The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-02-19

movement which proved so grandy sue
cessful here two weeks ago; and at
length, endeavors to advance the argu-
ment that we are pursuing tactics which
bigots of the dark ages used in compe-
ing men to accept beliefs foreign to their
free way of thinking.
We were really surprised to find this
attitude taken by any paper printed in
Minnesota, but we not in the least chagrined,
as the large number of very fattering encomiums
paid the Mirror for it's activity in making the
church-gOing movement success, by leading con-
tempOraries of the state, more then Over-baances
the Tracy editors criticism; then again, we be-
heve we were right, and ARE right in the stand we
take in the matter; and with the enthusiastic sup.
port of over eleven hundred men, in whose inter-
ests we are striving, we have no reason to regret
our advocacy of church attendance.
AS we cited in these columns last week. atten-
dance at chapel is not compulsory here. There is
no coercion on the part of the officials. The in
mates are at perfect liberty to decide for them
selves whether they to attend services or not;
but the Mirror is printed in the interest of the in
mates, by the inmates; and when it wherein
it can benefit it's people in any way it is not going
to hesitate to do so.
We regret that lack of space forbids the print
ing of the Herald's editorial in full We wish
every man within these walls could read it and
form his own answer in his own words and send it
to us for publication. It would make good, inter-
esting reading for the editor of the Tracy Herald;
but inasmuch as we cannot print it in it's entirety,
we will give part of it as follows:
cit would be refreshing to see of our penal
institutions substitute for the gotochurch
course of instruction in law, the only law-natural
ANYWHERE the unforunates, including exbankers,
ex-preachers and printers could learn figure from
to effect mathematical possibility where
men can see every step from freedom to servtude,
and without taking any of them The boy that
allows the apple to ripen the tree don't get the
bellyache. The understanding of the nature of
things is all that from suffering and misery
and keeps from imposing suffering and misery
upon Others
Emotional religion aided by the singing of mean
ingless, silly hymns, is good thing to forget
dear ancestors INDUCED in. Let it die and let
each his mind to produce a thought.
Canned thought like cold storage eggs should be
tolerated even by our unfortunate fellow publishers
at Saltwater. Give less emotional, sentimental
matter boys, and get into the reasoning habit
In answer to the above it is sufficient to saw
that we're the Heralds editor to ask any of the
imprisoned men here to give him an idea of some
sure way to avoid taking step toward servi-
tude,' his reply would be- the only sure way is
to remember the teachings of your mother and to
cling to the religion of your youth"
The men within these walls are in better DO
sition to know what brought them here than any
body else. They know that had they never strayed
from the emotional religion" of their childhood
they never would have taken the step that led
them to felon's cell. Yes, we know what the
tempting apple of sin looks like, hanging in the
tree-we saw it there, and, Embossed from that
same emotional religion our ancestors believed
in,' far removed from the watchful eye of mother,
our ears deaf to the sound of her sweet voice sing
ing those meaningless hymns we loved so we'll,
others have fallen and are falling who pursue the
course suggested in the Herald
Call it emotional if you want to, Mister Tracy
editor; sentimental, if you please, but we know
what we are talking about and what ailment is.
We have eaten the apple and still suffering
from that attack of ''bellyache'' (if we are per-
mitted to use your rather inelegant expression)
and we have come to the realization that the only
safe and permanent cure for it is through the
cleansing of system-we need spiritual
emetic; we need to get back to the old homeland
mother-in thought, aye, and in sentiment; and to
join heartily in the singing of those same silly,
meaningless hymns that even come to sooth
and comfort us in our dreams, and take us back to
happier days, before we had become quite so much
addicted to the reasoning habit"
friend, Apache, leaves to more mngle