor place to form
friendships and the reasons manifes-
ted we're both logical and poor, 81
we lind it matter of personal opin-
ion only.
Naturally, the population of a
prison is cosmopolitan and the in
mates confined are of every descrlp.
ton, but social conditions to an ex-
tent prevail here as on the outside
and personal likes and dislikes are
not altered because of prison restric-
tions. Personal attributes, we be-
lieve, are more noticeable here be-
cause of close confinement and no.
ting these attributes we are more
inclined to express opinions than
were we in the world at large.
We all know the value of true
friendship and its valuation is sacred