The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-08-13

fenses and others are innocent. The
man in prison is DO different from
| what he was, or what other people
are on the outside, and he should be
dealt with, disciplined and trusted
as other men. The real truth is
that while in prison the men are the
tamest creatures in the world, il
they are not abused. The oftener a
man is sent to prison and the longer
he remains. the more docile he is be-
cause he has learned the fclly of
rebellion, and the first offenders
have not the spirit of resistance.
But it Is said that these men are
Grim nails, sent to prison as pun
ishment for their sins against soci-
ETY.. and if given easy discipline
they will find prison life so bear
able that they will not fear to come
back again.
Some such feeling must have III
spired the remarks of a California
Judge who said: Il have just SEN
fenced a woman to two years of
severe drudgery, care and worry
because her husband committed
burglary. | have sentenced two lit
tie children to go hungry, perhaps
barefooted. l have provided for a
pleasant two years vacation for a
man." The judge evidently intend
ed this as a sarcasm Oh the prevail
ing prison discipline, but uuwitting.
ly he described in graphic language
one of the real hardships of our
prison system. 1t did not occur to
him that probably that burglar lov-
ed his wife and children. as the
judge loved his own family; that the
burglar would have suffered less in
mind, ard have considered it more
merciful punishment to have been
condemned to whippings, hard lab
or and solitary confinement for two
years, in exchange for the assurance
that his wife and two children
would meanwhile be comfortably
provided for. 1t is cynical mock
cry to talk of pleasant vacation"
for the man in prison, be be rich
or poor. good or bad. In our prop
erly managed prisons there are no
doubt many men who have better
food. less work, less anxiety and
more actual opportunities for amuse-
ments than ever before. but they
are deprived of the one essential
thing that makes life endurable
their freedom. Neither does the
punishment end on their release,
for no man ever resumed the tull
measure of his previous standing in
society after prison term. nor full
ly regained his pride aud self-re-
spect. He may brace himself to
endure the consequences, but he
never torgets the experience.
The criminal code provides i'm
prlsonment for stated periods as the
full measure OF punishment for Of
fenses against the law. and there is
no warrant either in law or morals
for prison officials to add the harsh
er punishment which goes under
the name of rigid disci ipllne.
The constitution of Indiana, as
long ago as 1916. provided that the
penal code should be founded on
the principles of reformation and
not of vindictive punishment. In
the United States there is more
money spent for the prevention of
crime and the punishment of GRIM
inals, than for charity, religion and
education al! combined, the greater
part of this vast expenditure being
made necessary only because we
have failed to grasp the reformative
ideal of the Indiana constitution.
Just as long as our prison disci-
pline is based on the prevailing the
ory of punishment. with the result
ing degradation of the victims of
such system; just so long as pris-
ons are schools for teaching hate.
malice and revenge, and fostering
vice; just so long as men are turned
back into society bereft of pride,
self respect, ambition, and an op.
portunity to earn an honest living,
just 80 long will crime increase and
we as a nation suffer the evils of
our own creating. Good Words.
DON'T USE BIG WORDS!